The DeKalb County Forest Preserve Open Space Referendum passed yesterday with 52.22 percent of votes.

The referendum will increase property tax to .06 percent to expand the area of DeKalb’s forest preserves for prairie restoration and open space.

According to the ballot this means owners of a $175,000 home will pay approximately $15 more in taxes in the first year when the increase is implemented.

Forest preserve supporters hope the tax increase will bump up DeKalb’s position as the smallest amount of forest preserve land owned in the surrounding counties.

DeKalb County’s 0.3 percent of county land in forest preserves is last in line to Boone County’s 1 percent.

DeKalb County’s forest preserves make up 1,088 acres with a population density of 82 people per acre.

The county with the largest acreage of preserves, Lake County, consists of 24,000 acres with only 28 people per forest preserve acre.

This means DeKalb not only owns the lowest acreage of forest preserve land, but the highest amount of people per acre.

John Hulseberg, steering committee member for Neighbors for Open Space, Clean Air and Water, said NOSCAW hosted a fundraiser last week for the expansion of forest preserve land.

More than $5,000 was raised from more than 100 people in attendance at ZaZa Trattoria restaurant, 2496 DeKalb Ave., Hulseberg said.

The money raised came from the $50 door charge and $2,000 worth of local art sold at a silent auction; the most expensive piece sold for $325.

With similar private funding and the 0.33 percent tax increase, DeKalb County Forest Preserve is interested in buying land adjacent to the preserves established, superintendent Terry Hannan said.

Hannan said he needs to buy land with “high natural resource value.”

The county intends on growing more prairie grass and other plants that need rich soil and water flow, he said.

The county also will use the space for social occasions, special-interest groups — such as bird watchers and astronomers­ — and recreational needs — such as hiking and biking.

“People like to be connected to nature,” Hannan said.