A very upbeat progress report on happenings at the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District was given by Superintendent Terry Hannan who was featured speaker at this week’s meeting.  He was particularly proud of work to extend the G2K Trail (Genoa to Kingston Trail) west from Genoa.  Several landowners recently sold the District trail corridor rights and a gravel surface is being installed.  The project also includes tree and shrub plantings along with prairie flower seedings.  Hannan praised the support of landowners to link various county trails with city trails and the Great Western Trail that can take residents all the way in to the western suburbs of Chicago.

 

Besides trails, Hannan mentioned work on prairie restoration at the Chambers farm property near Kirkland.  Jim and Joretta Chambers originally intended to donate the land as a legacy to the Forest Preserve District when they passed away, but now, living into the 90’s, they want to see the plan move forward while they are still alive.  Hannan said he hopes to grow overall acreage overseen by the Forest Preserve District from the current 2,000 acres to 3,000 acres as part of his 7/10ths of 1 percent plan.  This would mean 7/10ths of total county acreage of about 404,000 acres would be under Forest Preserve District management and preservation with District’s tax  staying at 7/10ths of 1 percent of the total property tax bill.  Hannan said he seeks supplemental funds by pursuing grants and help from a strong group of volunteers.

 

Hannan also noted the success of the Forest Preserve District in maintaining and attracting a strong wildlife presence in the county.  He said there are now five documented bald eagle nests in the county.  At the Afton Forest Preserve south of DeKalb where a tree nursery is maintained, 255 species of birds have been identified.  Deer, beavers, and coyotes are also prevalent and can represent a challenge to manage when interfering with farming or gardening.

 

Details about the County Forest Preserve District and its 19 sites may be found at https://dekalbcounty.org/departments/forest-preserve/.

August 11, 1921 – “Roots” author Alex Haley is born in Ithaca, New York.

 

August 13, 1860 – Wild West performer Annie Oakley, known for her shooting ability, is born in Darke County, Ohio.

 

August 15, 1769 – French military leader and Emperor of the French (1804-14, 1815), Napoleon Bonaparte, is born in Ajaccio, Corsica, France.

 

August 17, 1786 – Frontiersman and politician Davey Crockett is born in Hawkins County, Tennessee.  He would die at age 49 during the defense of the Alamo in Texas.

August 11, 1965 – Six days of riots begin in the Watts area of Los Angeles triggered by a traffic stop and subsequent fight between an African American motorist and a white member of the California Highway Patrol.  The rioting results in 34 deaths, more than 3,000 people arrested, and damage to property listed at $40 million.

 

August 14, 1945 – V-J Day; President Harry Truman announces the Japanese surrender to the Allies to end World War II.  

 

August 15, 1969 – The Woodstock festival began in a field near Yasgur’s Farm at Bethel, New York.  The three-day concert featured 24 rock bands and drew a crowd of more than 300,000 young people. The event came to symbolize the counter-culture movement of the 1960’s.

 

August 17, 1978 – The first-ever transatlantic balloon trip was completed.  Americans Max Anderson, Ben Abruzzo, and Larry Newman had departed from Maine 137 hours earlier in “Double Eagle II” and landed about 60 miles west of Paris.