Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation: ‘Providing a refuge’

ELIZABETH–The Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation (JDCF) properties are experiencing a new interest from local residents as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Steve Barg, executive director, has seen JDCF’s properties being utilized more over the past month and a half than during the same time frame in previous years. Barg also said he has seen a lot more weekday use and more usage by local residents than prior to the pandemic.

‘All trails are open’

“The properties are providing a refuge for people,” said Barg. “It allows people to be in touch with nature. They can listen to the birds sing.”

On March 23, Gov. J.B. Pritzker made an executive order that local parks and outdoor recreation locations can remain open with social distancing. This allowed JDCF to keep its parks and preserves open to the public.

“State parks have been closed and these are the only public places where you can go, along with the Galena River Trail and other small places with no playground equipment,” said Barg.

The biggest change for JDCF at its parks and preserves is that all brochures, rack cards and touchable information has been removed from kiosks.

A sign at each kiosk in their preserve states that visitors must refrain from using porta potties, picnic areas and other congregation areas while utilizing the properties.

“All trails are open,” said Barg. “We are really pleased to provide this necessary service to the public.”

Barg said trail infrastructure is good even with above average usage for this time of year.

“If this lasted for an entire year, we would start to see wear and tear,” said Barg. “We have asked people to keep their social distance. We have heard no complaints on people feeling overwhelmed or unsafe. If we do, we will respond to that.”

Barg said land preservation has not been impacted by COVID-19, but land stewardship has been only one person working at sites which meant the foundation couldn’t complete prescribed burns this season.

“Park maintenance has continued,” said Barg. “We have been mowing, parking lots have been cleaned and we have had trees removed from paths. Maintenance has continued, but ecological restoration has been affected.”

‘Turnout has been off the charts’

The biggest element that has changed is the organization’s education and outreach.

JDCF has been hosting weekly Facebook Live events every Thursday at 10 a.m. on their Facebook page since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

“The turnout has been off the charts,” said Barg. “For a normal event we are thrilled with 50-60 people. We have done four or five live events and as many as 3,000 people watch or view the events on our website, YouTube or Facebook page.”

The “Discover Wapello” event had 1,500 views in the first 48 hours.

Barg said that Deb Kelly, the organization’s communications director, and Jessica Carryer, education and outreach manager, have stepped up to provide the education component in a new way to their audience.

“We started thinking about what we were doing at home,” said Carryer. “People are spending a lot of their time on social media.”

Kelly said that it began with Carryer going to different preserves and filming for the foundation to post, so they thought about expanding on that and making it a live event.

The first Facebook Live event was on Thursday, April 2 and there are plans to go through at least the end of May.

“Right now we are solid with our plans through the end of May,” said Carryer. “We have volunteers that help with all of our outreach events.”

“In general, it has been a very good awareness,” said Kelly.

Carryer said it has been very encouraging for the organization and it gives her a piece of mind knowing that there is a team that is working together to make the events successful.

Many teachers and parents are utilizing JDCF’s videos for educational purposes.

“I try to keep engaged in what it is like for parents and kids at home,” said Carryer. “I really hope they can go out to places like Wapello and read the signs and explore. It is great educational content for the school kids right now.”

Kelly said Carryer tries to make it relatable to everyone and tells viewers that they can explore things like fossils and wildflowers in their own backyards.

Barg said he foresees doing this more when normalcy returns, likely not weekly, but something they will do seasonally or a few times a season.

Carryer sees it as something that they could do a few times a year.

“It is something we have learned as a way to connect to more people,” said Barg. “We have been working on getting better technology and trying to do them on location at our properties.”

“A lot more comes out of in-person events,” said Carryer. “There is a better sense of community and the excitement level is higher when you are a part of something. It has been fun, though, doing different things.”

The programs have included fossils, wildflower walks and frog walks. The organization has had a challenge of connectivity at certain locations on their properties.

“People have been forgiving,” said Barg. “We are getting really positive responses. It is very authentic and a very grassroots kind of feel.”

Another aspect of their education and outreach program has been scavenger hunts they have set out at Horseshoe Mound Preserve and Casper Bluff.

With all of the change, JDCF has positioned itself to promote its mission and showcase its importance to the area.

“The value of offering free recreation to communities has been appreciated more than ever,” said Barg. “We are getting lots of kind notes.”