These are photos of turtles in Illinois. They do not necessarily represent those in the Pingree Grove habitat. Credit: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County was awarded a $10,000 grant to help  support turtle habitat at Pingree Grove Forest Preserve in Elgin.

The district was one of 22 municipalities to receive a 2014 Green Region Award from ComEd and Openlands, at a luncheon, Aug. 20 in Glencoe. In total, $155,000 in grants were awarded to various  municipalities, park districts and forest preserve districts throughout northern Illinois to support efforts  to conserve, protect and improve public open spaces.

The Pingree Grove Forest Preserve project is specifically geared toward habitat improvements for an  endangered turtle species. The project will cover approximately 15 acres of the preserve. Work will  include brush thinning, herbiciding of stumps and resprouts, and managing reed canary grass.

The Green Region Award grant, along with $10,000 budgeted by the Forest Preserve District, will complete the project. Work will primarily take place in the winter months, November through January 2015.

“Presently, dense brush thickets are preventing turtles from easily reaching nesting grounds upslope of  the marsh,” said Natural Resources Director Drew Ullberg. “Thinning the brush will not only afford the  turtles greater mobility across the preserve, but also will allow sunlight to reach shade-stunted prairie  plants.”

Executive Director Monica Meyers said the Forest Preserve District is grateful that ComEd and Openlands selected the project at Pingree Grove Forest Preserve.

“These type of support grants are so integral to the district accomplishing our mission of habitat restoration. Partnerships such as this allow for larger scale  initiatives that otherwise may not have been funded,” she said.

SOURCE: Kane County Forest Preserve District press release