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DNR budget targets acquisition, education Governor George H. Ryan has proposed a Fiscal Year 2001 budget of $607.7 million for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, including $40 million for the second year of a $160 million, four-year initiative to protect the state's most precious natural areas. "The Illinois Open Land Trust is significantly increasing the state's ability to set aside land for natural resource protection and outdoor recreation for our children and our children's children," Ryan said. "The DNR budget puts a strong focus on natural resource protection, enhancement and education." The state already has acquired an additional 1,662 acres of open space through the program. A significant portion of the annual funding is awarded to local communities in grants to acquire open space. Communities statewide will also benefit from a $3.3 million increase to $21 million for the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Program, which provides matching grants to acquire and develop local parks. This popular program has funded nearly 800 local park projects since it was initiated in 1986. The Department's proposed operating budget of $217.1 million includes $123.3 million in General Funds, an $11 million increase from the current year. The fiscal 2001 budget recommendation includes $1.8 million for the Department to operate Wildlife Prairie Park, a 1,273-acre facility in Peoria County. In addition to operating the park, the site will house a new conservation education center—a teacher training facility designed to expand natural resource education programs in Illinois schools.
Proposed funding of $627,500 will support The Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education, or ENTICE Program, at Wildlife Prairie Park. The program will advance teacher development in the sciences, help strengthen science education in the schools and enhance informal natural resource education for the general public. "Education is a top priority of my administration," the Governor said. "This program will provide teachers with the tools they need to incorporate natural resource education into the daily curriculum, and in turn, strengthen and expand science education in the schools." The recommended budget also includes $500,000 for the EcoWatch program. The program trains volunteer "citizen scientists" and students to help monitor the condition of the natural resources in the state and provides hands-on conservation education. The UrbanWatch program is being developed through a joint effort of DNR and Chicago's Field Museum. EcoWatch now encompasses more than 1,500 trained volunteers, 250 science teachers and thousands of students. In fiscal year 2001, $10 million will be dedicated to the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, a multi-year, $500 million federal-state program designed to reduce soil erosion, improve habitat and restore wetlands along the most environmentally sensitive acres in the Illinois River watershed. More than 32,000 acres of Illinois River floodplain land have been restored and another 8,700 acres of existing habitat have been permanently protected under the program. About $11.7 million in new funds is budgeted for Conservation 2000, a multi-agency program that continues to preserve and enhance wildlife habitats while providing new opportunities for outdoor recreation. The recommended capital budget includes $10 million to fund the third year of a five-year, $50 million commitment to improve museums across the state. The budget also provides $5 million for technology grants to museums to bring their collections to the classroom. The budget recommendation includes $40.7 million for various construction projects at sites statewide, including $4.3 million to fund the authentic reconstruction of the American Fort at Fort Massac State Park—Illinois' first state park—and $1.1 million to rehabilitate and replace playground equipment at several sites throughout the park system. The proposed budget also includes $14 million in capital funds for waterway improvements, including $3.6 million for reconstruction of Batavia Dam in Kane County, $3 million for the third phase of channel construction of Hickory Springs Creek flood control in Joliet, $3 million for Lake Michigan shoreline protection and various other flood-control projects. Safari Club honors Brewer Illinois Conservation Police Sergeant Harris Brewer is this year's recipient of the prestigious Shikar-Safari Club International Officer of the Year Award. "Sergeant Brewer is most deserving of this award," Department of Natural Resources Director Brent Manning said. "He is a highly motivated officer who is dedicated to protecting Illinois' natural resources and serving the public." 20 OutddoorIllinois The award is presented by the Shikar-Safari Club International in each state to a wildlife officer who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and achievement. Brewer, 44, of Princeton, has been with the Department of Natural Resources for 23 years. For 21 of these years he has served as a Conservation Police Officer and Conservation Police Sergeant. He presently is a district supervisor in north-central Illinois. His is one of the busiest and most diverse hunting and fishing areas in Illinois, and includes 60 miles of the Illinois River, which offers the largest walleye and sauger fishery in the state, as well as some of the best waterfowl hunting in the Mississippi Flyway. As a field officer. Sergeant Brewer had one of the highest arrest and conviction rates of any Illinois Conservation Police Officer; as a sergeant he continuies to dedicate his career to natural resources protection. Put some class into your life The Department of Natural Resources administers four mandatory safety education programs for young hunters, trappers, boaters and snowmobilers. Although designed for youths, the courses are recommended for everyone wanting to keep up on safety practices. For information about safety education classes in your area, call 1-800-832-2599. Hearing-impaired individuals can call the Department's TTY number, (217) 782-9175. Entire estate gifted to Conservation Foundation Morrison Rockwood State Park had a friend in Mrs. Mary Olive Bixby. Mrs. Bixby, who lived in Morrison, died in 1997, and left the entire remains of her estate to the Illinois Conservation Foundation, with the designation that the park be the specific beneficiary. This marks the first true bequest awarded to the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Foundation Director John Schmitt says that although Mrs. Bixby's estate was not huge, the fact that she left every penny she had for the benefit of the park demonstrates her concern for the natural resources of the state and the people who enjoy them. Schmitt hopes others will follow her example and stresses that all gifts, whether large or small, are greatly appreciated. He is available to discuss estate plan issues, including gifts of appreciated stock, land, assets or cash, all of which can serve as an eternal living memorial to the donor and in many cases provide significant tax advantages to the donor. Schmitt can be contacted at (312) 814-7237 for more information about the Foundation and how your estate plan can provide a gift for future generations. Or write: Illinois Conservation Foundation, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701-1787 . Three honored with Illinois Native Sons and Daughters Awards Three individuals, including a former governor, a dedicated volunteer and a champion archer, were recently honored for their outstanding contributions to Illinois' natural resources by the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Presented with the third annual Illinois Native Sons and Daughters awards were former Gov. Jim Edgar, volunteer Anita Belik of Bourbonnais and archery champion Sally Wunderle of Mason City. The ceremony was held at the Chicago Boat, RV and Outdoors Show at McCormick Place. "The honorees this year are diverse in their interests and accomplishments," said Natural Resources Director Brent Manning. "Their accomplishments demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the natural resources of Illinois." An avid hiker, bicyclist and horseback rider, Jim Edgar served as Governor of Illinois from 1991-99. During his tenure, the state acquired more than 38,000 acres of land, including 15,574 acres in Cass County, the largest single land purchase in Illinois history, that now bears his name. He also worked with federal officials to ensure the Joliet Arsenal and Savanna Army Depot properties would be open for public recreational purposes. Edgar also won legislative approval for his six-year, $100 million initiative called Conservation 2000, in which the state works with local constituents to protect natural resources. His administration also put together an innovative state-federal partnership to repair the silt-choked Illinois River. Anita Belik has volunteered hundreds of hours during the past five years to instruct several different environmental education programs for park visitors, school groups, and area youth and adult groups at Kankakee River State Park. Belik helped renovate a park office building into a nature center and designed and constructed many of the exhibits and displays, including hands-
March 2000 21 on activities and nature games. She also created and taught the first bilingual environmental education program at an Illinois state park for 250 preschool to 15-year-old summer migrant students. Belik helped construct a 20-station self-guided nature trail and a 10-station self-guided geology trail, complete with trail guides. She was selected as an outstanding volunteer of the year in 1999 by DNR's Land Management and Education staff. Sally Wunderle, 22, Mason City, has set and broken 33 national archery records and 13 world archery records. In 1999, Wunderle won her division at the Championship of America in Havana, Cuba, the national championships and the U.S. Open, a world ranking archery event. As a member of the national archery team, tournaments have taken her around the country and around the globe. Wunderle is working on a degree in speech communications at Eastern Illinois University at Charleston, where she also serves as a student resident advisor. The Illinois Conservation Foundation is a not-for-profit organization formed in 1995 to raise funds to support various DNR programs. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $6 million. More infor mation about the Illinois Conservation Foundation is available by calling (312) 814-7237. Deer and Turkey Classic returns to Peoria The 10th annual Illinois Deer and Turkey Classic will be held March 24-26 at the Peoria Civil Center. This year's event features new attractions and nearly 300 exhibitors of hunting products, accessories and guides/outfitters, plus seminars, an outdoor activities information center and hands-on activities for kids.
New to this year's show: • A display of more than two dozen Canadian whitetail trophy bucks; • A display of a dozen of the biggest-antlered bucks taken in Illinois; • An outdoor crafts/gifts exhibit section; • Seminars featuring backwoods wilderness survival expert Ron Kummerfeldt; whitetail expert Greg Miller; Fred and Greg Abbas on deer and turkey hunting; black powder guru Toby Bridges; animal nutrition expert Rick Decker, bowhunting specialist Dan Perez and whitetail bowhunter Judy Kovar.
Returning events include the Budweiser trophy deer contest and display with more than 350 entries expected; archery trick shot Byron Ferguson; Nikon/OWAA's national photo contest winners; an outdoor photo contest; laser firearms shooting range, DART archery, firearms video system, kids' free archery instructional range, airgun shooting and a bow tryout area; and a display of pelts, furs and hides. Show hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8 per adult, $3 for kids 6 through 11. Children 5 and under are admitted free. More information is available at 1-800-324-3337 or by emailing: targcomm@execpc.com. Bluebird workshop scheduled for Springfield The Illinois Audubon Society will present a bluebird workshop at Adams Wildlife Sanctuary in Springfield on Saturday, March 25, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. There will be videos, slides and talks about bluebirds, then participants will put together bluebird nesting boxes. Participants need to bring a hammer. All other supplies will be furnished. Registration is $6, and space is limited. To register, send a check made out to OutdoorIllinois 22 the Illinois Audubon Society with your name, address and phone number, and send it to: Loren Hughes, 1234 Tucker Beach Road, Paris, Ill. 61944. Other workshops are planned for Lake Homer, near Champaign, and in Carbondale. Adams Wildlife Sanctuary is located at 2315 Clear Lake Avenue in Springfield. Boating safety classes offered The U.S. Power Squadron, a non-profit organization dedicated to boating safety, sponsors safe boating courses throughout the state, with several classes scheduled during March. To receive specific dates and locations, call (847) 296-8777. Becker moves to Realty and Environmental Planning office Carl Becker has been named assistant director of the Office of Realty and Environmental Planning. Becker, 50, Petersburg, has served as chief of the Division of Natural Heritage since 1986. He began his career with the State of Illinois in 1978 as the executive director of the Endangered Species Protection Board. In 1980 he was named Natural Heritage Section manager in the Division of Forest Resources and Natural Heritage. Becker received his BS degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his MS in zoology from Eastern Michigan University. Following college, he joined NALCO Environmental Sciences in 1973, were he served as project leader and associate scientist. Becker is a member of the Natural Areas Association and has served on the association's board of directors since 1995 and was elected its president in 1999. He is also a member of the American Ornithologists' Union, American Society of Mammalogists, International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies-Wildlife Diversity Committee, Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society and the Wilson Ornithological Society. He co-chairs the Department's efforts to pass the Conservation and Reinvestment Act in Congress. He also serves as chairman of the Menard County Zoning Board of Appeals and president of the Lake Petersburg Association. In his free time, Becker enjoys birding, boating, canoeing, fishing, hunting and going to sporting events. Carl and his wife, Peggy, have three teenage children, Jason, Jenifer and Jared. Clean vessel grants offered through DNR The Department of Natural Resources is soliciting applications for grants to be awarded through the federal Clean Vessel Act grant program. Local governments and operators of private marinas, boat yards and yacht clubs may apply for the grants to build or upgrade marine sewage disposal systems and renovate pumpout stations used by recreational boaters. Applications must be sent to the Department of Natural Resources. The Department will forward proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for consideration. Applicants whose projects are approved will be reimbursed for up to 75 percent of allowable expenses to construct or renovate stations and waste reception facilities. Applicants will compete for a national pool of $10 million in grant funds generated from excise taxes on fishing equipment, import duties on tackle and boats, and motorboat fuel taxes. Detailed information about the program and application forms are available by calling (217) 782-2602, TTY (217) 782-9175, or by writing the Department of Natural Resources, Federal Aid and Special Funds Section, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill., 62701-1787.
Open Land Trust grant applications available Applications are now available for the Open Land Trust grant program, Gov. George H. Ryan's landmark initiative to acquire and protect open space for future generations. The program provides grants to eligible local governments to protect open space, wildlife habitat, watersheds, greenways and natural areas, and to provide enhanced outdoor recreational opportunities. The grants, administered by the Department of Natural Resources, provide up to 50 percent state funding assistance for approved property acquisition projects. The maximum grant award for a single project is $2 million. Local project sponsors may be any unit of local government with statutory authority to acquire, develop and maintain land for public outdoor, natural resource related recreation. Individuals and organizations involved in natural resource and open space conservation can participate in partnership with eligible local government agencies on Open Land Trust grant applications. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are paid as reimbursements to local sponsors. Property may be acquired only from willing sellers.
Land acquired through the program must be maintained in perpetuity for public open space and natural resource recreation purposes through the signing of a conservation easement. Allowable activities may include birdwatching and wildlife viewing, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding and primitive camping. Applications will be evaluated based on the project's ability to meet statewide and local recreation and conservation needs, site characteristics and the applicant's past performance on DNR grant projects. The application deadline for the first round of the Open Land Trust grant program is April 3. For more information, contact the DNR Division of Grant Administration, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787, or call (217) 782-7481. March 2000 23 |
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