 |
Home | Search | Browse | About IPO | Staff | Links |
|
Home | Search | Browse | About IPO | Staff | Links |
|
River restoration agreement The Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are joining forces to create an action plan to battle environmental degradation of the Illinois River. During a signing ceremony in late November, DNR Director Brent Manning and Colonel William Bayles, Rock Island District Commander U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, formally signed an agreement to begin the feasibility phase of the Illinois River Ecosystem Restoration Study. "On behalf of Governor George Ryan, I'm pleased to sign this agreement, which is further demonstration of the Governor's commitment to the Illinois River." Manning said. "The Illinois River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Project will provide a full tool box of activities to federal, state and local officials to implement a sound and successful basin-wide restoration effort." Manning noted that the Illinois River and its backwater areas are choked with sediment and in need of environmental restoration. Many plant and animal species are declining from increasing sediment in what formerly were highly productive habitats in backwater, side and main channel areas of the river. The State of Illinois and the Corps are splitting the cost of the $5.2 million, multi-year effort, with the state committing more than $1 million in the current fiscal year. The money will be used to investigate potential measures to reverse the negative impacts affecting the river, including flood impacts, sedimentation and soil erosion. Emphasis will be placed on identifying restoration projects that can repair critical fish and wildlife habitats. The study will address four broad categories: watershed/tributary restoration, side channel and backwater restoration, water level management and flood-plain restoration and protection. The Illinois River is a vital part of the region's economy and is depended upon for navigation, recreation, water supply, irrigation, fish and wildlife habitat and many other uses. The action plan will explore opportunities to address sediment deposition and restore environmental conditions on this vital river and its tributaries. Nature Preserves Commission adds four sites One nature preserve and three land and water reserves have been dedicated by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, providing protection for more than 337 acres of sensitive natural lands. The new nature preserve is the Martin T. Snyder Memorial Nature Preserve in Clay County, a 93.5-acre fragile natural community supporting more than 375 species of plants and animals. Also known as Hanging Rock Sandstone Cliff Natural Area, it was donated to DNR last year. The three new land and water reserves include: Edgewood Farm Land and Water Reserve, a 156.7-acre site along the Salt Fork River in Champaign and Vermilion counties; Sargent's Woods Land and Water Reserve, a 54-acre dry mesic upland forest in Coles County; and P&E Refuge Land and Water Reserve in Saline County, a 33-acre dry mesic upland forest, dry upland forest and dry barrens in Saline County. Areas dedicated as nature preserves can be used for activities such as wildlife observation, hiking, nature photography and scientific research. Areas registered as land and water reserves can be used for activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, hiking and other uses that do not impact the natural features of the protected area. Illinois now has 296 nature preserves in 78 counties totaling 39,040 acres, and 52 land and water reserves totaling 19,802.7 acres in 35 counties. New trapping manual available A new Illinois Trapping Manual has been produced and includes information about trapping laws and recent innovations in traps and trapping systems. Many of the new systems are the result of ongoing efforts to find traps that perform as well as older designs, yet cause fewer injuries and are more selective. Trapping equipment and methods are a core part of the manual, which also covers topics such as preparing and marketing furs, recipes, and wildlife ecology and conservation. The manual is designed for students who attend Trapper Education courses sponsored by DNR. The course provides a minimum of eight hours of training and is mandatory for all first-time trappers under 18 years of age. It establishes a solid foundation for trapping animals responsibly, legally and successfully. Trapping is highly regulated in Illinois. It keeps wildlife from becoming endangered and improves animal welfare by restricting the types, sizes and placement of traps. Single copies of the manual may be obtained by writing: DNR Clearinghouse, 524 S. Second St.. Springfield, Ill. 62701, phoning (217) 782-7498, or emailing clearing ©dnrmail.state.il.us. Those interested in attending classes on trapping, hunting, boating or snowmobiling should contact DNR's Safety Education Section by calling 1-800-832-2599 (Ameritech Relay 1-800-526-0844 for the hearing impaired).
Perch regulations modified Sportfishing regulations for yellow perch are being modified for the 2001 season. Beginning April 1, fishermen no longer will have to release perch that are shorter than 8 inches or longer than 10 inches, and the season will close entirely for the month of July rather than June. The daily catch limit will remain at 15 fish. The regulations apply to the Illinois waters of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River (including its North Branch, South Branch and the North Shore Channel) and the Calumet River. These changes represent one of three options considered by the Department and were presented to constituents at a public meeting in early November The slot limit and daily catch limit of 15 yellow perch for sport anglers have been in effect since 1997. The sport season has been closed during June each year since 1995. Lake Michigan also has been closed to commercial fishing since 1997. During the past three years, sport anglers could keep only those yellow perch that measured between 8 and 10 inches long. That restriction was implemented in an effort to protect female perch, which were growing at a faster rate than their male counterparts and were less likely than males to fall within the 8- to 10-inch range. The outlook for yellow perch reproduction is not good. Perch reproduction for 1999 and 2000 was weak and will contribute little to recovery of the population. Reproduction was better in only two of the last five years, in 1995 and 1998. A similar reproductive pattern over the next five years will only serve to maintain the status quo, and similar harvest restrictions will have to remain in effect. This proposed regulation was more popular with constituents than a second proposal by the Department that would have eliminated the slot limit and continued a June closure, but reduced the daily catch to 10 perch. Constituents proposed a third option that would have closed the perch season from April 15-June 15 with a 15 perch daily limit. The Department thoroughly evaluated the proposal and determined it would not sufficiently reduce perch harvest. The proposed rule must proceed through the administrative rule process and will be open for public comment through Jan. 29. Written comments should be directed to Jack Price, DNR Legal Counsel, 524 S. Second St., 4th Floor, Springfield, Ill. 62701.
Schoolyard Habitat grants awarded Fifteen Illinois educational organizations, from schools to a Boy Scout troop, will receive grants for environmental projects ranging from development of prairie plots, butterfly gardens, habitat restoration projects and bird habitats. Grants were awarded based on student and community involvement, incorporation of the project into a school curriculum and benefits to wildlife. Partnerships are strongly encouraged as they enable project organizers to maintain a positive momentum throughout the year. Since 1994, the Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program has been funded by a donation from the Jadel Family Foundation, administered through the Illinois Conservation Foundation. The maximum award is $600. Following is a list of this year's grant recipients: St. Peter School, Adams County, $430 to enhance edge habitat for a local creek; Streamwood High School, Cook County, $400 to establish an outdoor prairie lab; Chicago High School for Agricultural Science, Cook County, $475 to develop a bird viewing area; Army Trail Elementary School, DuPage County, $300 to develop four different habitats; Bottenfield Elementary School, Champaign County, $500 to develop a prairie habitat; Shiloh Elementary School, Edgar County, $500 to expand an existing butterfly garden; Boy Scout Troop 138, Hancock County. $500 to create a prairie plot: Centennial-Piano #88, Kendall County, $500 to create a butterfly garden. And: Havana Junior High, Mason County, $500 to expand a garden area; MacArthur Early Childhood Center, McDonough County, $500 for expansion of a butterfly garden; Mendota Elementary School District. LaSalle County, $450 to establish a bird sanctuary; Riverdale School District, Rock Island County, $500 to plant native plants around a future outdoor amphitheater/classroom; Little Flower Catholic School, Sangamon County, $500 to establish a bird and butterfly habitat; Belleville East High School, St. Clair County. $500 to enlarge an existing campus habitat; Eureka College, Woodford County, $500 to create a prairie plot. To receive a copy of the new 2001 Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant application, please contact Sarah Armstrong at (217) 785-4559 or email: teachkids @dnrmail. state, il. us. The application also is available online at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/classrm/grants.htm. For additional information regarding the Illinois Conservation Foundation, contact John Schmitt, Executive Director, at (312) 814-7237 or by email at jschmitt@dnrmail.statc.il.us. Turkey hunt for disabled sportsmen Individuals with disabilities can participate in a spring turkey hunt at Mississippi Palisades State Park near Savanna. The special season is Saturday, May 5 through Sunday, May 13. To be eligible for the Jan. 8 drawing, a hunter must possess a class P2A disability card. Statewide turkey regulations apply. Eight hunters will be drawn. Applications are available from the site by writing: Mississippi Palisades State Park, 16327A Illinois Route 84, Savanna, Il. 61074, or by calling (815) 273-2731.
Firearm Season deer harvest totals 101,419 Hunters in Illinois harvested an unofficial total of 101,419 deer during the 2000 firearm deer season. The preliminary figure compares with a harvest total of 90,616 deer taken during the 1999 firearm season. The preliminary second-season (Nov. 30-Dec. 3) harvest total of 27,994 compared to the 1999 second-season harvest of 23,503. The first season (Nov. 17-19) harvest of 73,425 represented an increase of nine percent over the first-season harvest of 67,113 in 1999. The figures do not include deer harvested during hunts on state sites where special permits are issued. Pike County led the state with a harvest of 3,933. Adams County was second with 2,920. "The weather and other hunting conditions were excellent this year, and the deer harvest reflects that," said DNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton. "Even after our big first season, hunter success continued to be high during the second season, resulting in an overall harvest increase of about 12 percent." More than 270,000 firearm permits were issued to deer hunters in Illinois this year. The handgun deer hunt in 26 counties is Jan. 12-14. The statewide archery deer hunting season continues through Jan. 11. Preliminary 2000 Firearm Deer Harvest Report
Goose information available You can get information regarding the number of geese in different parts of Illinois by calling (217) 557-0659 or (618) 351-8668. Sportsmen can also keep a running account of how the season is progressing by calling the DNR goose hotline at (877) 249-3679. Learning to Fish While most Illinois anglers will never be as good as the professional bass fishermen seen on those weekend fishing shows, you can certainly learn from them. The Bass Anglers Sportsmans Society is holding two-day instructional BassMaster University classes in or near Illinois in early March. Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and will feature instruction from six of the top touring professionals. The fee is $99, but spouses or youngsters 16 and under can enroll for $49.50 when attending with a paying adult. There are two classes planned in or near Illinois. March 3-4, Elgin Community College. Elgin - Classroom instruction by Larry Nixon, Dion Hibdon, Joe Thomas, Rich Tauber, Jeff Snyder and Rick Morris. Call (847) 622-3036 to enroll. March 3-4, St. Charles Community College, St. Peters, Mo. - Classroom instruction by Denny Brauer, Dion Hibdon, Mark Menendez, Pete Gluszek, Kenyon Hill and Danny Joe Humphrey. Call (636) 922-8233 to enroll. In addition, classes will be held March 10-11 at Indianapolis and Des Moines for anglers closer to those cities. For more information about the program. call BASS Fishing Techniques at (405) 348-4580. Internship applications now available Internships in natural resource management, conservation law enforcement, environmental education, park interpretation and administration are available to college and graduate students through the Department of Natural Resources. DNR internships allow students to obtain practical experience and meet hands-on training requirements necessary to earn their degree. The programs range in length from eight weeks to one year, depending on the type of internship. Applications for paid summer internships are available in January of each year. The deadline for submission is mid-February. For more information, call (217) 782-4963, or e-mail jjohnson@dnrmail.state.il.us. Rend Lake fishing program announced A winter commercial fishing season will be held at Rend Lake, Feb. 5 through March 30. Commercial fishermen can sign up for the program at the Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park office beginning Feb. 5. A review of contract provisions will be held at 9 a.m. that day. Fishing will be allowed from the Ina Access Area from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday and on weekends when no sportfishing tournaments are scheduled. The winter program is open to all licensed commercial fishermen who have the required fishing gear, can post a $300 application fee and haven't been found guilty of a fishing violation during the past 12 months. Individuals wanting more information about the program and requirements to participate may contact Commercial Fishing Program Manager Bob Williamson by calling (217) 782-6424. Winterfest planned for Volo Bog Volo Bog will host its Winterfest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 14. Activities include crafts, snow-sculpting contests, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and tours of the site. Winners of Volo Bog's 14th Annual Photo Contest also will be announced. No reservations are required. For more information, call (815) 344-1294. Dickson Mounds features Textile Exhibit Dickson Mounds Museum, near Lewistown, is featuring "The Gift of Spider Woman-Weaving of the Americas" through Jan. 21. The special exhibit examines the textile arts of Indian tribes of the Americas through interpretive graphic panels on their history, culture, weaving traditions and legends. Call (309) 547-3721 for more information.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
