Through the real estate expertise of The Conservation Fund, the Conservation Plan and Greenseams have preserved 700 acres of open space through easements or fee simple purchases at a cost of $5.24 million dollars.  Many of these acres have been in highly developable areas where encroaching residential development threatened to eliminate natural habitat.  The two programs also seek to restore agricultural fields to native prairies and wetlands. Ongoing restoration of 179 acres has reintroduced native species of vegetation such as big and little bluestem, switch grass, compass plant and purple prairie clover.