Jo Daviess County: Tree Planting Tour

The Northwest Illinois Forestry Association, the Illinois Forestry Association, and the JoDaviess Conservation Foundation are co-sponsoring a tour of the 2013 tree planting and care at Wapello Reserve at 1:00pm on Saturday, June 7th. 

Jeff Horn, Director of Land Stewardship, with the JoDaviess Conservation Foundation and Kevin Oetken, Consulting Forester, will lead the tour. Participants will see a 26 acre tree planting that was completed in 2013 along with the results of herbicide treatments to control competing vegetation. The tree planting is located on the 119 acre Eagle’s Nest Land and Water Reserve that is just west of Wapello. The tour will start at the Wapello parking lot at 8642 Illinois Route 84, which is on the southwest side of Hanover. Participants will walk through Wapello to the tree planting area. The trail is nearly level.

Wapello is a 79 acre historical reserve that has an archaeological site that dates back to 1050 AD and has been accepted into the National Register of Historic Places. Walking trails meander through the site that also has been restored to native prairie plants.

The JoDaviess Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve and enhance the natural wildlife habitat, cultural heritage, scenic vistas and the agricultural character of JoDaviess County and the surrounding areas for this and future generations. The tour is free and open to the public.