Illinois' participation in a federally funded program
seeks to conserve the legacy of forest lands
in private ownership

Illinois' forest resources have served its citizens well for almost 300 years, providing food, shelter, warmth, a vast array of products, recreation and resource protection. But the weight of development, a vastly expanded human population and increased demands on the resource are taking their toll.

Forest cover has eroded by 10 million acres since Illinois became a state in the early 1800s. What remains is vital to the maintenance of diverse wildlife and plant populations. Though these surviving forests occupy only 12 percent of the state, they contain 75 percent of its wildlife habitat and 61 percent of its native flora.

They also are critical to the forest product industry here and to the protection of the state's soil, water resources, air quality and recreational opportunities.

Working against those goals, however, is a disease called "fragmentation," the carving up of large forests into smaller woodlands which no longer can accommodate biodiversity or properly sustain their other environmental and recreational roles.

Fragmentation is a product of development, the conversion of forested acreage to non-forest uses. Examples might include the total destruction of a portion of a forest for agricultural use, construction of a shopping mall or development of a residential subdivision. Or it might involve the establishment of corridors such as interstate highways or other roads through a large forest.

Since 1820, Illinois' forested area has plummeted from nearly 14 million acres to the present resource of about 4.3 million acres.

The severe fragmentation of that remnant is well documented in current U.S. Geological Survey records. They show slightly more than 10, 000 forest parcels of 40 acres or more, with 44 percent measuring less than 100 acres, 69 percent between 40 and 200 acres, and 10 percent at 600 acres or more. Only 540 parcels exceed 1, 110 acres and fewer than 12, 000 of the state's original forest acres remain unlogged and undisturbed.

Answers to forest fragmentation may be contained in the relatively new Federal Forest Legacy Program in which the Department of Conservation hopes to participate beginning this year.

The Department's Division of Forest Resources has prepared a draft plan for a pilot Legacy program for Illinois. Public meetings were held in June at Pere Marquette State Park, at Morton in Tazewell County and Dixon in Lee County, according to State Forester Stewart Pequignot. In addition, 700 copies of the plan were made available in July for public examination at designated libraries. Cooperative Extension

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Authorized under the U.S. Farm Act of 1990, the Forest Legacy program may address the issue of forest fragmentation in Illinois.

Service county offices, Pere Marquette State Park and the Con-servation Department's regional offices, Pekin field office and Division of Forest Resources office in Springfield.

A product of the 1990 U.S. Farm Act, Legacy was tried first in Vermont, the home of its architect, Senator Patrick Leahy. It spread to other areas of the northeastern United States as funding for it became available. Now it is being made available in the Midwest, where Illinois and 15 other states are vying for a share of the estimated $6 million to $7 million in funding that will be available this year in this region.

The Forest Legacy Program seeks to protect environmentally sensitive forest areas that are threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. The mechanism utilized is the conservation easement, an agreement between the landowner and the U.S. Forest Service under which the property owner and subsequent heirs retain ownership of the land, but give up development or sale rights in perpetuity. The Forest Service undertakes the management and development of the property for the "continuation of traditional forest uses," Pequignot said.

Priority is given to lands having important scenic, recreational, fish, wildlife, ecological and riparian values and to those containing endangered or threatened species.

In effect, the Forest Service purchases these lands, but the landowners do not relinquish title to them. In addition to the payment they receive, the owners retain certain tax exemptions they may obtain later by enrolling the land in various forestry development and incentive programs.

The heart and soul of the plan, according to Pequignot, is the concept of "the willing seller." "There will be no condemnation," the forester pointed out.

The Forest Service reimburses 75 percent of the state's costs under the program. In many — perhaps most — cases, the 25 percent state share could be covered by "in kind" contributions, eliminating any outlay of funds.

To be eligible for involvement, the state must request participation and be approved by the federal agency.

For more information about the Forest Legacy program, write: Department of Conservation, Division of Forest Resources, 524 S. Second Street, Springfield, IL 62701-1787, or telephone (21) 782-2361.

Fred Tetreault is a staff writer for the Illinois Department of Conservation. This article originally appeared in the July issue of DOC's magazine, Outdoor Illinois.*

Illinois Parks & Recreation* September/October 1994* 47

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