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OutdoorIllinois
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 8
OUTDOOR ILLINOIS is published monthly by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Public Services, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787, phone (217) 782-7454, e-mail editor@dnrmail.state.il.us.
(Publication number: ISSN 1072-7175) Periodical Postage Paid at Springfield, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to OUTDOOR ILLINOIS, Department of Natural Resources, Dept. NL, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787.
George H. Ryan Governor
Brent Manning Director
James D. Garner Deputy Director
Jim Riemer, Jr. Deputy Director
STAFF: James L. Fulgenzi, office director; Gary Thomas, editor; Liz Pensoneau, managing editor; John Allen, staff writer; P.J. Perea, staff writer; Adele Hodde, chief photographer; Chas. J. Dees, staff photographer; Charles J. Copley, design & layout; Cheryl Gwinn, production coordinator; Vera Lynn Smith, circulation.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Internet Address: http://dnr.state.il.us
Staff-written material appearing in this publication may be reprinted without permission, provided that OUTDOOR ILLINOIS, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is acknowledged as the source. OUTDOOR ILLINOIS assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or illustrations.
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 agencies is 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, contact the funding source's civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, DNR, 524 S. Second, Springfield, IL 62701-1787; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175.
All public meetings conducted by the Department of Natural Resources will be accessible to handicapped individuals in compliance with Executive Order No. 5 and pertinent state and federal laws, upon notification of the anticipated attendance. Handicapped persons planning to attend and needing special accommodations should inform the Department of Natural Resources at least five days prior to the meeting by telephoning or writing the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, Department of Natural Resources, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787, phone (217) 785-0067.
Department of Natural Resources information is available to the hearing impaired by calling DNR's Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (217) 782-9175.
Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois PRT3216173-28,395-7/01 Illinois Department of Natural Resources Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with soy-based ink.
Illinois Department of
Natural Resources
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Survey Says
A variety of surveys helps the Department of Natural Resources keep track of the state's wildlife populations.
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6
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Upstaged
Learn how a stage coach route was transformed into a state park lake.
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10
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Sweet Home Chicago
Northeastern Illinois anglers don't have to travel far to find a world-class bass fishery.
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Duck, Duck, Goose
Duck and goose numbers are down somewhat, but biologists still are predicting a good waterfowl season.
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Newsfront
We'll tell you about a new national trapshooting headquarters in southern Illinois, how to get the new hunting digest, about a commemorative knife being offered by the Illinois Conservation Foundation, how to enter an upcoming muskie tournament, what volunteers were recognized at the state fair, remind you to enter this year's photo contest, tell you who won the OutdoorIllinois Adventure Package, the make over taking place at Fort Massac State Park and tell you about a new book.
On the cover...
The vast array of colors on the leaves tell us another Illinois autumn is here. DNR Chief Photographer Adele Hodde took this photo of the leaves of a sweet gum tree at Cave-In-Rock State Park.
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October 2001
This month we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
As a longtime waterfowl hunter, I know firsthand how important this plan has been in reviving North America's waterfowl populations. I remember well the 1980s, when our waterfowl numbers plummeted. Populations of ducks and geese reached record low numbers throughout North America.
The reason for those dropping numbers was twofold—an ongoing drought and loss of wetland habitat. There was very little we could do about changing weather conditions, but we had the expertise to save, restore and enhance wetland habitat.
Historically, when things get tough for any species of wildlife, the sportsmen have always seemed to come to the rescue, and that's exactly what occurred 15 years ago. With their support, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan was established between the United States and Canada in 1986 for the sole purpose of helping to bring back waterfowl populations.
More than 50 percent of the original 220 million wetland acres in the contiguous United States was gone, and much of the remaining wetlands were in jeopardy. The same thing was happening across Canada, where a large percentage of North American waterfowl nest and raise their young. NAWMP set its sights on the wetland habitats that waterfowl depend upon for survival, and that's exactly where they've been working for the past 15 years.
There are two things that make NAWMP different from other government programs. First, it is structured internationally, but it is very regional in nature. Secondly, it is dependent on groups working together. In fact, its partnerships are what have made this plan so successful—joint ventures involving federal, state and local governments, businesses, conservation organizations and just plain folks who see the need and work with others to accomplish their goals. Simply put, many have joined into partnerships to accomplish together what would be difficult or impossible to do individually.
What have they accomplished? NAWMP has invested more than $1.7 billion to protect, restore and enhance more than 5 million acres of wetland habitat in North America. That includes habitat acquisition, conservation easements, leases and management agreements. The plan also has resulted in changes in grazing practices on seasonal wetlands, flooding of croplands, construction of nesting islands and the building of nesting structures for waterfowl. There also are projects that monitor and research the needs of certain species of waterfowl.
In Illinois, NAWMP has been responsible for several major habitat improvements in the Cache River basin, as well as a number of projects along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.
And waterfowl numbers rebounded. While waterfowl populations are very unpredictable based on weather conditions during the nesting period, NAWMP stopped the downward trend, and populations have increased for just about every species. Of course, when you enhance a wetland area to help waterfowl, dozens of other species of wildlife benefit.
We need more programs like the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. So to all of you who have made the difference, keep up the good work. Let's hope for many more successful years to come.
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