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Land Referenda Pass $1 Billion

This spring, voters in three collar counties said “yes” to wilderness hikes, prairie vistas, clear-flowing creeks, and communities enriched by butterflies, birds, coyotes, wildflowers, and trees.

On April 17, voters in McHenry, Kendall, and Kane Counties all passed open space referenda, giving the green light to taxes and bond sales totaling $203 million for land conservation. More remarkably, this latest round of referenda puts the region past the $1 billion mark for open space referenda over the last decade.

That’s “a truly astounding statistic,” says John Rogner, field supervisor for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and chair of the Chicago Wilderness consortium. “This is a conservation milestone for northeastern Illinois. Clearly, the region’s native wildlife, woodlands, waters, and prairies are important to peoples’ lives. Voters should also know that they have made a significant contribution to our national and global efforts to conserve migratory birds, endangered species, and valuable wetlands.”

Kane County led the trio by approving $85 million to preserve 3,000 to 4,000 acres, which would add to the district’s 17,000 acres. Sixty-four percent of voters approved the measure. The district will target lands along rivers and streams, especially the Fox River, as well as lands that augment existing preserves.

By a 57-percent majority, McHenry County taxpayers approved the sale of $73 million in bonds to save 4,500 acres of high-quality land. The new purchases will add to the McHenry County Conservation District’s 20,000 acres, which accounts for 5 percent of the land in the county.

The Kendall County Forest Preserve District should be able to double its relatively small holding of 1,200 acres with $45 million in bonds approved by a resounding 68 percent of Kendall County voters. Again the focus will be lands along waterways, as well as priority properties such as Reservation Woods between Yorkville and Oswego.

The total land protected by voter referenda in the last ten years is estimated at 35,000 acres.

Related Article:

Open Space Referenda Passed, The Conservation Foundation