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New preserve areas dedicated The Illinois Nature Preserves Commission recently dedicated four new nature preserves, an addition to an existing nature preserve and registered three new land and water reserves. • Robert Ridgway Grasslands Nature Preserve, Jasper County—The Illinois Audubon Society owns the 25.86 acres of reconstructed prairie, which will be managed in conjunction with DNR's Prairie Ridge State Natural Area. The preserve increases the amount of permanently protected grasslands at the Jasper County unit of Prairie Ridge State Natural Area to 1,929 acres. • Apple River Canyon Nature Preserve, JoDaviess County— The Apple River Canyon Nature Preserve, owned by the Department of Natural Resources, encompasses five tracts totaling approximately 442 acres within Apple River Canyon State Park. The preserve includes dry prairie, dry dolomite prairie, seep, dolomite cliff communities and dolomite exposures. The adjoining ravines and upper portions of the canyon are characterized by dry and dry-mesic upland forest. At least nine state-endangered and four state-threatened plant species are known to exist within the preserve, along with the state-threatened river otter. • Elkhart Hill Grove Nature Preserve, Logan County— William McClellan Drake, Jr., Victoria Evan-Cook, Valentine Snell, Mason Hammond Drake and Ascha Kells Drake own 65.2 acres of high-quality upland forest now dedicated as the Elkhart Hill Grove Nature Preserve. • Amberin Ash Ridge Nature Preserve Buffer, McHenry County—Deborah Staley's Amberin Ash Ridge, a 9.8-acre tract of mesic upland forest and seep natural communities, will serve as a nature preserve buffer for the Boone Creek Fen Nature Preserve near the village of Bull Valley. Preservation of the seeps and woods at Amberin Ash Ridge will protect important groundwater recharge and discharge zones that maintain water quality in the Boone Creek Fen. • Addition of buffer to Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve, Will County— The 14-acre tract owned by the Forest Preserve District of Will County near Braidwood will provide a nature preserve buffer for Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve, bringing the total of dedicated acres to more than 300. The area's dune and swale topography supports high-quality sand prairie, sand savanna, sedge meadow and marsh communities and provides habitat for five statelisted species: regal fritillary butterfly, false asphodel, small sundew, grass pink orchid and tubercled orchid. • Illinois River Sand Areas Land and Water Reserve, Cass County—Owned by New Dominion Farms of Illinois, Inc., the new reserve is a 40-acre site containing a largely intact sand prairie and sand blowout complex. It consists of early successional woodlands and former agricultural lands, both of which will be restored to sand prairie. The reserve supports a population of the state-threatened Illinois chorus frog and provides suitable habitat for the state-endangered Illinois mud turtle, which has been documented at ephemeral sand ponds on an adjacent tract to the north. A population of the rare and formerly state-threatened, large-bracted corydalis occurs on the site. • Elkhart Hill Grove Land and Water Reserve, Logan County—Lisa Pasquesi and Catherine Carolin own 65.2 acres of high-quality prairie grove and mesic upland forest, which are part of the Elkhart Hill Natural Area, one of the finest large prairie groves remaining in central Illinois. • MacBrough Marsh Land and Water Reserve, McHenry County—The 2.9-acre MacBrough Marsh Land and Water Reserve, owned by John and Kelly MacDonald, is located adjacent to Black Crown Marsh Land and August 2002 21 Water Reserve, a large wetland basin that supports a variety of wetland-dependent bird species. Nine state-listed endangered or threatened wetland bird species have been recorded using the wetland basin. The site consists primarily of wetland and a narrow upland buffer. Illinois now has 309 nature preserves in 79 counties totaling 41,820 acres, and 70 land and water reserves in 42 counties totaling 23,500 acres. Dan Hudgins Waterfowl Rest Area dedicated The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has dedicated the Dan Hudgins Waterfowl Rest Area at the Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area in Jersey County. Located along the Illinois River near the intersection of Illinois Route 100 and Dabb's Road north of Pere Marquette State Park, the rest area was made possible through the cooperation of the local Migratory Waterfowl Hunters, Inc. (MWHI) and the Illinois Ducks Unlimited MARSH (Matching Aid to Restore States Habitat) program.
The rest area is dedicated in memory of the Dan Hudgins of Godfrey, a longtime member and officer of the MWHI, who died in May 2001. Hudgins served as the organization's president from 1991 to 1993 and again in 1995. "Dan Hudgins worked tirelessly on behalf of waterfowlers and wildlife conservationists," DNR Director Brent Manning said. "From improving water quality at Horseshoe Lake to expanding wetlands throughout the Mississippi River Area, Dan brought many individuals and organizations together to turn good ideas into worthwhile projects." The Dan Hudgins Waterfowl Rest Area is part of the 24,386-acre Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area, a complex of 15 wildlife management areas and 13 public access areas along 75 miles of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers in Jersey and Calhoun counties. A total of 16,875 acres are actively managed for wetland habitat enhancement and public recreation.
Out and about with the ICF The Illinois Conservation Foundation's seventh annual Lake Michigan Fishing Tournament at North Point Marina, Winthrop Harbor, raised more than $18,000 to benefit programs and projects of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Participants on 10 boats caught more than 300 pounds of fish. CETEE TWO with Captain Ed Tausk at the helm claimed first place with its catch of 60.5 pounds. The crew included Bill Cullerton, Sr., Aldo Marchetti, John Marrotti, Lou Lazzeretti and Curt Hicken. Rick Wren caught the biggest fish, a 17-pound chinook. Looking ahead: The Foundation will be hosting two upcoming golf benefits. On Monday, Aug. 26, the Chicagoland Golf Benefit will be held at Arrowhead Golf Club, Wheaton. On Monday, Oct. 7, the inaugural Southern Illinois Golf Benefit will take place at Kokopelli Golf Club, Marion. For information on both events, contact Ron Allen at (217) 785-9371, or email rallen@dnrmail.state.il.us. Attention waterfowlers At press time, waterfowl season dates and bag limits had not been determined. The Department of Natural Resources was reviewing data to make the best possible determinations for Illinois sportsmen, and the Natural Resources Advisory Board was expected to consider recommendations in late July. Watch for updated announcements and postings on the Department's website at http://dnr.state.il.us. Furbearer fund awards announced The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is awarding $82,942 from the State Furbearer Fund for nine wildlife conservation projects to begin in 2002. The awards will support research on bobcat genetics, habitat improvements at Kidd Lake Marsh State Natural Area in Monroe County, purchase of seed collectors and planters to be used in nine counties in eastern Illinois and construction of wetlands in Stephenson and Marion counties. Education projects supported by the awards include acquiring 100 sets of the Discover Wild resource program for distribution at teacher workshops, conducting a fur hunting and trapping leadership workshop for interpreters and educators, and assisting with the 2002 Midwest Association of Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officers meeting. Furbearer Fund awards are made possible by the sale of a $5.50 Habitat Stamp required of most hunters and trappers in Illinois. State law sets aside 6 percent of stamp revenues for research, habitat and education projects that promote furbearer conservation. Approved projects for 2002 include: Research: • Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale— $20,000 to help fund a three-year study of bobcats in Illinois, providing population and forensic genetics information. Education: • DNR Division of Education—$22,000 for Illinois Furbearer Education Outreach, including acquisition of 100 sets of the Discover Wild teaching resource. The kits will be distributed to teachers as a part of DNR's popular Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education (ENTICE) program. • Midwest Association of Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officers—$1,600 to assist with the 2002 Midwest Association of Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officers meeting being hosted by Illinois. This meeting is intended to improve communication with the non-hunting and trapping public. • D. J. Case & Associates— $ 14,000 to conduct a fur hunting and trapping leadership training workshop for interpreters and educators. Habitat: • DNR, Region 3, District 13—$392 to purchase two seed collectors and $3,700 to purchase a tree seed planter. This equipment will be used by DNR staff for furbearer habitat enhancement in nine counties in eastern Illinois. • DNR—$7,000 to assist in restoring 257 acres of marsh and surrounding vegetation at 22 OutdoorIllinois the Kidd Lake Marsh State Natural Area, Monroe County. • DNR—$4,250 to create three shallow water impoundments totaling three acres in size at a new state-owned pheasant habitat area located west of Freeport in Stephenson County. • George P. Irwin Conservation Education Station, Inc.—$10,000 to construct four shallow wetlands at the Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District's Irwin Education Station. Adventure Package tops $8,000 mark OutdoorIllinois magazine and the Illinois Conservation Foundation are teaming up to provide subscribers with an opportunity to win more than $8,000 in donated merchandise by subscribing to the magazine at the Illinois State Fair. Anyone entering a new subscription or renewing an existing subscription will be eligible to win the entire prize package, which will be given to one lucky winner at the conclusion of the fair. This is the fourth year for the giveaway, and all proceeds from subscription sales benefit the Wildlife and Fish Fund. Included in this year's package are three items, each having a value of more than $ 1,000: a Bass Tracker Grizzly No. 1448 jon boat and trailer donated by The Boat Dock: Port of Springfield; a quick-set waterfowl blind from Avery Outdoors; and a six and one-half day deer hunting package from Campbell Resources, Inc. of Carmi. A complete listing of all prizes and donors is located inside the back cover of this issue. As in past years, the Adventure Package will be on display at the Director's Tent at Conservation World, where you can enter your new or renewal subscription. The Illinois Conservation Foundation, which sponsors the giveaway, will have information there on its many programs, special events and accomplishments. See you at the fair! Waterfowl habitat projects approved Seven waterfowl habitat improvement projects have been approved for funding this year by the State Duck Stamp Committee.
Since the inception of the State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp program in 1976, nearly $9 million has been used to develop and improve waterfowl propagation areas in the United States and Canada. The projects recommended for funding this year include: • Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Jefferson County—$80,000 to purchase four pump units for the Casey Fork and Big Muddy units and $118,822 to create a wetland area of approximately 55 acres. • Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area, Moultrie County—$111,500 to purchase a pump and drive motor at the North Dunn Refuge and $82,000 to purchase a pump and drive motor at the Fish Hook Waterfowl Area. • Ducks Unlimited, Inc.— $130,000 to support the Prairie CARE Project. This project will develop, preserve, restore and manage upland and wetland habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife at the Allan Tiger Minichinas Hills Key Program Area (Prince Albert, Fish Creek, Dana Hills East and Brockington Landscapes) in Saskatchewan, Canada. • Ducks Unlimited, Inc.— $130,000 to support the Prairie CARE Project in the Quill Lakes Key Program Area (Touchwood, Beaver Hills, Ponass, Jansen S., Conjuring Creek and Salkelds landscapes) in Saskatchewan, Canada. A total of 4,706 acres will be secured, 4,355 acres enhanced and restored, and 5,500 acres managed with Duck Stamp funds, along with $450,000 in matching funds from DU Inc., North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and other Canadian contributions. • Delta Waterfowl Foundation—$40,000 for their Perpetual Conservation Easement program, which will be used to permanently protect approximately 410 acres in Manitoba, Canada. Delta Waterfowl Foundation will secure $100,000 in private donations and leverage an additional $200,000 in NAWCA funds for expansion of these projects. August 2002 23 |
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