DUCKS UNLIMITED INITIATES UPPER PEORIA LAKE PROJECT

Illinois
2011 CONSERVATION REPORT • GREAT LAKES/ATLANTIC REGIONAL OFFICE
DUCKS UNLIMITED INITIATES UPPER PEORIA LAKE PROJECT
Nearly $3.5 million in federal and private funding has helped Ducks Unlimited (DU) jump-start a new $5 million project aimed at
conserving wetland habitat surrounding Upper Peoria Lake. Initially, funds are being targeted towards the acquisition and protection
of wetland habitat adjacent to Woodford County State Fish and Wildlife Area (SFWA) on the east side of the lake. However, DU’s
five year goal is to restore and protect up to 1,000 acres of strategically located wetland habitat in this important waterfowl migration
area.
DU’s first conservation action has been to purchase 237 acres of former cropland with $1 million in grant funds from the Grand
Victoria Foundation, Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The newly acquired
property includes more than 100 acres of restorable marsh habitat, a wetland fen, and a strip of oak-hickory forest that provides a
dramatic view of the Illinois River Valley. DU’s plans are to develop the site into a waterfowl refuge and as an interpretive “waypoint”
for visitors on the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway.
A second project involves the restoration of wetland habitat on 83 acres of frequently flooded cropland adjacent to Woodford
County SFWA. In this case, the land has been enrolled by its owners into the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP)
through a special project that DU has established in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under
the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative. Federal WREP funds will be used to restore wetland habitat on this
privately owned property according to a plan designed and implemented by DU biologists and engineers. In addition, the landowners
will receive $3,200 per acre from WREP for a permanent conservation easement that protects the restored wetland
from future crop production.
DU’s goal is to use these two Woodford County projects as demonstration sites to encourage more wetland projects in the Upper
Peoria Lake area. In particular, DU is hoping that other landowners will take advantage of the $2.5 million of federal and private
funding that is now available through WREP to
restore wetlands on marginal farmland.
According to DU, wetland restoration and
conservation is critical to the future ecological health
of Upper Peoria Lake. Each wetland restoration
project that DU undertakes will be carefully planned
to maximize its potential to not only provide habitat
for waterfowl, but also to improve water quality by
fi ltering out excess nutrients and sediment coming
from adjacent agricultural fields. In doing so, DU
hopes to someday return Upper Peoria Lake to its
earlier status as a premiere waterfowl area of the
Illinois River.
DU Property At Upper Peoria Lake.
Ducks Unlimited • Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office
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HABITAT HAPPENINGS
WETLANDS ADDED TO CLINTON LAKE PROJECT
It is always possible to improve upon even a good thing. That could be the motto of the latest suite of small wetland projects that
Ducks Unlimited (DU) has completed at Clinton Lake State Recreation Area in DeWitt County.
In 2007, DU restored 40.5 acres of wetland habitat along the margins of Clinton Lake to form a new public hunting area that has
since been designated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) as the Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area
(WMA). The project, located on land owned by Exelon, was uniquely designed to help capture storm water run-off from 6,200 acres
of adjoining farmland. In addition to providing habitat for migrating waterfowl, Salt Creek WMA is helping to improve water quality
at Clinton Lake by trapping excess nutrients and sediment. In fact, the project has received national recognition because of its unique
partnership and its multiple conservation benefits.
This past year, DU restored three
additional wetlands adjacent to Salt
Creek WMA that added approximately
23 acres of habitat to the project area.
Similar to its larger counterpart, each of
the smaller wetlands was designed by DU
engineers to slow down and capture water
from adjacent agricultural fields before
entering Salt Creek. Rock check dams
and chutes also were used at two of the
wetlands to address problems with gully
erosion. Funding for the $103,000 project
was provided through a cooperative
agreement with the Natural Resources
Conservation Service as part of DU’s
Illinois River Water Quality Initiative.
Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area.
EMIQUON PROJECT ENHANCES WATERFOWL HABITAT
Ducks Unlimited (DU) has been a long standing supporter of Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Nearly a decade ago, DU
contributed more than $250,000 to help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) acquire its first lands at the newly established
refuge located at the confluence of the Spoon River with the Illinois River in Fulton County. More recently, DU provided another
$100,000 to the USFWS for the purchase of additional lands on the north end of Emiquon.
This past year marked yet another project milestone as DU
completed a $265,000 project to enhance waterfowl habitat at
the 430-acre Wilder Unit at Emiquon NWR. According to DU
Regional Engineer Brian Nicholson who designed the project,
more than 47,000 cubic yards of accumulated silt - enough
to cover a football field with 22 feet of dirt - was excavated
to restore two linear sloughs and two pothole wetlands.
The excavated material was in turn used to develop higher
elevation wildlife habitat on a less frequently flooded portion
of the property.
Restoring wetlands at Emiquon NWR.
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A $100,000 environmental settlement secured by Illinois
Attorney General Lisa Madigan and administered by the
Illinois Conservation Foundation helped provide funding for
the Emiquon wetlands. Other funds were provided directly by
the USFWS while DU donated a large portion of its biological
and engineering services during early planning stages of the
project.
www.ducks.org
HABITAT HAPPENINGS
SANGAMON BAY PROTECTED BY DU CONSERVATION EASEMENT
Approximately 426 acres of wetland habitat along the Illinois River will be protected forever thanks to a conservation easement
established by Ducks Unlimited (DU).
Sangamon Bay is a backwater lake located along the Illinois River in Cass County. The property is owned by Richardson Farms
Outfitters, a family company that specializes in trophy deer hunting. In 2008, DU approached the Richardson family about
protecting the natural wetland features of Sangamon Bay in
perpetuity under a DU conservation easement. Grant funding
from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation allowed
DU to subsequently purchase such an easement from the
Richardson’s late the following year.
According to DU Manager of Land Conservation Programs
Jenifer Christman, Sangamon Bay is a great example of DU’s
effort to strategically protect high priority wetland habitat within
the lower Sangamon River ecosystem - the largest remaining
remnant of “wilderness” like wetland habitat left in the Illinois
River valley. “The Sangamon Bay easement is proof of the
potential for private landowners to work collaboratively with DU
to protect both their property and the traditions of waterfowl
hunting for future generations to enjoy,” says Christman.
Pelicans on Sangamon Bay.
NORTHEAST ILLINOIS PROJECTS UNVEILED AT NOTEBAERT MUSEUM
Two McHenry County wetland restoration projects were unveiled by Ducks Unlimited (DU) at a special event hosted at the Peggy
Notebaert Nature Museum in downtown Chicago. The three projects are part of a multi-year program that DU has initiated to restore
and protect wetland habitats in northeast Illinois.
The first project, located near Hebron, seeks to restore a classic “pothole” wetland characteristic of the glacial morainal region of
northeastern Illinois. DU is using grant funds from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) to help the McHenry
County Conservation District (MCCD) fully restore “Goose Lake Conservation
Area” to wetland and prairie habitat. Previously, DU contributed $103,000 to
MCCD for the purchase of 53 acres at this site. Now that all land and necessary
rights have been acquired, DU anticipates completing the wetland restoration
in 2011.
The second NAWCA funded project involves the control of invasive plants and
restoration of natural hydrology on lands owned by The Land Conservancy
(LPC) and the city of Woodstock, IL. A portion of this site contains high
quality sedge meadow habitat eligible for designation as an Illinois Nature
Preserve. DU previously helped LPC purchase this 40-acre tract using $50,000
in grant funds from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
A third project provided $10,000 from DU’s PRIDE program to MCCD
to restore 113 acres of wetland habitat along Nippersink Creek. The project,
known as Nippersink Bottoms, will serve as a future Greenwing Legacy
project.
“The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum was a great setting to talk to our
members and donors about DU’s conservation work in northeast Illinois,” said
DU Regional Biologist Eric Schenck. “The museum’s research and educational
efforts associated with the Blanding’s turtle, and with wetlands in general, fits
very closely with the on-the-ground habitat projects that DU is delivering in
Lake and McHenry Counties.”
Sedge Meadow at Woodstock Wetland.
Ducks Unlimited • Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office
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HABITAT HAPPENINGS
PRIDE DEDICATION INCLUDES SCENIC BYWAY TOUR
Ducks Unlimited donors and supporters from across the state turned out for a dual PRIDE (“Putting Resources Into Ducks
Everywhere”) dedication of Wightman Lake and Spring Lake Bottoms held April 17, 2010. Many also took advantage of an optional
bus tour between the dedication sites that followed the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway and included lunch at Jonah’s
Seafood in East Peoria and a stop at Willet’s Winery in Manito, IL.
DU acquired and restored Spring Lake Bottoms (411 acres) between 2000 and 2006, and acquired and restored Wightman Lake (370
acres) between 2004 and 2009. The Illinois River Road was established as a national scenic byway in 2005. Both Wightman Lake and
Spring Lake Bottoms are designated “waypoints” on the byway and have since been donated to the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources for management as wetland and waterfowl areas. The two projects collectively represent a $3.3 million investment by DU,
its donors and its partners in wetland habitat conservation.
Names of 75 PRIDE donors are engraved on bronze plaques at the two project sites. According to DU Director of Development Todd
Bishop, the dual dedication and bus tour was one of the most celebrated DU dedications of the past year. “Everyone seemed to have a
great time both on and off the bus,” Bishop remarked. “It helped that we got to visit these wetland projects on a nice day and see lots
of spring migrating waterfowl.”
Major donors pose with the bronze plaques commemorating the PRIDE dedication
of DU’s Wightman Lake project.
Illinois PRIDE is a major gift campaign developed
by DU to secure Major Sponsors in support
of habitat conservation and our waterfowling
heritage in the United States, Canada, and
Mexico, with special emphasis on the Great Lakes
and Upper Mississippi River Ecosystems. Through
this program, donors can choose to restrict their
dollars to Illinois to fund wetland conservation in
DU priority landscapes. In turn, PRIDE donors
are recognized on a DU project located in the
state. DU’s conservation staff leverages funds
raised through the PRIDE program against other
funding sources, effectively turning each PRIDE
dollar into four or more for conservation in
Illinois! To learn more about PRIDE, contact a
DU Regional Director or the Great Lakes/Atlantic
regional office.
WETLAND WORKSHOPS A HIT IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
This past year, Ducks Unlimited (DU) worked with the Southwestern
Illinois Resource Conservation and Development District to co-host
three popular wetland and forestry workshops in southern Illinois.
Workshop attendees visited wetland sites in Jackson, Randolph
and Union Counties, and listened to presentations about wetland
restoration and management. The workshops covered DU projects
located on the Shawnee National Forest and Middle Mississippi
River National Wildlife Refuge. Nearly 300 people attended the
workshops which were offered at no charge to participants.
“These tours and habitat workshops have provided a great
opportunity to see and learn about the conservation work that DU
is doing in southern Illinois,” said DU Regional Director Jon
Sturgill. “I hope we can continue to provide this type of outreach
to our local members.”
Participants view a wetland project as part of the Southern Illinois
Wetland Field Tour co-sponsored by DU.
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www.ducks.org
CONSERVATION SUMMARY
DUCKS UNLIMITED
PROJECTS
completed
Nippersink
Bottoms
featured
Note: Project points may represent more than one project.
Salt Creek wetlands
Upper Peoria Lake
2010
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
7 completed projects
558 acres conserved
8,785 acres of
technical assistance
$1.8 million invested
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
TO DATE
51,868 acres conserved
$16.5 million invested
MEET YOUR ILLINOIS BIOLOGIST
Eric Schenck, an Illinois
native, has more than 23
years of experience in wildlife
conservation, 17 of which
have been with DU. Eric’s
educational background
includes a B.S. in Wildlife
Management from the
University of Idaho and
an M.S. in Forest Science
from Yale University. Eric
previously worked as director
of conservation for the
Wildlife Management Institute
and chief of environmental
services for the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and
Parks. Prior to being named
regional biologist for Illinois,
he served as DU’s manager
of agricultural policy in
Washington, D.C.
Contact Information:
Eric Schenck
229 N. Third Avenue
Canton, IL 61520
Phone: 309.647.5651
eschenck@ducks.org
Ducks Unlimited • Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office
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SUPPORTING THE VISION
DUCKS, POLITICIANS AND LOBBYISTS –
ADVANCING DU’S MISSION THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY
Although Ducks Unlimited has worked on behalf of waterfowl and wetlands conservation for 74 years, it’s only recently that any
effort has been directed at our national and state capitals. A strong biological foundation has always been the cornerstone of DU’s
conservation programs, but science also tells us that we also have to consider the social and political environment and get engaged
where we can make a difference.
Perhaps the most significant policy work in which DU engages concerns the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Each
year DU advocates on NAWCA appropriations that yield millions of dollars for habitat conservation in the United States, Canada
and Mexico. NAWCA is a model federal program that encourages partnerships and creative leveraging of funds to produce on-theground results that benefit waterfowl and many other species of fish and wildlife. Much of NAWCA’s success is related to the many
DU members and volunteers working with their elected officials to ensure that the program receives adequate funding.
Another significant policy issue affecting the entire United States is the Farm Bill, which will be up for renewal in 2012. The Farm
Bill is where highly wildlife-friendly programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Wetlands Reserve Program
(WRP) originate. Both of these programs, plus others, have provided millions of acres of not only high quality wildlife habitat, but
conservation lands that serve all of society through reduced soil erosion, improved water quality and improved carbon sequestration.
The current budget situation will make for tough times in negotiating for conservation programs in the new Farm Bill. A high
priority will be the inclusion of a strong sodsaver provision that will remove federal incentives for converting native grasslands. DU
will be advocating for conservation programs to be an integral part of a working lands approach to America’s farms and ranches.
Although duck hunters and wetland conservationists may not consider themselves lobbyists – we all are. We can either voice our
concerns and needs to our elected officials, or we can remain silent lobbyists. DU would like to invite all of you to act on behalf
of the waterfowl we love by visiting DU’s policy web page at www.ducks.org/policy. You can also receive the latest policy news by
subscribing to DU’s Conservation Issues Briefing at www.ducks.org/cib. Thank you!
A gift of real estate is an excellent way to support Ducks Unlimited and take advantage of significant tax deductions.
You have several options when donating real estate, each with unique benefits for both you and DU.
GIVING OPTIONS:
• Outright gift of real estate. Real estate that you no longer wish to own, but is owned outright and readily marketable can be
gifted to DU.
•
Gift of real estate with retained life use. You may gift your principle residence to DU and retain the right to continue to live
and use the property for the rest of your life. Such a gift is deductible in the year the gift is made, not at the end of the retained
life interest.
•
Gift of real estate through CRT. For landowners who wish to continue to gain income from their property, there is an option
called a Charitable Remainder trust, or CRT. The owner transfers the property to the trust, the trust sells the property, usually
avoiding capital gains taxes (check with your tax advisor) and then the proceeds of the sale are invested to provide income to
the owner for their life. The owner should receive a tax deduction for the gift and DU receives the balance of the trust after
their death. There are a number of options available, please visit DU’s gift planning website at:
http://www.ducks.org/conservation/land-protection/donations-or-gifts-of-land
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www.ducks.org
SUPPORTING THE VISION
CONSERVATION IN TOUGH TIMES
Jim Ringelman, Director of Conservation Programs at the Great Plains Regional Office
It’s apparent that our nation is in for some financial belt-tightening. As deficits soar and people struggle to make ends
meet, the search is on to cut back on “frills.” One can’t help but wonder about the implications for conservation.
Most DU members place conservation high on their list of personal values. Preserving the wetlands and waterfowl that
we hold dear has, for decades, motivated many of you to give generously of your time and wealth. Unfortunately, not
everyone in our nation shares the same viewpoint, so it’s worth considering how DU’s conservation programs add value to
society as a whole.
For example, research has shown investments in conservation offer a hundredfold return on capital. The reason for this
extraordinary return has to do with what’s called “ecosystem services” performed by wetlands and grasslands, which are
the focus of DU’s conservation programs. These habitats, abundant in priority landscapes like the Prairie Pothole Region,
Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Gulf Coast, Chesapeake Bay and the Central Valley of California, also purify water, recharge
aquifers, moderate flooding and offer dozens of other benefits that would be extraordinarily costly to replace.
If that’s not enough practical benefit from conservation, consider that medical science has demonstrated clear linkages
between connecting with nature and ameliorating ADD, lowering blood pressure, and offering general improvement
in physical and mental health. Increasingly, “nature” persists through the dedicated efforts of organizations like Ducks
Unlimited.
So as we think about how to get our financial house in order, let’s remind decision-makers that conservation is anything
but a “frill.”
DU ILLINOIS
GRASSROOTS & CONSERVATION
2006 - 2010
The minimum conservation goal for each state is to spend the
equivalent of 7.5% of total grassroots income raised in that state.
This is based on a five-year average.
$1,220,270
Conservation Expenditures ($)
1,200,000
5-Year Average
Conservation
Expenditure
Actual
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
$136,861
400,000
200,000
5-Year Average
Conservation
Expenditure
Goal
Ducks Unlimited • Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office
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FRIENDS OF DUCKS UNLIMITED
SENATOR JOHN M. SULLIVAN
The 47th Legislative District cuts a broad swath across west-central Illinois that includes all
or part of 13 counties stretching from the Mississippi River to the Illinois River. Representing
the citizens of this region for 8 years is Illinois State Senator John M. Sullivan. In addition to
serving important leadership positions as Majority Caucus WHIP and Chairman of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, Senator Sullivan is Co-Chair of the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s
Caucus - a telling testimony of his dedication to conservation and sportsmen interests.
During the 2009-2010 General Assembly sessions, Senator Sullivan successfully led passage of
two important pieces of legislation for Ducks Unlimited (DU) and for waterfowl conservation.
The first established a DU license plate that will raise $25 from each plate that is issued or
renewed for DU projects across Illinois. The second increased the Illinois Duck Stamp from $10
to $15, to make that license fee closer to being on par with the rising cost of conservation projects
that benefit Illinois waterfowl and sportsmen.
This past October, Senator Sullivan received an award from DU Regional Vice President
Rex Schulz in recognition of the public policy work that he has done on behalf of Illinois
sportsmen. Presenting the award, Schulz remarked, “A specialty license plate for DU has the
potential of raising more than a million dollars for Illinois projects over time. DU members have
John Sullivan to thank for laying the groundwork that should result in a great conservation legacy
for Illinois.”
DU LICENSE PLATE BILL BECOMES LAW
Legislation to establish a Ducks Unlimited (DU) specialty license
plate passed the Illinois state legislature this past year and was signed
into law by Governor Pat Quinn on August 17, 2010. The original
bill, SB1380, was introduced by Senator John M. Sullivan and was
subsequently co-sponsored by Representative Robert Pritchard.
DU CEO Dale Hall receives a commemorative duck
call from IDNR Director Marc Miller during the signing
ceremony at the Illinois Executive Mansion.
The legislation authorizes the Secretary of State to issue a specialty
license plate for which DU will receive $25 for each plate that is sold
or renewed. Funds generated by the DU license plate are to be used
exclusively for DU habitat and conservation education projects in
Illinois. Because this is a new plate issuance, Illinois residents will
be able to request all new vanity names or numbers for an added fee
charged by the state. A total of 1,500 people must apply and submit
their $25 donation before the Secretary of State will issue the new
DU plate.
If you would like to pre-order your own Ducks Unlimited license plate, a website has been
established to assist with the signup. Complete the form on the website and mail it to the
IL Secretary of State along with a check in the amount of $25.
www.ducks.org/illinois/illinois-content/illinois-ducks-unlimited-license-plate
ILLINOIS
DUCKS
LAND OF LINCOLN
Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores
and manages wetlands and associated
habitats for North America’s waterfowl.
These habitats also benefit other wildlife
and people.
1220 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734.623.2000 • 734.623.2035 (Fax)
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