Originally known as the Outdoor Heritage Foundation, established in 1985, the OHF changed its name to the Vermilion County Conservation District Foundation in 2000 to better characterize itself to the agency it serves.  The VCCDF funds a variety of projects that would normally not be funded through the VCCD budget without financial assistance.

The VCCDF owns 550 acre Jordan Creek Wildlife Preserve east of Rossville, IL.  The preserve contains a dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve along Jordan Creek which contains several state endangered mussels.  The preserve features several habitat types including riparian streams, wetlands, mature oak forest, savanna, secondary successional forest, grasslands, a seep, a small pond, and an old orchard.

Wildlife abounds, which include deer, fox, coyote, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, squirrels, pheasant, a variety of songbirds and neo-tropical birds, plus one of the county's three known great blue heron rookeries.  The Middlefork Audubon Society utilizes the preserve as one of their blue bird monitoring projects.

The preserve is closed to the public, however educational groups or researchers may receive special permission for entrance.  Contact Mark Pittman at 217-442-1691 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For further questions about the VCCDF contact: