Merchant Creek Stewardship Challenge Grant
About the Grant
In May 2018, Nippersink Watershed Association (NWA) received a Stewardship Challenge Grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF).
By fulfilling a number of requirements by November 2019, NWA can receive up to $32,000 from the Foundation to spend on land stewardship activities in the Merchant Creek corridor.
If you’d like to learn more about ICECF and their grant programs visit their website: illinoiscleanenergy.org.
If you’d like to learn more about ICECF and their grant programs visit their website: illinoiscleanenergy.org.
Please scroll down for photos and updates about the stewardship work progress.
How you can help
VOLUNTEER
We will receive $4000 from the Foundation when we have logged 400 volunteer hours of stewardship work within the Merchant Creek corridor. With the help of many volunteers since June 2017, we have been making great progress on removing invasive brush in the corridor which NWA owns. An impressive display of native plants emerged in the cleared area in Spring 2018. Please check our website and Facebook page for our posted workdays which will typically be held from 8-10:30 am on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
DONATE
The Foundation will match 3:1 all donations to our Stewardship of Merchant Creek Corridor Fund, up to $21,000.
We will receive $4000 from the Foundation when we have logged 400 volunteer hours of stewardship work within the Merchant Creek corridor. With the help of many volunteers since June 2017, we have been making great progress on removing invasive brush in the corridor which NWA owns. An impressive display of native plants emerged in the cleared area in Spring 2018. Please check our website and Facebook page for our posted workdays which will typically be held from 8-10:30 am on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
DONATE
The Foundation will match 3:1 all donations to our Stewardship of Merchant Creek Corridor Fund, up to $21,000.
Make a donation to the Challenge Grant
You can donate by credit card using PayPal.
A PayPal account is not required.
Use the PayPal Donate button.
Or mail a check to:
Nippersink Watershed Association
7602 Hancock Drive
Wonder Lake, IL 60097
Please write CSgrant in the memo space
A PayPal account is not required.
Use the PayPal Donate button.
Or mail a check to:
Nippersink Watershed Association
7602 Hancock Drive
Wonder Lake, IL 60097
Please write CSgrant in the memo space
As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, your donations to the NWA are fully tax-deductible.
Merchant Creek Project Photos
Enjoy this photo gallery of our recent progress. Click on photo to see in a click-through gallery
Then scroll down for more photos and visuals about where this project is taking place.
Then scroll down for more photos and visuals about where this project is taking place.
Grant Work Update 10/28/19
Thank you to all who have supported our Merchant Creek Corridor Restoration Project with your volunteer time and donations. With the matching funds we are receiving from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, we have raised $34,000 for this restoration through our Stewardship Challenge Grant.
This project is also being funded with $64,000 in IEPA Section 319 "Clean Water" funding and a $40,000 donation from NRB Land, the upstream landowner of the Thatcher Meadows development. We have been busy this fall working on stabilization of Merchant Creek's streambed and streambanks. Illinois EPA calculates that the project will reduce the sediment load to Wonder Lake by 20 semi-dump truck loads per year.
Work by our volunteer crew to remove invasive brush from the creek corridor will continue through the winter and next year. We still have many acres to clear in the 13-acre stream corridor. In the coming year NWA will also be planting native trees, shrubs and wetland and woodland flowers to supplement those that are coming back naturally as the sun shines again on Merchant Creek!
Our workdays are typically held from 8-10:30 am on the third Saturday of each month. If you would like to be added to our workday reminder list, please email your contact info to nippersinkcreek@gmail.com.
Also check our Facebook page (Nippersink Watershed Association) for project updates.
This project is also being funded with $64,000 in IEPA Section 319 "Clean Water" funding and a $40,000 donation from NRB Land, the upstream landowner of the Thatcher Meadows development. We have been busy this fall working on stabilization of Merchant Creek's streambed and streambanks. Illinois EPA calculates that the project will reduce the sediment load to Wonder Lake by 20 semi-dump truck loads per year.
Work by our volunteer crew to remove invasive brush from the creek corridor will continue through the winter and next year. We still have many acres to clear in the 13-acre stream corridor. In the coming year NWA will also be planting native trees, shrubs and wetland and woodland flowers to supplement those that are coming back naturally as the sun shines again on Merchant Creek!
Our workdays are typically held from 8-10:30 am on the third Saturday of each month. If you would like to be added to our workday reminder list, please email your contact info to nippersinkcreek@gmail.com.
Also check our Facebook page (Nippersink Watershed Association) for project updates.
Past Grant Work Updates
UPDATE 6/24/19: We have logged over 400 hours of stewardship so will soon be receiving $4000 from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation for the completion of that grant requirement. There is lots of brush yet to be cleared so our regular third Saturday stewardship events are still on! Visit Nippersink Watershed Association on Facebook for the details. We need to raise another $1424 to meet our $7000 fundraising goal. And enjoy this Northwest Herald article about our efforts:
Watershed groups restore conservation lands in McHenry County
Watershed groups restore conservation lands in McHenry County
UPDATE 4/29/19: To date, we've have raised $4660 towards our $7000 fundraising goal and have logged 369 volunteer hours towards our 400 hours of stewardship goal.
UPDATE 1/4/19: To date, we've have raised $4305 towards our $7000 fundraising goal and have logged 251 volunteer hours towards our 400 hours of stewardship goal.
UPDATE 11/26/18: To date, we've have raised $3100 towards our $7000 fundraising goal and have logged 204.5 volunteer hours towards our 400 hours of stewardship goal. Through the end of the year, we are working to raise another $2000 in a Facebook fundraiser campaign. Every little bit helps towards our goal. Thanks to all our donors and workday volunteers!
UPDATE 1/4/19: To date, we've have raised $4305 towards our $7000 fundraising goal and have logged 251 volunteer hours towards our 400 hours of stewardship goal.
UPDATE 11/26/18: To date, we've have raised $3100 towards our $7000 fundraising goal and have logged 204.5 volunteer hours towards our 400 hours of stewardship goal. Through the end of the year, we are working to raise another $2000 in a Facebook fundraiser campaign. Every little bit helps towards our goal. Thanks to all our donors and workday volunteers!
Merchant Creek
Thank you to Ryan Pettit for the following map of NWA's Merchant Creek Preserve This Map in a pdf
