Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation Inc

THE ORGANIZATIONS GOAL IS TO PRESERVE AND STEWARD LAND FOR THE LASTING WELL-BEING OF ALL PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.

LAND PRESERVATION: IN 2021 JDCF SOLD TWO OF ITS PROPERTIES TO THE ILLINOIS DNR. THIS MOVED APPROXIMATELY $1.6 MILLION DOLLARS IN FIXED ASSETS INTO RESTRICTED CURRENT ASSETS TO BE USED TO PRESERVE MORE LAND AND WATER IN OUR SERVICE AREA. JDCF COMPLETED ONE 96-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT BRINGING TOTAL ACRES UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO 5,083. JDCF OPENED TRAILS ON TWO PRESERVES TOTALING OVER 10 MILES OF NEW TRAILS FOR PUBLIC USE. EXPENSES FOR THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM TOTALED APPROXIMATELY $55,000. $128,500 WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE RUTHERFORD REFUGE ENDOWMENT FUND, ENSURING LASTING PROTECTION OF THE RECENTLY DESIGNATED ILLINOIS NATURE PRESERVE.

STEWARDSHIP AND PUBLIC ACCESS: IN ANY GIVEN YEAR THESE SERVICES MAKE UP THE LARGEST ANNUAL PROGRAM EXPENSE FOR JDCF. LABOR AND EQUIPMENT COMPRISE THE BULK OF THESE PROGRAM SERVICES FOR THE CARE, MAINTENANCE AND ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF PROPERTY HELD IN PUBLIC TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE. IN 2021 JDCF LAUNCHED A NEW STEWARDSHIP COOPERATIVE (NORTHWEST ILLINOIS STEWARDSHIP COOPERATIVE) EXPANDING OUR STEWARDSHIP SERVICES TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATELY PROTECTED LANDS IN FOUR ADDITIONAL COUNTIES IN NW ILLINOIS. JDCF OWNS 926 ACRES THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR PASSIVE RECREATION AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. IN 2021, WE ESTIMATE IN 25,000 PEOPLE VISITED OUR 10 PRESERVES THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING TWO PARTNER PRESERVES. EXPENSES, INCLUDING SALARIES, EQUIPMENT, TRAINING, INSURANCE AND VEHICLES, WAS APPROXIMATELY: $647,000; REVENUE GENERATED MOSTLY FROM LEASE INCOME WAS APPROXIMATELY: $75,147; GRANTS SUPPORTING THIS WORK RECEIVED IN 2021 TOTALED APPROXIMATELY $115,134.80; AND OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS TOTALED APPROXIMATELY $97,443.24. FEE FOR SERVICE INCOME TOTALED $213,725.55.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES IN THE SECOND YEAR OF AN EXTRAORDINARY PANDEMIC, JDCF CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VALUED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. THESE INCLUDED TO THE PUBLIC REGULAR FACEBOOK LIVE EVENTS AND OTHER VIRTUAL CONTENT TO ADULTS, FAMILIES AND YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE REGION. IN ADDITION, WE RETURNED TO SOME IN-PERSON EVENTS OUTSIDE ON OUR PRESERVES. TOGETHER THESE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENTS ALLOWED JDCF TO EXPAND ITS EDUCATIONAL REACH FROM APPROXIMATELY 2,500 PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY TO OVER 10,000 IN 2021. DELIVERING THESE SERVICES DEPENDS ON SUPPORT FROM A ROBUST VOLUNTEER CORPS OF OVER 50 VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORT FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES INCLUDING A $10,000 SPONSORSHIP FROM A LOCAL BANK AND A PORTION OF THE THREE CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS FROM PRIVATE GIVING FOUNDATIONS. GRANT INCOME FOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS WAS APPROXIMATELY $4,200. INDIVIDUAL AND LOCAL BUSINESS PARTNER CONTRIBUTIONS WERE APPROXIMATELY $44.400. EXPENSES, INCLUDING SALARIES, AND EDUCATION PROGRAM COSTS WERE APPROXIMATELY $84,800.