Special Outdoor Illinois Feature: What’s theFuture ... · threaten wildlife and affect humans, as...

Special OutdoorIllinois Feature:

The Illinois WildlifeAction Plan

What’sthe Futureof IllinoisWildlife?

Special OutdoorIllinois Feature:

What’s the Future ofIllinois Wildlife?What’s the best way to actively manage andprotect our shared wildlife resources? A newapproach links the assets and resources ofdiverse partner agencies and organizationsinto the powerful Illinois Wildlife Action Plan.

T oday, we stand at a critical crossroads for allwildlife in Illinois. Man-made changes to ourshared landscape, changes that continue to occur,

have resulted in a mixed bag of shortcomings and successesfor Illinois wildlife and their habitat.

A number of changes have been positive: Bald eaglesand river otters, once endangered, are now thriving in Illi-nois. Meanwhile, the greater prairie-chicken—the signaturebird of the tallgrass prairie—barely hangs on in the PrairieState. Although water quality and many fish populationshave improved dramatically, a quarter of our freshwatermussels are extinct or extirpated. Game species, such as

white-tailed deer, wildturkeys and Canada geese,are doing well, while north-ern bobwhites are not. Treesnow cover twice the Illinoisacreage they did a centuryago, but we have less thanhalf as much grasslandtoday as in 1950. The Mis-sissippi Flyway and Lake

Michigan shoreline continue to bring spectacular concen-trations of migratory birds to Illinois. But exotic plants, ani-mals and diseases also continue to arrive—harming nativewildlife, degrading natural areas, and complicating conser-vation efforts. For example, Asian carp now make up about90 percent of the biomass in some pools of the IllinoisRiver and threaten the Lake Michigan ecosystem.

The need for actionIn 2001, Congress called upon all state wildlife agencies

to submit to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Oct.1,2005 a strategic assessment and action plan with a focus onwildlife in greatest need of conservation in their state.These plans were a condition for receiving newly availablefederal funds from the Wildlife Conservation and Restora-tion Program and the State Wildlife Grants program.Congress identified eight required elements for each state’s

Wildlife Action Plan:1.Abundance and distribution of species.2. Location and conditions of habitats.3. Species and habitat problems and knowledge gaps.4. Prioritized actions for conservation.5. Plan for monitoring species, habitats and adapting to new

information.6. Procedures for reviewing the plan.7.Coordinated development and implementation among

agencies and organizations.8.Broad public participation.

Actively approaching wildlife conservationThe heart of the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan is action.

Prior conservation planning efforts, while well-intended,simply identified various critical conservation needs andpressing challenges—but basically stopped there. For thefirst time, the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan takes the plan-ning process into an activemode by identifying specif-ic actions required at astatewide level to addressthose problems and keepwildlife healthy. Because itdraws on a wide range ofpast conservation efforts,along with new informationand a broad stakeholderinput, the plan also provides a statewide blueprint of howdifferent projects and activities can fit together. Combinedwith all other state Wildlife Action Plans, the planningprocess establishes a collective vision for the future ofwildlife conservation in America.

CampaignsGrouped by habitats and issues, these seven inter-

related Wildlife Action Plan campaigns outline stepsneeded to reach goals emphasizing a broad spectrumof natural resource benefits including: clean water,soil conservation, human health andsafety, economic diversity andsustainability.• Streams• Invasive Species• Land and Water Stewardship• Farmland and Prairie• Forests• Wetlands• Green CitiesFor more about Illinois’ WildlifeAction Plan, visit dnr.state.if.us/orc/wildliferesources/thePlan

greater prairie-chickengreater prairie-chicken

Special OutdoorIllinois Feature / August 2010

Creation of this landmark plan involved an amazingdiversity of professional talent. For a list of the approxi-mately 150 organizations involved in the development andimplementation of the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, go to:dnr.state.il.us/orc/wildliferesources/thePlan.

Basics of theIllinois plan� Provides a vision for the

future of conservation� Applies the principles of

conservation biology to acoordinated set of real-world actions

� Incorporates a strategythat identifies conserva-tion needs, priorities and solutions based on science

� Is a proactive process� Identifies 654 species in greatest need of conservation,

species whose populations are rare, declining or vulnera-ble

� Identifies Conservation Opportunity Areas, or localareas of importance for the identified species and com-munities

� Groups habitats and issues into seven interrelated cam-paigns

Implementing the planThe results of Wildlife Action Plans nationwide are

already apparent in improved relationships at all levels—across public and private ownerships, across state bound-

aries and in the growing listof partners and individualsworking together forwildlife. To further enablecommunication among con-servation partners, the Illi-nois Fish and WildlifeAction Team was created in2005 and is charged withthe following objectives:

� Ensure steps described in the plan become actual, on-the-ground results

� Encourage collaboration among key conservation part-ners

� Guide and shape future priorities for wildlife and habitatconservation through updates to the planEarly efforts to implement the plan recognized the need

to further define Conservation Opportunity Areas. Workingwith statewide organizations and agencies, local conserva-tion partners and the public, COAs were more preciselydefined in order to better focus on-the-ground projects.

The Illinois Wildlife Action Plan has resulted in an addi-

tional $19.5 million in fed-eral funding for plan imple-mentation (State WildlifeGrants) since 2001. A list ofall SWG-funded projects inIllinois from 2001-2009 isincluded on the back cover.

For more detailed infor-mation about all SWG-funded projects, go to: dnr.state.il.us/ORC/WildlifeResources/theplan/swgGrant/pdfs/swg/Past%20SWG%20projects.html.

Bottom line...Conserving wildlife makes Illinois a better place for

everyone. The Illinois Wildlife Action Plan benefits thehealth of wildlife and people; enhances our quality of life;

fulfills our responsibilitiesto conserve wildlife and theplaces they live for our chil-dren; and, provides a cost-effective investment by pro-tecting species before theybecome critically rare,which strengthens our stateeconomy. Important ser-vices of the plan include:

� Conservation of wildlife and habitat, thereby protectingclean water and air—making both wildlife and peoplehealthier

� Identification and prevention of problems before theythreaten wildlife and affect humans, as wildlife often areearly indicators of disease and pollution

� Conservation of wildlife and natural places that bringpeace and relaxation to our busy lives, and are importantto many of our family traditions

� An outline of actions developed by scientists, sportsmen,conservationists and members of the community work-ing together

� Documentation of the importance of non-consumptivewildlife recreationactivities, which areenjoyed by more than2.6 million Illinoisans,have an annual econom-ic impact of about $1.3billion and supportmore than 13,000 jobs

� According to a recentsurvey, wildliferesources provided 176 million user-days of recreationin Illinois, and five-year trends show increases of about50 percent

August 2010 / Special OutdoorIllinois Feature

Streams Campaign

I llinois streams have been significantly impacted byconversion of the natural landscape to urban and agri-cultural land uses. The streams campaign seeks to

restore populations of rare aquatic animals by restoring nat-ural ecological processes to Illinois waters.

The redspotted sunfish (Lepomis miniatus) is a smallfish species that few people have seen. Illinois is at thenorthern limit of thisspecies’ distribution.An extensive,statewide surveyrevealed only twosomewhat stableremnant populationsleft in the state.With State WildlifeGrant program fund-ing, genetic analyseson these fish havedetermined variability among and within the isolated popu-lations, resulting in the design and implementation of areintroduction program.

Freshwater mussels are the most endangered group ofanimals in the Midwest. For more than 20 years, DNR andIllinois EPA have partnered to collect fish, macroinverte-brate, habitat and basic water chemistry information forIllinois streams to assess overall water quality and aquaticlife support. In 2009, a grant allowed DNR to add musselsampling to the basin surveys. Many Illinois streams have

never been sampledfor mussels, whileothers, such as theRock River, weresampled decadesago. In 2009, sever-al rare species,including blacksandshell, rockpocketbook andhickorynut, werefound in the Rock

basin from places not previously known. This mussel pro-ject will greatly enhance biologists’ ability to effectivelyprotect and restore mussel populations and habitatsstatewide.

Temperature plays a major role in determining whataquatic organisms live in streams. Although most Illinoiswaters are warm-water, a recent SWG project identifiedmany cool-water stream reaches. Cool-water streams main-tain cool temperatures throughout summer, usually as aresult of receiving groundwater through seeps and springs,

and have potentialto harbor uncom-mon and uniqueorganisms, such astrout, sculpin andstoneflies. Thisproject providednew informationabout cool-waterstream habitats,thus targeting appropriate protection or restoration effortsthat could support cool-water streams species of greatestneed for conservation.

Bottom line...Illinois streams are incredibly diverse and harbor many

rare and interesting organisms. Prior to theplan, the status and vulnerability of many aquat-ic species of greatest need of conservationwere not well known. SWG-funded projectshave provided status and life history infor-mation on many of these species. Addi-tionally, restoration projects are underway to improve the natural function ofstreams, thereby improving populations of sig-nificant aquatic species. Within ConservationOpportunity Areas, future efforts will be directedat connecting floodplains along streams and address-ing altered disturbance regimes.

Plan Implementation Status:

Stressors:habitat fragmentation, excessive sediment in chan-nels, changes in water quality and quantity

Partners:Chicago WildernessEastern Illinois UniversityIllinois Endangered Species Protection BoardIllinois Environmental Protection AgencyIllinois Natural History SurveyPrairie RiversSierra ClubSmallmouth Bass AllianceSouthern Illinois UniversityTrout UnlimitedThe Nature ConservancyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


sculpinsculpin

Invasive Species Campaign

I nvasive species are a primary threat to wildlife, theintegrity of natural communities and the quality ofhabitats. The invasive species campaign seeks to erad-

icate, control and prevent the introduction of invasive exot-ic species.

Action Plan to Eradicate Kudzufrom Illinois

A coalition of state and federal agencies is working toprevent the spread of, and eliminate, kudzu in Illinois.Kudzu is a climbing, semi-woody perennial vine that wasimported to the U.S. in 1876 as a forage crop and ornamen-

tal plant. Potentially growing as much as 1 foot per day dur-ing the growing season, kudzu smothers other plants, girdlestree trunks, breaks branches and uprooting trees. DNRserves as the lead agency and since 2001 has had a formalagreement with numerous partner organizations. To date,183 populations of kudzu in 47 counties, totaling 467 acres,have been identified within the state. Approximately 152populations, totaling 371 acres or 79 percent of the knownkudzu acreage in Illinois, have been treated or eradicated.

Operation Silver ScreenOperation Silver Screen was a complex and highly visi-

ble international response, involving more than 450 people

from 25 local, state, federal and Canadian entities as well as22 private contractors, to prevent an invasion of Asian carpinto Lake Michigan during maintenance operations of theU.S. Army Corps ofEngineers’ electricalbarrier in the Chicagowaterways. Asiancarp could severelyimpact the GreatLakes’ sportfishingand recreation indus-tries, which accountfor an estimated $7 billion dollars annually. This projectwas a pioneering process as the first international responseto an invasive species using the Incident Command System.

Bottom line...Invasive species are an enormous problem

for wildlife and natural areas. Some exotic inva-sive species, such as West Nile virus and soy-bean rust, also are serious threats to humanhealth and the economy. The invasivespecies campaign prioritizes actions foreffective and rapid detection, quarantine,eradication and control of invasive species;identification of key locations for control; andmarketing, education, technical assistance, incen-tives and cost-sharing to prevent and control inva-sives and restore natural disturbance regimes on pri-vate lands.


Stressors:Invasive species actions are identified in five othercampaigns.

Partners:Chicago WildernessIllinois Department of TransportationIllinois Department of AgricultureNatural Resource Conservation ServiceNortheastern Illinois Forest Preserve DistrictsState UniversitiesThe Nature ConservancyU.S. Army Corps of EngineersU.S. Coast GuardU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceU.S. Forest Service



Stressors:rapidly degrading habitats, pollution, inadequateresources

Partners:Augustana CollegeCLIFFTOP AllianceColumbia QuarryFriends of Salk Lick PointGreat Rivers Land TrustIllinois Natural History SurveyPeoria Park DistrictPrincipia CollegePrivate LandownersThe Nature ConservancyU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceVillage of Valmeyer

Land and WaterStewardship Campaign

T he vast majority of Illinois is privately owned, andconservation of wildlife and habitat resources isdependent upon the actions of property owners.

Publicly owned lands are under increased pressure toensure long-term habitat and wildlife conservation and amultitude of outdoor recreational opportunities. The Landand Water Stewardship Campaign seeks to improve thestewardship of both public and private lands by promotinggoal-oriented management approaches based on the bestavailable science of species and habitats.

Hill Prairie/Bluff Habitat RestorationProject

The Hill Prairie/Bluff Habitat Restoration Project isaddressing the urgent needs of a rare and declining naturalcommunity, thus protecting a priceless and irreplaceablepart of Illinois’ natural her-itage. Hill prairies aresmall grasslands located onsteep bluffs along majorrivers, especially the Mis-sissippi and Illinois riversor their tributaries. Theyrepresent some of the lasthigh-quality remnants ofIllinois’ prairie habitat andare critical for many rare plant and animal species. Initially,90 sites on both private and public lands throughout Illinoiswere identified as potential sites. Management plans weredeveloped for selected sites and include actions such as cut-ting shrubs and trees, applying herbicides to unwantedplants, and collecting and planting seed. Currently, about40 sites are actively managed.

Franklin Creek and NachusaGrasslands Project

Located in Ogle County in northwestern Illinois,Franklin Creek and Nachusa Grassland contain high-qual-

ity natural communities and endangered species habitat.Unfortunately, portions of each have been degraded bypast land use practices, invasive species encroachment,high levels of deer browsing, or have been converted toagricultural production. DNR and The Nature Conservan-cy are working to restore, establish and manage prairie,savanna and woodland habitats at these sites. TNC hascollected seed from more than 100 species from NachusaGrasslands to be used for habitat restorations and recon-structions at both sites. Controlled burns and invasivewoody and invasive exotic species control have beenimplemented.

Bottom line...In many cases, Illinois landowners face economic

constraints to maintain or enhance habitats, and limitedpublic lands and waterways place a tremen-dous demand on public lands for wildlife andhabitat conservation and outdoor recre-ation—demands that sometimes conflict.The extent and quality of habitatresources cannot maintain functionalnatural systems and viable populationsof many species are now rare or declining.Limited resources result in game speciespopulations too low to satisfy harvestdemands, and too inaccessible to meet demandsfor outdoor recreation opportunities.



Stressors:habitat disturbance, over-grazing, fragmentation, soilerosion

Partners:Ameren-CIPSEastern Illinois UniversityFarm Service AgencyIllinois Audubon SocietyIllinois Central Gulf RailroadIllinois Endangered Species Protection BoardIllinois Farm BureauIllinois Natural History SurveyIllinois Nature Preserves CommissionNatural Resource Conservation ServiceQuail UnlimitedThe Nature ConservancyUniversity of IllinoisU.S. Department of Agriculture

Farmland andPrairie Campaign

M ost of Illinois’ tallgrass prairie was convertedinto productive farmland, and for much of thestate’s history, grassland and shrubland wildlife

thrived in farmland pastures, hay fields and fencerows.With economic incentives and technical assistance for pri-vate landowners, the Farmland and Prairie Campaign seeksto expand and improve grassland, shrub and wetland habi-tats in agricultural landscapes.

Grassland Wildlife Habitat Project inthe Grand Prairie Natural Division

Due to inadequate and low-quality habitat, populationsof many species of grassland wildlife are well belowdesired levels, particularly within intensively agricultural

central Illinois. Thirty-four sites were selected, and ranked,as suitable as large-scale grassland conservation areasbased on the likelihood of biological success and feasibili-ty. These sites function as anchoring grassland habitats, andthrough technical assistance to landowners and farm con-servation programs, the quality and quantity of habitat onprivate lands will increase.

The Bartel Grassland at Prairie RidgeState Natural Area

The 80-acre Bartel Grassland is fast becoming a hot spotfor rails. Yellow rails are commonly observed during

spring migration and havebeen the highlight of sev-eral birding field trips atthis location. Breedingseason observationsinclude king rails, and forthe first time in 2009, ablack rail was observed.The site also is the onlyIllinois breeding site forthe black-necked stilts. Anesting island was constructed on one of the wetlands forthis species.

Bottom line...Agriculture is the largest industry in Illinois

and dominates the landscape. Most of thelands currently used for crop production inIllinois were tallgrass prairie at the time ofEuropean settlement. Of an estimated 21million acres of prairie, less than 2,600acres of high-quality remnants remain—a lossof more than 99.99 percent. Wildlife popula-tions once common—northern bobwhite, ring-necked pheasant and eastern cottontail—havedeclined precipitously.


king railking rail

Henslow’s sparrowHenslow’s sparrow

Forestry Campaign

C hanges in natur-al disturbanceprocesses has

resulted in a decline inthe condition of Illinoisforests, affecting thehabitat for many terrestri-al and aquatic species, and impacting the water quality dueto increased erosion.

The Southeastern Illinois Prescribed Burn Associa-tion was developed in 2006 and is a partnership betweenlandowners, government agencies, conservation groups andother interested individuals and organizations working toexpand, through training and the loan of specialized equip-

ment, the use of prescribed burning as a management tool.Expanding the use of prescribed burns in forestry manage-ment will greatly improve forest resources, which in turnimproves wildlife habitat.

In 2004, a $100,000 SWG grant was awarded to trainand equip the Lake County Fire Equipment and Train-ing Team. Over a five year period, 120 Lake Countystructural firefighters were trained and equipped to

respond to wildland fires and to implement prescribedfires. The team continues to assist DNR at Illinois Beach,Volo Bog and Chain O’Lakes state parks in implementingprescribed burns.

Bottom line...Illinois forest habitats need to be maintained and

enhanced. Reforestation and afforestation efforts must con-

tinue. Sustainable forestry practices are neces-sary to restore and manage open forest habitat,thus providing more and better habitat formost wildlife species in greatest need ofconservation and slowing drainage watersfrom agricultural or developed lands priorto entering streams. The economic benefitsof sustainable forestry practices provideincentives for landowners to improve the qualityof their forests. Prescribed fire and training forthe implementation of this tool needs to be estab-lished and encouraged.


Stressors:fire suppression, flood regime control, inappropriateharvesting, invasive species, development leading toforest fragmentation

Partners:Farm Service AgencyIllinois Council on Forestry DevelopmentNational Wild Turkey FederationNatural Resource Conservation ServiceSouthern Illinois UniversityUSDA Forest Service State & Private ForestryUniversity of IllinoisU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


scarlettanager

scarlettanager

Wetlands Campaign

Wetlands function as sponges to reduce floodwa-ters and pollutants, yet many of Illinois’remaining wetlands are in poor condition,

affected by invasive species and diminished water levels.The state-threatened Illinois chorus frog is found pre-

dominantly in a few counties in the central part of Illinois,and sporadicallyalong the Missis-sippi River fromSt. Louis to Cairo.Like most frogs, itneeds wetlands forreproduction, butwhat sets thisspecies apart isthat the wetlandsmust occur inloose, sandy soilswhere the frog can retreat underground during the dry,summer months. Computer modeling the habitat needs ofthe chorus frog showed Mason County was a prime candi-date for conservation efforts.

Places preferred by this frog tend to be small and oftenyield poor crops, making it possible to offer producers anincentive to enroll these areas in the Conservation ReserveProgram. This win-win strategy has preserved 21 wetlandsringed by sand prairies, totaling approximately 150 acres,and is a start toward achieving a Wildlife Action Plan goalof de-listing the Illinois chorus frog by 2025. Other speciesbenefitting from this effort include the northern bobwhite,grasshopper sparrow and prairie mole cricket, all species ingreatest need of conservation.

The Bellrose Site WetlandsRestoration Project

A demonstration area for wildlife conservation prac-tices in Logan County, the Bellrose site contains 400

acres, including the 71-acre Sandra Miller Bellrose NaturePreserve. The nature preserve consists of a tract of timberalong Sugar Creek, which has a high diversity of mussels.Other portions of the Bellrose site have been restored tonative grassland plantings, and the Henslow sparrow hasbeen documented nesting on this site. Two wooded flood-plain wetlands, and another larger wetland, historicallyhad been drained for agricultural production, but throughthe Conservation Reserve and Enhancement Program arestoration plan was designed to create a 0.2- and a 3-acrewetland.

Bottom line...Only a smattering of the state’s native wetlands per-

sists—approximately 90 percent of an original 8.2 mil-lion acres—and many are poor in condition. Wetlands arecritical for many species in greatest need of conservation,and yet are scarce, highly degraded, fragmented, siltedand their hydrological conditions have beenaltered. Invasive plant species, such as reedcanary grass, common reed, Eurasian mil-foil and purple loosestrife, often dominatedisturbed wetlands and exclude nativeplant species, resulting in a loss of bio-diversity. Wetland bird and insect com-munities are especially sensitive tochanges in hydrology, plant species compo-sition and habitat loss.


Stressors:invasive species, manipulated water levels, sedimen-tation, isolation

Partners:Ducks UnlimitedIllinois Department of AgricultureIllinois Farm BureauMason County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictUSDA Farm Service AgencyUSDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceU.S. Army Corps of EngineersU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceWildlife Preservation Fund


Illinois chorus frogIllinois chorus frog

Green Cities Campaign

M ost of the state’s residents live in urban areas,making the availability of a Green space neartheir home all the more important. The Green

Cities Campaign emphasizes actions that make our citiesand towns more livable through smart growth, protectingopen space and providing wildlife recreation opportunities.

Northern Illinois Metro AreaIn 2004, members of Chicago Wilderness came together

to begin the framework for a Green Infrastructure Vision.That effort identifies 1.8 million acres for prospective pro-tection, restoration andthoughtful land developmentpractices in the ChicagoWilderness region—spanningfrom southeast Wisconsin,through northeast Illinois intonorthwest Indiana and south-west Michigan. Many majorconservation initiatives in theChicagoland area are beingaccomplished by the munici-palities, planning entities,museums and zoos, and numerous area conservationgroups, many in an alliance called Chicago Wilderness—an

alliance of organizationsthat champion biodiversi-ty and strive to improve

the quality of life in urban, suburban and rural areas ofChicago through conservation and stewardship of nature.

Major initiatives in the Chicagoland area under wayinclude watersheds conferences, training for prescriptionburn crew members, the Leave No Child Inside/MightyAcorns education initiatives, development of a Climate

Action Plan for Nature andcreation of a Cooperative WeedManagement Area and a Sustain-able Watershed Action Team.

Southwestern Illinois AreaAlso working in a large metropolitan area in the south-

western counties of Madison, St. Clair and Monroe is theSouthwest Resource Conservation and Development pro-gram. Initiated in the 1960s, the RC&D program is chargedwith empowering local people to improve the quality of lifein their area and to utilize the natural resources in a sustain-able manner. Many successful projects have been undertak-en over the years, such as sustainable development, publicoutreach, environmental education, watershed planning anda vision for open space and natural areas.

Bottom line...Since developed lands are the fastest grow-

ing type of land cover, integrating habitat intothese areas while minimizing nuisancewildlife issues is a formidable challenge.People in developed areas often have lessaccess to natural areas and wildlife habi-tat. All citizens have a need for ecologicaleducation. Understanding and appreciatingwildlife, habitat, natural communities, ecolog-ical processes and disturbance regimes areimportant for urban residents to support statewidescientifically-driven conservation priorities.


Stressors:fragmented habitats, impervious surfaces, pollutants,exotic plants

Partners:Chicago Metropolitan Agency for PlanningChicago Wilderness AllianceEcosystem Partnerships: American Bottom, Sugar-

Pecatonica Rivers, Upper Rock River, KishwaukeeRiver, Lower Kaskaskia/Silver Creek, Fox River,Upper Des Plaines River, Lake Michigan Water-shed and Lower Des Plaines River

Forest Preserves: Lake, Kendall and DuPage countiesFour Rivers Environmental CoalitionGreat Lakes Restoration InitiativeNatural Land InstituteRockford Metropolitan Agency for PlanningThe Conservation FoundationWinnebago County Soil and Water Conservation

District


Terrestrial Habitat RestorationPublic Lands Habitat RestorationLake County Prescribed FireSGCN Monitoring and EnhancementNon-Game Bird ConservationImportant Bird AreasCritical Habitat for Massasauga RattlesnakesOpen Grasslands RestorationHenslow Sparrow ExpansionPrivate Lands Habitat Restoration in Adams and Brown

CountiesHill Prairie Bluff RestorationWapello Reserve Habitat RestorationLarge-scale Grassland Habitat Creation ProjectSurvey of Size, Distribution and Development of Cane-

brake Habitat in Southern IllinoisImportant Bird Area Conservation in Chicago WildernessSand Community Restoration in Conservation Opportunity

Areas—Grand Prairie and Southern Till Plain WildlifeVentures

Healthy Forests and Woodlands in the Illinois andKaskaskia River Basins

Aquatic Habitat RestorationFish Communities in Coolwater StreamsAquatic Diversity in StreamsRestoration Mechanisms for Pond-breeding AmphibiansCache River Restoration ProjectCache River Hydraulic ModelingUtility of Frog and Toad Call Survey Data from the Cache

River BasinIn-stream Restoration to Riparian Wildlife in the Cache

River BasinProject Administration for the Cache River BasinBenefits of Stream Reconnection to Aquatic Communities

in the Cache River BasinDevelopment of Multi-metric Habitat Index for StreamsPond Restoration for Listed Species at Allerton State ParkRestoration of Historic Fish Communities in Floodplain

LakesRaccoon Creek Restoration ProjectKickapoo Creek Restoration ProjectLarge-scale Restoration of the Pecatonica River

Wetlands Habitat RestorationEffects of Off-Channel Wetland RestorationHennepin Hopper Lakes Wetland Restoration ProjectIllinois Chorus Frog and Wetland Mitigation ProjectSupport for Updating the National Wetlands Inventory

State Wildlife Grant Accomplishments

Species RecoveryPotential Habitat for Peregrine Falcon ReintroductionsRecovery Plan for the Common Barn OwlRecovery of the Blandings TurtleStrategies for Recovery of Amphibians and Reptiles in

Mason and Tazewell CountiesRed-spotted Sunfish Reintroductions to Historic Occur-

rence SitesDeveloping a Propagation Technique for Native Illinois

River Mussels

Species Monitoring & Data Manage-ment

Management Activity Tracking SystemOwned, Managed and Leased PropertiesRealty Procedures ManualThreatened and Endangered Species Data ManagementIllinois Mussel Database DevelopmentQuantitative Survey of Land SnailsPriority Conservation Species MonitoringStatus Survey of Harlequin and Eastern Sand DartersStatewide Survey of Illinois Mussel Populations

Applied ResearchGenetic Screening for Red-spotted SunfishGenetics of Illinois Red SquirrelsInterrelationships of Grassland Birds and Sand Prairie

InsectsHistorical Occurrence of Illinois Insect Priority SpeciesEffects of Habitat Fragmentation on Sensitive Aquatic

SpeciesEffects of Pathogens on Illinois Amphibians

Action Plan DevelopmentDevelopment of Illinois Wildlife Habitat Conservation PlanWildlife Conservation PlanIllinois Conservation Opportunity AreasCoordination and Planning Support for the Wildlife Action

PlanUpdate of Illinois Fish Species in Greatest Conservation

Need

Land AcquisitionCalumet Open Space ReserveShrubland Habitat AcquisitionAcquisition of Addition to Apple River Canyon State ParkHill Prairie Land Acquisition



Illinois ConservationOpportunity Areas 2010

1. Wisconsin Driftless Forest

2. Apple River

3. Lost Mound

4. Sugar-Pecatonica River

5. Kishwaukee River

6. Lake-McHenry Wetland Complex

7. Illinois Beach—Chiwaukee Prairie

8. Upper Des Plaines River Corridor

9. Rock River

10. Nachusa

11. Green River

12. Upper Mississippi River

13. Lower Fox River

14. Midewin

15. Kankakee Sands

16. Middle Illinois River

17. Mason County Sand Area

18. Lower LaMoine River

19. Siloam Springs

20. Vermilion River

21. Pere Marquette

22. Prairie Ridge Landscape

23. Lower Kaskaskia Bottomlands

24. Middle Little Wabash

25a. Hill Prairie Corridor—Northern Section

25b. Hill Prairie Corridor—Southern Section

26. Sinkhole Plain

27. Pyramid-Arkland Landscape

28. Wabash River

29. LaRue-Pine Hills

30. Eastern Shawnee

31. Cache River-Cypress Creek

All photos taken by Adele Hodde except: Sarah Bales/Illinois Natural History Survey, p. 4 (mussels); Rob Curtis, p. 7 (king rail); DavidDay/DNR, (sculpin p. 4); Jessica Forrest/DNR, cover (wetland), p. 9 (wetland); Chris Helzer/The Nature Conservancy, p. 6 (prairie);Valerie Keener/DNR, cover (urban); Lincoln Park Zoo p. 10; Joe McFarland/DNR, p. 7 (landscape), p. 8 (landscape); Stan McTaggert,p. 8 (woodland); Mike Mason/DNR, p. 8 (burn); Jody Shimp p. 5 (kudzu); Brian Tang, p. 7 (Henslow’s sparrow), p. 8(scarlet tanager);Diane Tecic DNR, cover (bluff), p. 6; Trent Thomas/DNR, p. 4 (sunfish); Mike Redmer/USFWS, p. 9 (chorus frog); DNR staff, cover(stream and grassland), p. 3 (right column).

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agenciesis available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, con-tact the funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067;TTY 217/782-9175. This information may be provided in an alternative format if required. Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance.

Special Outdoor Illinois Feature: What’s theFuture ... · threaten wildlife and affect humans, as...

Documents

Transcript of Special Outdoor Illinois Feature: What’s theFuture ... · threaten wildlife and affect humans, as...