Hancock County, IL – Rich Egger talks to Roger and Gretchen Batz, who donated land in western Illinois to create the Stony Hills Nature Preserve.
The nearly 200-acre site overlooks the Mississippi River between Niota and Pontoosuc. It was donated to the Prairie Land Conservancy.
An open house was held at Stony Hills to thank the couple. However, the preserve is not yet ready for the public on a daily basis. The PLC wants to build a couple small parking lots and add benches and kiosks.
Stony Hills Nature Preserve includes native timber, prairie grasses, and an abundance of wildlife. It's the second largest privately held nature preserve in Illinois.