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OUR NATURAL RESOURCES A Centennial Celebration This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHY ANDREWS
It started in 1903 with one simple question from President Theodore Roosevelt: "Is there any law that will prevent me from declaring Pelican Island a Federal Bird Reservation?" Pelican Island was a 3-acre tract on Florida's east coast with an enormous egret and heron rookery. While governor ot New York, Roosevelt had campaigned to discontinue the exploitation of feathers by the fashion industry. On March 14, 1903, he signed into law what would become his legacy—preserving some of the nation's most unique lands, protecting populations of rare fish, wildlife and plants, and ensuring recreational opportunities for the future. From that humble beginning grew an expansive National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) system that today protects nearly 95 million acres in more than 540 refuges. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NWRs provide habitat for migratory birds, fish, plants and resident wildlife, as well as wintering areas for bald eagles. They also protect important habitat for endangered species. Illinois' NWRs account for more than 111,000 acres that attract 2.1 million visitors annually for educational programs, wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing and hiking. "To me, the refuges are a national system with everything tied to habitat," remarked Dennis Sharp, Cypress Creek NWR manager. "Refuges are about habitat, wildlife and people, with the wildlife being the connector between the other components. Wildlife is our reason for being and always comes first in the refuge system." Illinois' NWRs are located along major river corridors and provide critical habitat for large concentrations of breeding, migrating or wintering birds. They have earned the designation of Globally Important Bird Areas, a recognition bestowed upon only 500 sites within the United States and 3,500 areas worldwide. Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge—Savanna District The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the longest refuge in the lower 48 states, covering 261 miles from the Chippewa River in Wisconsin to Rock Island. The Upper Mississippi NWR, established in 1924, is the oldest refuge in Illinois and the first in the nation established for fish. It has great numbers of heron and egret rookeries. "Kellers Island, located between Sabula, Iowa, and Savanna, is the oldest rookery in the district," commented Pam Steinhaus, assistant refuge manager. "Great blue herons start arriving in early March to begin setting up their nests. It's a very noisy time in the rookeries. In addition to wading birds, we have had several pairs of sandhill cranes and 17 pairs of bald eagles nesting in recent years." The Savanna District, the Illinois portion of the refuge, contains 55,000 acres and covers navigation pools 12,13 and 14 of the Mississippi River, or 90 miles of riparian habitat. Braided channels pass between wooded islands, with scenic river bluffs towering along each shore. At the heart of the NWR is the relatively new Ingersoll Wetland Learning Center, a special place to discover, explore and learn about wildlife and their habitats. The center over- May/June 2003 39
looks beautiful Spring Lake, which offers visitors an excellent opportunity to see and hear sandhill cranes, egrets, great blue herons, bald eagles, waterfowl and many other wetland species. The Grand Illinois Trail travels through portions of the Thomson Prairie located south of Thomson. "This sand prairie is especially pretty in the spring when the prickly pear cactus are in bloom," remarked Steinhaus. "Anglers, hikers, bikers and photographers also use the many internal levee structures to access remote areas of the refuge."
From July 26-Aug. 2, the Upper Mississippi NWR and Delta Corporation will host "Celebrating a Century of Conservation," a riverboat tour of the Mississippi River from St. Louis to St. Paul. Included will be onboard speakers elaborating on the history and biology of the river, and on-shore tours. For additional information, contact the Savanna District office at (815) 273-2732. Illinois River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Along the Illinois River lies the Illinois River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which incorporates the Chautauqua, Meredosia and Emiquon refuges. Chautauqua, consisting of 4,488 acres northeast of Havana in Mason County, was established in 1936 after attempts to drain the backwater lakes were unsuccessful. Purchased with migratory bird funds, the area serves as habitat for migratory birds and is the location of the first biological research laboratory on a national refuge. Approximately half of the companion NWR, Meredosia, is located in Morgan and Cass counties and was donated in part by Jim Anderson, a Chicago industrialist who had a passion for waterfowl hunting. Upstream near Henry sits the Cameron/Billsbach Unit of the Chautauqua refuge. Judge Glen Cameron of Pekin, a waterfowl enthusiast, donated a large portion of this property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1958. Plans are under way there for watershed restoration designed to minimize additional siltation into the lake and river, and to re-create the historic wetland that once supported in excess of 70,000 ducks during the peak of migration. "Probably the most exciting part of the Illinois River NWR system is the planned 11,000-acre Emiquon refuge," remarked Ross Adams, Illinois River system manager. An extensive partnership project management plan for Emiquon involves many nongoverment organizations and agencies and calls for the restoration of Thompson Lake (1,800 acres) and Flag Lake (1,000 acres) and the surrounding marsh habitats. Re-creation of lakes
40 Illinois Parks and Recreation drained in the 1920s will bring back formerly outstanding fisheries and waterfowl hunting areas. "We have before us a wonderful opportunity to restore a complex of wetland habitat along both sides of the river between Hennepin and Meredosia," Ross said. "Tremendous headway already has been made with much private property enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, acquisition of lands by nongovermental organizations and restoration programs under way through the Fish and Wildlife Services' Partners for Wildlife and Fish program." Mark Twain NWR Complex The Mark Twain complex, comprised of more than 45,000 acres of land in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, is an expansive network of sites along 345 miles of the Mississippi River and portions of the Illinois and Iowa rivers. Within Illinois are Two Rivers, Port Louisa, Great River and Middle Mississippi River NWRs. Formerly known as the Brussels District of the Mark Twain NWR Complex, the Two Rivers NWR was renamed in 2000. Originally purchased by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of a 9-foot navigation channel in the Mississippi River, the area was given refuge status in 1958.
The nearly 8,500-acre NWR lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, with the headquarters and visitors center located in the Calhoun Division, a 4,835-acre tract near the village of Brussels. Additional refuge property includes the 230-acre Potage Island Division, four forested islands in the Mississippi River west of Elsah; the 3,500-acre Batchtown Division in Calhoun County; the 736-acre Gilbert Lake Division in Jersey County; and the 270-acre Apple Creek Division in Greene County.
"People have always been attracted to lands adjacent to river systems because of the abundant wildlife, rich agricultural potential and ease of river transportation," said John Mabery, Two Rivers refuge manager. "Jersey and Calhoun counties are steeped in Native American and European settler period history. The timber resources were an important draw to settlers, but agricultural products and apple orchards quickly formed the economic base of the area." Today, Two Rivers is a link in the important chain of resting, feeding and wintering areas for migrating birds along the Mississippi River. Located in the "riverbend area," the refuge helps host one of the largest overwintering bald eagle populations in the nation. The remaining three refuges within the Mark Twain complex—Port Louisa, Great May/June 2003 41 River and Middle Mississippi NWRs—contain properties spanning state boundaries. The 1,400-acre Keithsburg Division of the Port Louisa NWR lies within Mercer County. A mosaic of wetlands and bottomland forests, the site is separated from the Mississippi River by a 3-mile-long levee where fishing is the primary public use. The Long Island and Delair divisions of the Great River NWR are within Illinois' boundaries. Located 6 miles north of Quincy in Pool 21 is the 6,300-acre Long Island Division, one of the largest and most important stands of mature bottomland forest along the Upper Mississippi River. This complex of islands and floodplains provides year-round fishing and hunting opportunities. Separated from the Mississippi River by the Sny Levee, seepage from Pool 24 of the river provides the Pike County Delair Division with a constant source of water that enhances management of 340 acres of high-quality wetlands and benefits many species of birds. Although closed to public entry at all times, special arrangements can be made through the refuge office for environmental education tours. The most recent addition to the complex is the Middle Mississippi River NWR. Acquired following the devastating flood of 1993, the 2,770acre Wilkinson Island is the southernmost division of the refuge and straddles the Illinois/Missouri state line north of Cape Giradeau, Mo. Breeches of the levee during the flood are aiding the return of what was a historic island to a complex of bottomland forests and wetlands suitable for hunting and fishing. "The refuges of the Mark Twain complex manage and protect diverse wetlands, forests and grasslands along the Mississippi River Flyway, one of the most important bird migration corridors in North America," summarized Dave Ellis, refuge manager at the Great River NWR. "Within this chain of habitats, more than 230 different species of birds find the resources needed to move between their summer and winter ranges." KATHY ANDREWS is the editor of OutdoorIllinois. This article is reprinted from the March 2003 issue of Outdoor Illinois with permission granted from the Illnois Department of Natural Resources.
Centennial celebrations
Events will take place throughout 2003 to celebrate the centennial of the National Wildlife Refuge system. The U.S. Postal Service will issue a commemorative stamp on March 14, with second-day cancellations available to refuge communities. Commemorative time capsules will be created and buried on each refuge. Other programs include building dedications, International Migratory Bird Day celebrations in May, the Illinois River Sweep and open houses during National Wildlife Refuge week in October. Call the refuges for additional information on times and locations. 42 Illinois Parks and Recreation OUR NATURAL RESOURCES NEWS BRIEFS Brunsvold named new DNR director
Goveronor Rod R. Blagojevich recently announced the appointment of state Representative Joel Brunsvold, Milan, as director of the Department of Natural Resources. Brunsvold, former chair of the Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee, member of the House Environment and Energy Committee and chairman of the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, is recognized as an authority on conservation and land use issues. Throughout his tenure as a legislator, Brunsvold worked closely with DNR, sponsoring many bills in the General Assembly. Pending Brunsvold's Senate confirmation, Tom Flattery, director of the Office of Realty and Environmental Planning, has been named acting director. Tree City USA communities designated Tree City USA designations were recently awarded to 174 Illinois communities to recognize their efforts to promote tree planting and care programs in urban areas. Eligible communities must legally designate a person to have authority over the growth and care of the urban forest, enact a community tree ordinance, expend $2 per resident on urban forestry and conduct an annual Arbor Day tree planting ceremony. Recognized as first-year participants were Edwardsville, Harwood Heights, Lake Barrington and Savoy. Forty-two communities also received a "growth" award for programs to improve basic urban forestry programs. Silver certificates were presented to Bolingbrook, Brookfield, Elgin, Lombard and Moline for 10 years of participation. Tree City USA is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources, the National Association of State Foresters and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The annual application deadline for the program is December 31. A listing of the 2003 Tree City USA recipients is available at http://dnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/pubaffrs.htm. Pollution prevention grants due Applications now are being accepted for the 2003 Governor's Pollution Prevention Awards, presented by DNR's Illinois Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC). The WMRC has offices in Champaign, Oakbrook, Peoria and Brighton and has presented the awards since 1987. The awards, which honor Illinois companies and organizations demonstrating a commitment to environmental excellence through pollution prevention, are presented in both first-time and continuous improvement categories. Any Illinois public or private organization is eligible to receive an award. Applications are due May 19, and awards will be presented in Springfield on October 14. For more information, or to request an application, call Jini Cook at the WMRC at (217) 244-6553 or visit http://www.wmrc.uiuc.edu. Nation's first on-site supplier park The Department of Natural Resources' Illinois Waste Management and Research Center (WRMC) is bringing pollution prevention techniques to a unique industrial park in southeast Chicago. WMRC is working with Ford Motor Company, the Chicago Department of Environment, the Delta Institute and the Southeast Environmental Task Force on the project, which is located in a 155-acre "brownfield" site next to an existing Taurus/Sable assembly plant. The industrial park, named Millennium Park, involves the location of Ford suppliers and support services close to the assembly plant. WMRC is working with 11 companies to incorporate pollution prevention and industrial ecology ideas at the design stage. This will be the first "on-site" supplier park in the nation. Six buildings are under construction containing 1.5 million square feet of industrial space. When complete, Millennium Park will bring nearly 800 jobs to the area, greatly reduce travel time for materials, allow by-products from one supplier to be used as raw materials for others and provide opportunities to optimize energy efficiency as well as chemical and waste management. May/June 2003 43 Changes in Illinois fishing regulations Spawning season protection for smallmouth bass and the state's new rule banning possession of injurious species highlight changes in the Illinois fishing regulations listed in the 2003 edition of the Illinois Fishing Information guide. A free publication from DNR, it details statewide and site-specific fishing regulations in effect for the new fishing season that began April 1. New regulations being implemented for the 2003 season took effect on April 1 and are highlighted throughout the text of the guide. The booklet is available at hundreds of locations where Illinois fishing licenses are sold, including bait shops, sporting goods stores and DNR offices. The text of the guide also is available on the Department's website at http://dnr.state.il.us. Outdoors-Woman events planned The 2003 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekends are scheduled for June 6 to 8 at the Lorado Taft Field Campus at Oregon and September 19 to 21 at Pere Marquette State Park at Grafton. The Department of Natural Resources invites you to join women from throughout Illinois for a weekend full of adventurous outdoor activities. For more information or to receive an application package, call (217) 782-4080 or email your name and address to educevents@dnrmail.state.il.us. Restrictions on game bird import Due to an outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) in poultry and game birds in California and a number of other western states, those who hold wild game and bird breeder permits and game breeding and hunting preserve area licenses through the Department of Natural Resources are being alerted to import restrictions on captive-reared game birds from California. END, while not a threat to human health, is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease affecting captive-reared game birds, poultry and most other bird species. As a result of an END outbreak, entire flocks may be quarantined and subsequently destroyed in an attempt to contain the outbreak. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared an extraordinary emergency because of END outbreaks in California and Nevada. Under provisions of Illinois disease free certification regulations (17 Ill. Adm. Code 630), wild game and bird breeder permit holders and game breeding and hunting preserve area license holders, who intend to import game birds, chicks, eggs or feathers from California, will be subject to requirements that the shipment be inspected and certified as disease-free prior to importation. The inspection and disease-free certification must be conducted by a licensed veterinarian approved by DNR, and DNR must be notified of the intent to import from California at least 30 days prior to importation. Permit or license holders are advised to contact Terry Musser, DNR hunting preserves and controlled hunting program manager, at (217) 782-6752 or email: musser@dnrmail.state.il.us for more information. |
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