Governor George H. Ryan announced Jan. 24 that the State of Illinois would purchase 570 acres of land along the south fork of the Kishwaukee River in DeKalb County using more than $2.5 million in Open Land Trust funding.

The DeKalb County Forest Preserve District is simultaneously purchasing a 293 acre parcel of land north of the river, adjacent to the county’s 48-acre MacQueen Forest Preserve.

Combined, this pan-governmental initiative to preserve open space will result in public ownership of nearly 900 acres of forested land along 3.2 miles of the river.

Terry Hannan, superintendent of the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District, said only the Kishwaukee River, running through the former Calumet Council Boy Scout camp northwest of Kirkland, Ill., will divide the state park from the forest preserve.

“Kishwaukee is a Native American name given to the river meaning clear water, and indeed this river is one of the most biologically significant in the state,” Governor Ryan stated in a press release acknowledging the agreement. “The state’s acquisition today, along with the purchase by local government, will mean a large stretch of the river and its frontage will be protected for all time.”

Ryan said the acquisition would provide for additional recreation area in DeKalb County.

“This is an important acquisition, not only for the natural resources on the property, but also because DeKalb County has very little land available for public outdoor recreation,” Ryan said.

Hannan said the acquisition of the land allows for many recreational activities, including picnicking, fishing, hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, canoeing and environmental education.

Hannan said the plan to form a state park/forest preserve district partnership that could buy the former camp began more than a year ago.

The seller, Edward Vandermolen, a real estate developer from Wheaton, Ill., purchased the camp himself in 1989 with the plan of turning it into a mixed use recreational development.

“I’ve developed campgrounds before,” he said. “My plan was to convert most of the property into a golf course community, but I became involved with other projects, lost interest in this one, and decided to sell the land.”

Vandermolen said he was first approached by the park district about 18 months ago.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources already has completed the purchase of its share of the former camp and the forest preserve district will purchase its share in April.

Vandermolen agreed to sell the property to the government entities for less than the fair market value, but the park district still will require grants from IDNR and the Natural Land Institute totaling nearly $1.2 million to acquire the land.

Only $50,000 from the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District’s Land Acquisition Fund can be allocated for this project, so the DeKalb County Board is giving the district a bridge loan in April, when the state is expected to announce the Open Land Trust grant will be made.

That way, the land can be purchased immediately after IDNR announces the park district will be receiving the OLT grant.

Hannan explained that the loan can be paid back to the DeKalb County Board two to three months afterward, when the park district receives the grant money.

The Illinois Open Land Trust is a $200 million fund which has been used thus far by Governor Ryan’s administration to acquire 42,219 acres of open space, the largest such project undertaken in state history.