Forests are some of Illinois’ most valuable natural places. They provide homes for wildlife, clean air and water, and offer quiet spaces where people can reconnect with nature. Protecting these landscapes is essential for the future of both wildlife and communities.
Thanks to the generosity of a land donor, HLC recently added a new protected property to its growing network of conservation lands: Grisley Woods Land & Water Reserve.
Located in Williamson County, this 107.5-acre property was recently dedicated as a Land and Water Reserve through the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. This designation legally protects lands that contain significant natural features, ensuring they remain protected for generations to come.
The property includes a beautiful mix of woodland, forest, and grassland habitat. Together, these areas create a diverse landscape that supports a wide range of wildlife. It provides important habitat for birds and other species that rely on healthy forests and grasslands to survive.
Grisley Woods already supports several notable species. The site provides habitat for endangered birds, including loggerhead shrikes and the chuck-will’s-widows. It is also home and nesting habitat for barn owls, a bird that has been slowly recovering its populations after years of dedicated conservation work across the state.
While the property is rich with wildlife today, its story also reflects the long arc of ecological recovery. Much of the timber on the site was harvested roughly 80 years ago. A few large legacy trees still remain, standing as reminders of the older forest that once grew there.
In 2020, the landowner began an ambitious restoration effort to help the forest recover and become healthier over time. Since then, land managers and volunteers have carried out restoration work several times each year.
The results are already encouraging. The forest is gradually shifting toward a healthier dry woodland system, which supports a greater diversity of plants and animals. Young white oak trees are beginning to regenerate across the property. Continued care and restoration will help ensure that oaks will continue to anchor this forest in the decades ahead.
For now, Grisley Woods is closed to general public access while restoration work continues. However, HLC’s long-term vision includes expanding opportunities for people to engage with and learn from this special place.
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the landowner who chose to donate the property for conservation. Land gifts like this are one of the most powerful ways individuals can make a lasting impact for wildlife, forests, and future generations.
Because of this gift, Grisley Woods will remain a place where owls can hunt across open fields, rare birds can find safe nesting habitat, and the quiet beauty of a healthy woodland can continue to grow for decades to come.
It stands as a reminder that conservation often begins with a single, generous decision to protect the land.
Did you know you can donate land to help conservation?
You can donate farmland, natural lands (like woods and prairies), or a lot in town to become a new park or conservation area.
You can also donate other real estate, like a cabin, vacation home, business, or residence specifically for the Conservancy to sell, and apply those funds to local conservation.
This can be a tax-savvy way to protect the land and water that makes southern Illinois special.
These gifts will likely eliminate capital gains tax, provide you with income tax and/or estate tax benefits, and reduce the hassle of property taxes and maintenance. Check with your financial advisor about tax deductibility and benefits.
But perhaps, even more importantly, it’s a way for you to make a lasting difference at a time when you are needed more than ever.