The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Surface Water Grant Program is now accepting applications for 2022 projects!
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Surface Water Grant Program is now accepting applications for 2022 projects! From aquatic plant management to bathymetric survey and water quality projects to stormwater management, we’ve secured many grant awards for our lakes and river friends in pursuit of healthy waters and watersheds. The pre-application deadline is right around the corner - September 2nd - so let’s talk projects!
Message us to start a big picture planning discussion for your lake or watershed in advance of future grant cycles.
Click Here for more information on 2020 Surface Water Grants.
Employee Spotlight-Jeremy Husnik
Built upon an education in Civil Engineering Technology from Madison College, Jeremy has a wide range of knowledge in lakes, water quality sampling and watershed management.
The rain these past couple of weeks has kept Jeremy busy inspecting construction sites to minimize erosion and protect our surface waters. From surveying project sites and lake beds, to captaining vessels and piloting our UAV, there’s no one we’d rather spend a day in the field with! Jeremy spends a lot of time out on Crystal Lake monitoring water quality and surveying and treating aquatic plant communities to improve swimming and boating for residents and visitors.
Carol Stream Streambank Stabilization – Grow Plants Grow!
Tim Pollowy and Patrick Lach met Carol Stream staff on site to check out how the Kehoe Boulevard Streambank Stabilization project native plants were coming along. The project was constructed mainly in fall 2020 including native seeding followed up by native plant plugs being installed spring 2021. We were happy to see green growth along the stream corridor even with the current lack of rainfall the northeastern Illinois region is seeing so far this spring.
This project was designed by Hey and Associates with funding from Carol Stream and additional grant funding from DuPage County’s Water Quality Improvement Program.
Additional information can be found on the Village of Carol Stream’s project page:
Meet our Field Crew
Hey and Associates, Inc. has a dedicated and experienced Field Services department that have worked on hundreds of ecological restoration projects in Chicagoland, both public and private lands. We have staffed this department for nearly 30 years with many long-standing staff members. They offer full planting, management and monitoring services for natural and naturalized areas at all levels of projects. Our staff is current on the latest techniques and technologies for appropriately restoring sites in the Upper Midwest. The team provides its clients creative and practical solutions that support enhancement of land values while conserving and restoring natural resources and biodiversity.
John Hines has spent over 23 years working in the restoration ecology field including wetland delineations, permitting, planting plan design, tile surveys, and implementation of restoration activities. John is also responsible for vegetation monitoring and has conducted numerous wildlife surveys throughout the Chicagoland area.
A favorite current project of John’s is the restoration of the Mill Creek Wetland Mitigation Bank in Wadsworth, Illinois. He is involved with both the vegetation management and monitoring activities. The 130-acre site is progressing very well for a third-year project that was previously farmland and mostly lower-quality woodland. In his free time, John enjoys seeing the country on his motorcycle, hiking and bicycling.
Jim Hills joined Hey as a fields services intern in the summer of 2006 while attending college. When he is not working on managing wetlands, prairies and woodlands he is out finding and mapping drain tiles and completing drainage assistance projects for developers, County Agencies, and private landowners. Fall is his favorite time of year, spending most weekends looking for waterfowl in the marsh with his dog Foxy.
Preston Skultety has spent over 20 years working in the restoration ecology field with 9 years as an ISA Certified Arborist. Preston has developed and implemented natural area restoration plans and habitat improvement projects throughout greater Chicagoland. In addition to his vegetation management projects, Preston has performed botanical/biologic inventory, soil erosion and sediment control inspection, municipal tree inventory, tree inventory for development, tree protection planning, woodland management planning, hazard tree/emerald ash borer assessment, as well as arboricultural consulting and oversight related to tree planting and tree care best management practices.
A favorite current project of Preston’s has been restoring high quality habitat at Sterne’s Woods and Fen in Crystal Lake, because controlling oppressive invasive vegetation on a site with such high potential has unlocked a host of unique native species that were just waiting for an opportunity to show themselves and thrive. In his free time, Preston enjoys outdoor pursuits like fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, kayaking, as well as making and trying unique foods and exploring interesting places. When he doesn’t get enough ecological restoration during the week you may find him working with a local community ecological restoration steward group on the weekends too.
Wyatt has been an environmental scientist at Hey and Associates for the last year. Before coming to Hey, he graduated from Augustana College with a focus in environmental studies, geography, and biology. His previous employment includes leading a Youth Conservation Corps team in restoration and preservation of local ecology with the Lake County Forest Preserve District. At Hey, Wyatt enjoys opportunities to continue work in preserving local ecology, along with using the latest technology and management practices to better understand our ecosystems and how we can help to keep them resilient in a changing climate. He also loves the outdoors, new experiences, and cooking. Wyatt hopes to continue to gain experience and exposure to anything relating to the environment at Hey.
Algonquin Approves 10-year Parks Master Plan
Congratulations to our friends at Hitchcock Design Group and Village of Algonquin, Illinois on the passing of the Algonquin Parks Master Plan. Hey and Associates, Inc. is proud to have been part of the project team, providing natural resource management input for the plan.
Click Here to read an article about the project!
Beyond the Basics Conference
It all begins with an idea.
Join other community leaders and professionals at The Conservation Foundation Beyond the Basics virtual conference on February 25, 2021. Hey’s very own Dave Kraft, PE, CFM, CPESC and Tim Pollowy, PLA, ASLA will be presenting the keynote talk on climate resiliency and waterway restoration.
Green Infrastructure Overpass Contest
It all begins with an idea.
We encouraged some of our talented junior staff to take on this Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District challenge and they made us all immensely proud with their effort! We’re excited to have such a talented group of younger professionals pushing us to grow and innovate!
