Saving McHenry County Oak Groves

The Chicago Tribune article today highlights the efforts of The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, McHenry County Conservation District, Glacier Oaks Nursery and Project Quercus.



McHenry County coalition works to return oaks to full splendor
In McHenry County, coalition taking steps to restore shrinking forests
By Carolyn Starks- Tribune staff reporter

"The oak saplings at Glacier Oaks Nursery in Harvard are bundled like children in a snowstorm inside warm tunnels that will help them thrive until spring. They may look fragile, but their spindly branches carry a heavy burden.

Conservationists are counting on these baby trees as a small step in helping assure that mighty oak forests remain rooted in McHenry County..."

Another article on Project Quercus in McHenry County appeared in the Northwest Herald, on 12/28/07.
'County's Oak Population Getting Bare'

The following is a breakdown of oak forest coverage in McHenry County by the year.
1838: 143,000 acres.
1872: 72,000 acres.
1939: 26,350 acres.
2005: 18,000 acres.