Gilchrist Helps Turn Park into Protected Preserve
Nearly 2,000 acres of land in western Iowa will be preserved, thanks in part to a grant from the Gilchrist Foundation. The Iowa National Heritage Foundation (INHF) has officially purchased the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in early 2023 after raising nearly $2 million in funds from donations from several organizations, including The Gilchrist Foundation. In 2022, the Gilchrist Foundation awarded INHF $150,000 project grant to use towards that purchase.
“The support for this project has been amazing,” said INHF President Joe McGovern. “Donors have told us they want to see this place protected — staying in one piece and not being developed — but they’re also excited to see it opened to the public eventually.”
Other major donations include: $500,000 from Polina and Bob Schlott of Crescent, $500,000 from the Iowa West Foundation of Council Bluffs, $250,000 from the MidAmerican Energy Foundation and hundreds of other private donations.
About the Little Sioux Scout Ranch
The Little Sioux Scout Ranch, a 1,776-acre property near Little Sioux, Iowa, has been used as a scout camp for more than 50 years by troops from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. It is mostly old-growth oak woodland and remnant prairie in the Loess Hills, a globally unique area consisting of ridges formed by wind-blown soil. There are more than 25 miles of established trails and a 20-acre lake, making it an ideal spot for hiking, birdwatching, wilderness camping, fishing and hunting.
In 2021, the Gilwell Foundation, which owns all the properties used by the council, came to the decision to sell the camp due to declining attendance. At that time, INHF purchased an option to buy the property that expired at the end of 2022, setting a goal to raise $2 million for the project, which will cost more than $7 million in total.
Per the agreements of the sale, the INHF will keep the property open to the public, maintain a memorial to the four boys that died in a 2008 tornado on the property and honor and share the history of LSSR as a scout camp. On June 11, 2008, an EF3 tornado struck the Little Sioux Scout Ranch, injuring 48 and killing four young scouts Aaron Eilerts, Josh Fennen, Ben Petrzilka and Sam Thomsen.
INHF will work with the Mid-America Council to allow scouts to continue to use the property in the near-term while public access and management plans are developed. INHF will also work with partners to open the property to the public and expand use around the adjacent Loess Hills State Forest, which is owned by the state of Iowa and managed by the Iowa DNR.
About the Iowa Heritage Foundation
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit conservation group that works with private landowners and public partners to protect and restore Iowa's land, water and wildlife. Since its founding in 1979, INHF has helped protect more than 190,000 acres of Iowa's natural resources. At any given time, INHF is working on 40 different protection, restoration and trail projects. INHF was the first land trust in Iowa to receive national accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
About the Gilchrist Foundation
Jocelyn Gilchrist had a special fondness for the wilderness and conversation. She loved fishing and visiting wildlife parks and habitats. The mission of the Gilchrist Foundation is to carry out the philanthropy established by Jocelyn and the Gilchrist family. The emphasis is on fostering the long-term viability of the charity and enabling special projects rather than supplying short-term operating funds.
Organizations whose missions align with the interests of the Gilchrist Foundation can apply for funding consideration on the website. Deadlines for 2023 include:
April 1, 2023 - Request for Consideration for Invitation are due.
May 26, 2023 - Final Reports for 2022 grants are due unless other arrangements have been made.
June 23, 2023 - 2023 Grant Applications are Due by 5 pm.