Augustana establishes new endowed chair while partnering with Illinois Audubon Society to preserve environmental laboratory

This past December, Augustana College sold 395 of its 410-acre Green Wing Environmental Laboratory near Amboy, Illinois, to the Illinois Audubon Society for $2.1 million. Green Wing Lab will remain as a 15-acre site including several buildings, which Augustana students and faculty will continue to use for research, teaching and outreach activities in the newly renamed Gremel Wildlife Sanctuary. The new name commemorates long-time society member Russell Gremel, whose financial contributions, along with those from an Illinois Clean Energy Foundation land acquisition grant, made the purchase possible.

Proceeds from the sale of the property will fund ongoing operations of Augustana’s three environmental field stations, as well as establish the Dr. Bohdan Dziadyk Distinguished Chair in Environmental Science and Conservation. In addition to the endowed chair, proceeds from the sale will contribute to a pending addition to the Hanson Hall of Science on campus.

The endowed chair will honor Dr. Dziadyk, who taught hundreds of students at Green Wing Lab during his 25-year directorship of the field stations, and who carefully stewarded the sale of the property.

Recently retired after a 36-year teaching career in the Department of Biology, Professor Dziadyk also co-directed the college’s environmental studies program.

“Augustana will be able to utilize the property as we always have, without the increasing management obligations,” Dr. Dziadyk said. He sees Illinois Audubon Society as the ideal steward of the land and is pleased with plans to protect and restore representative examples of intact native ecosystems and unique natural features that persist today. 

The property consists of a complex of shallow ponds, extensive upland forests, remnant savanna, wet meadow communities and a tall grass prairie restoration. Numerous invasive species will be the target of focused eradication efforts that may take a decade or more to bring under control.

“The sale of Green Wing to Illinois Audubon Society will ensure that the acreage is maintained and preserved well into the future,” said Dr. Steve Hager, professor of biology and interim director of field stations.

“This is a win-win scenario for Augustana College and the Illinois Audubon Society,” said Augustana College President Steve Bahls. “We look forward to an ongoing partnership that will allow Augustana students to continue research and learning in natural settings.”

Augustana owns two additional environmental field stations in the Quad-Cities area. The Collinson Ecological Preserve is a 75-acre site with upland forest including the Josua Lindahl Hill Prairies Nature Preserve located eight miles south of the college in Milan, and the Beling Ecological Preserve is a 98-acre wetland station located on the Rock River at the Moline and Rock Island border.