The Conservation Foundation

Established in 1972 by business and community leaders, The Conservation Foundation is a not-for-profit land and watershed protection organization located in Naperville, Illinois on a 60-acre working farm. The mission of the Foundation is to enhance the quality of life by preserving open space, protecting natural lands, and improving rivers and watersheds. The Foundation maintains a support base of more than 3,000 members and donors, and 500 volunteers in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois

Conservation @ Home

The Conservation Foundation has launched an initiative called Conservation @ Home. This program is an extension of their existing homeowner education and watershed protection efforts, and encourages and recognizes property owners that protect and/or create yards that are environmentally friendly and conserve water. This includes planting native vegetation, such as prairie and woodland wildflowers, trees and shrubs, creating butterfly and rain gardens, and removing exotic species of plants.

This program is not about digging up your entire yard and planting prairie, although that would be okay if you want. Conservation @ Home promotes planting areas like “flower beds” or “mini nature havens” in your yard that utilizes native plants, such as prairie and woodland wildflowers. In addition, this could include water gardens and planting native species of trees and shrubs for wildlife cover, food and habitat. For fun, these areas can be created for butterfly and songbird gardens, and rain gardens that help capture rainwater and return it to the ground instead of allowing it to runoff. It could also mean simply preserving areas that are already “natural habitats” on your property such as stream corridors, wetlands and wooded areas.

At the core of these landscapes is the use of native plants. Native plants are those species that were present locally when the first settlers arrived. These plants grow natural and need no watering or fertilizers. Once established, native plants thrive on their own and do especially well during drought conditions. Their deep roots hold the soil, allow water to filter down deep into the ground where it belongs, and because they were here naturally, they attract dozens of species of beneficial wildlife like butterflies and songbirds. Yards with native landscaping reduce local flooding and clean pollution from rainwater before it reaches our rivers, lakes and ponds. Native planting can be incorporated into any landscape style and provides a healthier backyard environment for your family to enjoy. The butterfly garden planted in front of The Conservation Foundation’s office (10 S 404 Knoch Knolls Road, Naperville, IL 60565 (630) 428-4500) is an example of Conservation @ Home.

 Additional information can be found on their website. www.theconservationfoundation.org

Other available information includes:

• General membership quarterly newsletters.
• DuPage River Currents quarterly newsletter