Save Springdale Savanna!
- by: Peoria Wilds
- recipient: Springdale Cemetery Management Authority
The Springdale Cemetery Management Authority in Peoria is considering the development of the rare remnant of tallgrass oak savanna known as Springdale Savanna into burial plots as a strategy to help their ailing budget.
Destroying this small vestige of historic landscape will not fix Springdale's budget problems but will result in the loss of an important virgin natural area that is increasingly rare. Ironically, here in the prairie state of Illinois, less than 1/10 of 1% of original prairie is left. Meanwhile, Springdale Cemetery currently has room for at least 50,000 burials right now without disturbing the savanna.
Springdale Savanna provides important benefits to Springdale Cemetery while costing it nothing; for 20 years it has been managed and restored by Peoria Wilds, a volunteer based nonprofit that restores natural areas in Peoria.
The benefits of continuing to protect the savanna without developing it are many:
Ecological - provides habitat for important species of plants and animals
Environmental - provides significant environmental functions needed in urban areas like Peoria such as stormwater absorption and filtration and stabilization of the eroding bluff top
Recreational - Springdale Savanna is a ecotourism destination on the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway drawing visitors from all over
Economic - Peoria Wilds volunteer hours in restoring the savanna were recently used as a $18,000 match for a major grant for Springdale Cemetery
Educational - Students from area schools and universities have long visited the savanna to learn about ecology, biology, and history.
Urge the appointed public officials of the Springdale Cemetery Management Authority to be proper stewards of this natural treasure - ask them to continue to protect the Springdale Savanna as an undeveloped natural area.
We the undersigned ask the publicly appointed Springdale Cemetery Management Authority to continue to protect the unique natural area known as Springdale Savanna. The savanna includes rare remnants of virgin tallgrass oak savanna and hill prairie, both endangered ecosystems. This local treasure needs to continue to be protected in an undeveloped state for current and future generations.
The Springdale Savanna provides numerous benefits to the cemetery and the community including:
Environmental - provides significant watershed protection functions needed in urban areas like Peoria such as storm water absorption and filtration and stabilization of the eroding bluff top
Ecological - provides habitat for important species of plants and animals
Recreational - Springdale Savanna is a ecotourism destination on the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway drawing visitors from all over
Economic - Peoria Wilds volunteer hours in restoring the savanna were recently used as a $18,000 match for a major grant for Springdale Cemetery
Educational - Students from area schools and universities have long visited the savanna to learn about ecology, biology, and history.
We ask that the SCMA protect the savanna by the following means:
Cease all mowing of the savanna and hill prairie beyond the maintenance of the long-established walking path through the area and the area around the Cole Monument
Cease all tree trimming not in accordance with the existing management plan designed to maximize the native biological diversity for the site
Cease all plans for burials in the savanna area, including both conventional and green burials
Maintain the more than 20-year old voluntary protection agreement for the savanna with the state of Illinois designating the 20-acre area as a Illinois Natural Heritage Landmark
Work closely with Peoria Wilds, the volunteer stewards of the site for the past twenty years, to continue to protect and restore the savanna for the benefit of our community
We trust that the members of the Springdale Cemetery Management Authority will act as good stewards of this public property, not sacrificing the highest quality natural areas within the cemetery for short term financial gain.
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