Glacial Park restoration project receives $25K Fairways Foundation grant

The McHenry County Conservation Foundation was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Fairways Foundation to assist with its restoration efforts at Glacial Park near Ringwood.

Funds provided by the Fairways Foundation will be combined with previous investments to buy the native seed mix necessary to convert land from row crop production to prairie grassland, according to a news release.

The project ties together several hundred acres of restored and managed land within Glacial Park and supports the conservation of numerous threatened or endangered species, according to the release.

The work will decrease sedimentation runoff into the north branch of Nippersink Creek and improve the ability to recharge groundwater, which is where McHenry County residents receive 100% of their drinking water.

Encompassing 3,439 acres, Glacial Park is one of the largest contiguous areas of publicly managed land in McHenry County. More than 85,000 people visit the site annually, according to the release.