Our Club has a rich history of supporting local conservation efforts in the community. RCBH club members founded Spring Creek Stewards and the Friends of Spring Creek Forest Preserves in conjunction with the Audubon -Chicago region organization. SCS and FSCFP protect and restore the serene beauty of the Spring Creek Forest Preserves through education, advocacy, volunteer initiatives and by reaching out to community groups with complementary interests. Some of our members serve as Trail Watch volunteers.
RCBH was one of the groups that facilitated the 2006 intergovernmental agreement between the Barrington Hills Park District and the FPDCC by agreeing to maintain the trails of the Spring Creek Forest Preserve. This ongoing RCBH responsibility including mowing and clearing is funded by member dues and Stirrup Cup donations. The Forest Preserve trails which we continue to maintain are not only enjoyed by horseback riders but also by the hiking and bird watching public.
As a club, we've participated in conservation efforts of groups including the Spring Creek Stewards and Citizens for Conservation. One example of a special project which we participated in was to broadcast seed from horseback in the Spring Creek Forest Preserve; a Friends of Spring Creek Forest Preserves event. We also help with brush clearing. Many will recall that former club president Peter Wessel was well-known for his eagerness to man a chainsaw to destroy invasive buckthorn in the Spring Creek Forest Preserve.
