Happy New Year!

As 2008 draws to a close, and 2009 looms on the horizon, it seems time to stop and take stock of where we've been, where we are today, and where we are heading, doesn't it?

Despite the economic downturn, our members and supporters have been wonderful, and we are finishing the year in good shape financially. Thank you!

From a conservation standpoint, it was a blockbuster year with some amazing projects completed: the key 40 acres at West Woodstock Prairie (still looking for a knock-out name for the site!), 53 acres of beautiful oak woods across the road from MCCD's Marengo Ridge preserve (thanks to Dale Shriver and Judy Rogers), and a 3 acre addition to the protected area at Barber Fen in Greenwood (thanks to Marty & Lynn Sobczak).

As we look into the early days of 2009, we see several other land protection projects coming together - perhaps as early as the Annual Meeting on January 25th! Be sure you join us at Bull Valley Golf Club at 11am that day for brunch and to hear our speaker, Batavia author Gina Olszowski, as she tells her story of suburban sprawl. It's just $35 for members (and if you are not yet a member, $45 which includes a special introductory membership in TLC)!

Looking further into 2009, we will be continuing to build our local support through a matching grant from the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. For each new dollar we raise through increased giving levels from existing members, brand new members and returning members, the foundation will provide matching funds up to a total of $35,000 over two years.

In 2009, you can expect to hear more stories from TLC - stories of people and the land - as world renowned storyteller and author (an new TLC board member) Jim May helps us put the right words together to help convey the magic that occurs when someone loves the land so much that he or she chooses to permanently restrict the development of that land.

Also in 2009, you'll see TLC planting many more oak trees as we start a program to assess our easement properties for their oak reforestation potential, and then working to help them realize that potential!