Land Conservation
& Stewardship
In Northwest Illinois
our preserves
Volunteer NOW
STEWARDSHIP
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Enjoy working outside? How about giving a hand-up to nature? JDCF is looking for volunteers to help with a variety of land stewardship projects. This is your chance to participate on a prescribed burn, join workday teams to battle invasive species at one of our preserves, or plant trees as part of ongoing restoration plans. Great opportunities for individuals, Scout troops, church and school groups looking to give back to their community.
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OUTREACH & EDUCATION
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Have you ever thought about becoming a citizen-scientist? How about giving tours of beautiful places to area residents and visiting tourists? Maybe you enjoy planning outdoor events like mothing parties, luminaria hikes, or experiences in nature for youth? JDCF offers many volunteer opportunities to people of all ages through our Education and Outreach Program.
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LAND PROTECTION
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Looking for a way to get your steps in while exploring spectacular pieces of property? JDCF is looking for volunteers to monitor our preserves and lands under conservation easement by walking them and taking photos for documentation. Many of these properties are privately owned making this a unique opportunity to see new parts of Jo Daviess County.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 25 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Spring Wildflower Walk
White trillium, bluebells, and the rare and endangered red trillium blanket Mississippi Palisades State Park in late April. Experience the magic of these stunning plants along with many other wildflowers at their peak on a guided hike in the woods and along the Park’s riverside bluffs. The walk will be led by JDCF’s Director of Land Stewardship, Jim Johannsen, along with Ken Beach, president of Northwest Illinois Forestry Association. Expert birders will also be on the trail. This is a moderately difficult walk and includes steps. We will meet at the south entrance to the park, which is located 3 miles north of Savanna, IL, along Hwy 84 South. Free and RSVPs not needed. Trillium photo (c) Carol Mantey.
This event is subject to weather-related postponement or cancellation. Please check here or the JDCF Facebook page for updates.
May 3 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
JDCF Annual Frog Walk – Postponed to May 3
One of the first signs of spring is the sound of frogs waking up and calling. Bring the kids down to learn about what the frogs they are hearing. After a short walk down the Galena River Trail towards the Buehler Reserve, families will have a chance to try to find and catch the frogs themselves! Will it be a Spring Peeper or a Leopard Frog? JDCF staff will help you identify what you find, and have some tadpoles on hand to view the frog life cycle in progress. This is a free event open to the public. Weather dependent, check JDCF website for updates. Photo (c) Rich Mattas.
May 10 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Popcorn & Program Speaker Event: 100 Years of the Upper Miss National Wildlife & Fish Refuge
“1924 to 2024: 261 River Miles and 244,000 acres of wetland habitat, protected for 100 years.”
Ed Britton, Wildlife Refuge Manager, will present the incredible story of the Upper Miss Refuge, which is celebrating 100 years as a protected habitat, free and open for all to enjoy. Complimentary Potosi beer and popcorn as long as supplies last. Wildfowl displays, 6 pm to 7 pm. Program at 7 pm.
At 261 river miles and 244,000 acres of wetland habitat, it is the longest, most visited (by people and wildlife) Refuge in the lower 48. It extends from Wabasha, Minnesota to Rock Island, Illinois, with many access points bordering Jo Daviess County.
A massively successful lobbying effort by the nation’s hunters and anglers to stop the imminent draining of thousands of acres of Upper Miss wetlands for farming convinced Congress to establish the Refuge in 1924.
Ed’s presentation will cover the origins of the Refuge, species monitored and protected, the history and function of the Upper Miss lock and dam system, activities sponsored by the Refuge, and current projects underway to help preserve Refuge habitat for the benefit and enjoyment of us all. We thank the Potosi Foundation for the complimentary beer and the Apple River State Bank/First Community Bank of Galena for sponsoring JDCF’s adult education series.
Photo (c) Barbara Baird.
May 11 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
River Watch Training
Location: Warren, IL High School Cafeteria moving to Rutherford Refuge at Twin Bridges Nature Preserve for field demonstration.
Become certified as a River Watch community scientist and learn how to monitor water quality in your local streams! Volunteers will learn to survey habitat an aquatic life, focusing on species like dragonfly nymphs, beetle larva, midges, and snails. This workshop is primarily for adults but kids may attend with a registered adult (2 kids per 1 adult). Registration required at: https://bit.ly/RWWarren24
June 1 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Periodically Historic Cicadas Guided Casper Bluff Property Tour
This guided tour around scenic Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve will focus on the the captivating life cycle of periodical cicadas. The tour will tell the story of the historic 2024 emergence convergence of both a 17 year Cicada Brood and a 13 year Cicada brood. Something that hasn’t happened since Thomas Jefferson was president 221 years ago. Free and RSVPs not needed.
August 23 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
“A Visit from Will Dilg” ~ A Performance by Steven Marking
Join us at the Galena Center for the Arts for a performance by actor, musician and American Cruise Lines favorite Steven Marking.
One hundred years ago, Will Dilg was the singular driving force behind the formation of our Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The Refuge borders all of Jo Daviess County, including three JDCF preserves. In all, it covers 261 river miles and 244,000 acres of wildlife habitat, extending from the Chippewa River in Wisconsin to Rock Island, Illinois. Steven Marking’s multi-media production showcases his talents as an actor, musician, and filmmaker, all in service of bringing to life the true story of the man who roused a nation to a fete of conservation never before imagined.
This event is presented in partnership with the Galena Center for the Arts.
The Search For Affordable Land
Stewardship Services Is Over!
Latest News
JDCF Celebrates 100th Anniversary of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
March 19th, 2024
“Do we want ducks or don’t we?” In the early 1900s, as Mississippi River backwaters were being drained en masse and converted to farmland, champions of nature were asking that […]
Open Position – Director of Ecological Restoration
March 15th, 2024
JDCF is seeking a full-time Director of Ecological Restoration based out of our state-of-the-art stewardship shop in Elizabeth, IL. This position is responsible for ensuring the success of JDCF’s ecological […]
Carrying the Torch ~ A Prescribed Fire Seminar
March 12th, 2024
JDCF Earns National Recognition for Excellence
November 28th, 2023
After a lengthy and rigorous application process, we received the good news that JDCF has been reaccredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The Commission is an independent program of […]
“Big Sky Nature Preserve” – JDCF Announces Largest Land Donation to Date
August 9th, 2023
This is the story of one of the most incredible gifts ever given: to JDCF, to the natural world, and to the people of Jo Daviess County. A gift over […]
JDCF Opens New Stewardship Shop
August 9th, 2023
Over the last decade, JDCF has worked hard to greatly expanded our stewardship capacity. From 1 dedicated staff member using a DR push mower and a well-used, donated truck to […]
Unique Conservation Model Preserves Bedford Hollow
April 11th, 2023
JDCF Protects Iconic Stockton, IL Area Landmark
April 11th, 2023
Rutherford Refuge at Twin Bridges Becomes JDCF’s First Nature Preserve
February 17th, 2022
After reading this headline, you may be asking yourself, “What do you mean ‘first’ Nature Preserve?” What about Schurmeier Teaching Forest? What about Wapello? What about Casper Bluff, Horseshoe Mound, Valley of Eden, and all the other natural areas that JDCF has protected over the last 29 years? Yes, JDCF has preserved these natural areas in perpetuity for future generations to enjoy. But the title of “Nature Preserve” carries a very special meaning within the State of Illinois, and it’s not a title that is easily attained. “Nature Preserve” is an official legal status bestowed on certain special natural areas by a little-known state government agency called the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC). While INPC does not own any land itself, INPC uses Nature Preserve dedications in order to permanently protect land that is owned by nonprofit organizations like JDCF, governmental entities, and private landowners. A Nature Preserve dedication is the highest form of legal protection that a natural area can achieve in the State of Illinois without an act of Congress. “Nature Preserve” is also an official status that is reserved for only the rarest and highest-quality natural areas in Illinois. The Rutherford Refuge at Twin Bridges is one such natural area. It contains the “best of kind” wet-mesic prairie and sedge meadow habitats located within Illinois’s portion of Driftless Area. The refuge also contains dry-mesic prairie, oak barrens, oak savanna, upland forest, and coolwater stream habitats that paint a unique mosaic of habitat types on the landscape, which are home to several rare plant and insect species. Acquired by JDCF in December 2020, the Rutherford Refuge at Twin Bridges was founded with generous financial support from the Rutherford Family and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. It’s named in memory of John and Barbara Rutherford who owned and stewarded the property from 1988 to 2018. “Our mom had a vision,” said Bryn Davis, one of John and Barbara Rutherford’s four children that helped create the refuge. “I know she and dad would be thrilled beyond words at the fact that Twin Bridges has been dedicated as a Nature Preserve! They knew that it was a special place and they wanted it to be protected and available for others to enjoy. This dedication just reinforces what our parents and JDCF saw in this little gem of a place.” The Rutherford Refuge at Twin Bridges Nature Preserve joins the ranks of more than 400 dedicated Nature Preserves across Illinois totaling more than 60,000 acres. It is only the fourth Nature Preserve to be dedicated in Jo Daviess County and the only Nature Preserve in the county that is not owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In addition to over 400 Nature Preserves, INPC has registered 196 “Land and Water Reserves” totaling more than 54,000 acres across Illinois. Similar to Nature Preserve dedications, INPC uses Land and Water Reserve registrations to permanently protect Illinois’s most important natural and archaeological areas. However, unlike Nature Preserves, Land and Water Reserves allow for a wider variety of recreational uses to occur onsite and are used to protect sites that may be of slightly lower quality and may not qualify for Nature Preserve status. JDCF’s Land and Water Reserves include Wapello, Casper Bluff, and Keough Effigy Mounds. The Rutherford Refuge at Twin Bridges Nature Preserve is located at 9532 East Twin Bridges Road, Warren, Illinois. It’s open to the public for passive outdoor recreation daily from dawn to dusk.
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