PRESS RELEASE
08/15/2011
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:  
Jill Johnson
630-428-4500, Ext. 20
jjohnson@theconservationfoundation.org




John Church Joins the Staff of The Conservation Foundation

Oswego Resident and Former County Board Chairman to Head Up New Land Conservation Initiative for the Lower Fox River

MONTGOMERY, Ill. (August 15th, 2011) - 

The Conservation Foundation is proud to announce the hiring of John Church of Oswego as it newest staff member.  Church will be serving as a project manager for the Foundation's Lower Fox River Land Conservation Planning Project. This project will develop a long term land conservation and protection plan for the lower Fox River in Kendall and LaSalle counties and will identify high quality natural areas along the river and encourage landowners to take voluntary actions to preserve their land.  This plan will be completed by June 2012 and is funded primarily from an Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation grant.

            Church has notable experience in the field of conservation. He spent 35 years working with the University of Illinois Extension program, where he served the northern third of Illinois by educating residents on the importance of natural resources. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Agriculture from the University of Illinois. Church has also served on the Board of Trustees for The Conservation Foundation for two years and on its Leadership Board for 10 years.

He also served 14 years elected to the Kendall County Board, serving as the County Board Chairman for 12 years and five years as Kendall Forest Preserve President. During his time on the Board, the Forest Preserve District passed referendums to finance the acquisition of more than 1,500 acres of open space. Also during his time on the Board, a comprehensive conservation design ordinance was adopted for county developments, providing for natural area and open space protection. A countywide greenway and trail plan was also adopted.

"John is a well-known and well-respected Kendall County citizen with tons of experience dealing with land use and conservation issues," said the Foundation's President/CEO Brook McDonald.  "His contacts and positive relationships with key stakeholders for this project will be immensely valuable." 

Church will be stationed at the Foundation's  Dickson-Murst Farm office in Montgomery.

"I have always supported and respected the work of The Conservation Foundation and appreciate their reasoned approach," said Church.  "Living along the Fox River myself in Oswego, I understand how important the river is to our communities and I look forward to helping develop a plan to protect land in its watershed."

John Church can be reached at The Conservation Foundation at 630-553-0687, Ext. 304 or jchurch@theconservationfoundation.org. 


 

 

 

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 Note:  Photos available upon request.   


 

 

The Conservation Foundation, a nonprofit land and watershed protection organization, is dedicated to preserving open space and natural lands, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of the environment in northeastern Illinois. Established in 1972 by business and community leaders, the Foundation works closely with citizens, elected officials, developers, land use planners, park districts and forest preserves. Together with its 5,000 members and donors, the Conservation Foundation has helped protect more than 30,000 acres of open space. The Foundation's main office is at the 60-acre McDonald Farm in Naperville, Ill., with a program office located at the Dickson-Murst Farm in Montgomery, Ill. For more information about activities, programs and membership, visit www.theconservationfoundation.org or call 630-428-4500.