Why we plant oaks

The facts can seem overwhelming:

- Nearly 90% of the oak woods that were here in 1837 are gone.

- At the rate things are going, the remaining oaks could be dead in 20 years.

- It takes twenty years for an oak tree planted today to produce its first acorns.

- The remaining oaks are not reproducing either due to:
* improper management of the understory (e.g. allowing species like buckthorn to grow un-checked, or keeping a manicured lawn under the trees),

* effects of animals (e.g. deer browsing young trees, field mice eating acorns), or

* the effects of invasive species on the soil chemistry and the unique web of life needed by an oak's root system.

Yep, it is tough being an oak tree in McHenry County today.

And that's why we plant oaks whenever we can. On 10/10/10, that meant planting 100 oaks around McHenry County with the help of nearly 100 local residents. Those 100 trees will not replace the woods that are at risk today, but by working with local residents to plant trees today, we are teaching a next generation to take ownership for the future of these trees.

Since 2007, TLC has worked with nearly 1,000 local residents of all ages to plant over 1,000 oak trees. Those people can visit the trees they planted, and know that they are part of something bigger - something hopeful - something positive for the future.

It is too easy to get lost in the facts, and to feel overwhelmed, wondering "what can I do? It's hopeless! I can't change things!" But the fact is that every one of us has the ability to do something. Even just one thing, and that WILL make a difference.

Plant an oak. Clear some buckthorn from underneath an oak. Gather acorns in the fall and deliver them to TLC. Support organizations like TLC who are working to save the remaining oak woods, and to help ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to experience the magic and wonder of these magnificent trees -- just as we do today!

The fact is that there is time. These trees are still with us today - they have lasted long enough for us to learn what they need, and to take action.

Giving Thanks

As the month of November comes to a close, and before the ever-busy month of December begins, I wanted to take a moment to express my thanks for 2009.

Thanks to the Board Members of TLC for being such excellent stewards of the vision that started this organization twenty years ago! In 1989, the idea of a local land trust working with private landowner to preserve those precious places in McHenry County that would otherwise fall through the cracks was just that - an idea! Over the last twenty years, the board of directors has ensured the vision and mission are clear, and the work moves forward! Thank you!!

Thanks to the awesome women I work with every day: Linda Balek, Cheryl Perrone and Jackie Eberle (shown here on a vernal pool outing with easement donor Susan Tauck). They are so much more than "employees"! Each one of them finds ways to go above and beyond her job description every day to make The Land Conservancy more than the "sum of their parts," and to do what each can to build an organization that embodies the mission and vision. THANK YOU!

Thanks to the growing number of conservation easement donors for choosing to preserve their land - forever - by permanently restricting future development. These individuals want to make sure that generations yet unborn will have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and bounty that the land provides! Ninety percent of the land TLC has preserved was protected by these private conservation agreements! Their choices will have a lasting impact on the landscape of McHenry County. We are grateful to each of them for choosing to work with TLC to preserve their land!

Thanks to the many volunteers who work to help restore the land, complete mailings, file documents, and run events. TLC is a small organization in some ways, but the combined effort of our volunteers makes us mighty indeed! The scope and scale of work that volunteers make possible cannot be understated! TLC's volunteers ROCK!

Thanks to TLC's members and supporters. In these times of economic uncertainty, we are so fortunate to have steady supporters who make this work possible. Their (your!) support means that nearly 1,800 acres of McHenry County land have been permanently preserved forever. Remember, TLC does not collect tax dollars to pay our bills or to buy land! We work closely with private landowners to help them preserve their land - forever. And member support makes that possible.

There are many more thanks to give, for there are many individuals and organizations who do what they can to make this work succeed! Thank you all.

Do you have time to help TLC?

Volunteers are the heart of any nonprofit organization, and TLC is no exception!

A whole diversity of TLC volunteers attend our regular Work Parties, cutting brush, burning prairies and wetlands, collecting seed, etc. They are awesome, and their combined efforts each year are equivalent to a half-time staff person.

Some volunteers are licensed herbicide applicators, a skill that requires taking a special class and passing a test. Some bring their own chainsaws, fuel and extra blades to help cut buckthorn and other brush and trees. But they all bring their hearts and energy to the work, doing what they can to restore the Earth.

Our board members are all volunteers, and they do much more than just attend a monthly board meeting! They serve on committees, attend conferences to learn more about conservation and nonprofit management, help out with land stewardship, and basically anything else that they can do to be helpful. The picture to the right is of board members Steve Wenzel and Randy Schietzelt visiting a property one weekend to see whether it was appropriate for TLC to accept as a donation.

TLC's Oak Keeper volunteers are making important contributions to understanding the 15,000 acres of privately owned oak woodlands in McHenry County. In their first year of monitoring private woods, the Oak Keepers have already "discovered" the first two documented occurrences of natural swamp white oak trees in the county - ever. That is really cool, and it was all because of the Oak Keepers project and the work of the TLC Oak Keeper volunteers.

There are many opportunities to make your own contribution as a TLC volunteer. Whether you have a couple of hours a month or a couple of hours a day, there is an opportunity waiting for you at TLC! Give us a call today!