Illinois Conservation Report celebrating Ducks unlimited s 75th anniversary

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1 Great Lakes / Atlantic Region Illinois 2012 Conservation Report celebrating Ducks unlimited s 75th anniversary DU AWARDED $5 MILLION GRANT FOR MIDDLE ILLINOIS RIVER The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation has awarded Ducks Unlimited a $5 million grant to acquire up to 3,000 acres of vital wetland habitat along the Illinois River. The grant is the largest gift ever received by DU for conservation work in Illinois. Upon receiving the grant, DU committed to raising another $2.25 million in matching funds over the next five years for land acquisition and habitat restoration projects within two priority areas of the Middle Illinois River. The first area DU has targeted for future conservation investment is the Illinois River from Henry to Peoria. Here, DU s objective is to reverse the declining numbers of waterfowl using this important reach of the river by expanding the existing network of conservation lands and by restoring acquired sites to high-quality wetland habitat. Three DU projects adjacent to Woodford County State Fish and Wildlife Area on Upper Peoria Lake already are making important progress toward this conservation objective by protecting and restoring 320 acres of vital wetland habitat. Under DU s new grant, between 500 and 1,500 acres of additional wetland habitat will be protected through fee-title purchase or easement acquisition in Marshall, Woodford and Peoria counties. The second area DU has targeted is a 30-square-mile area of wetland and bottomland forest habitat at the confluence of the Sangamon and Illinois rivers in Mason and Cass counties. This vast undeveloped area is the largest expanse of wetland habitat remaining in the Illinois River valley. DU plans to use grant funds from Illinois Clean Energy to help protect between 1,500 and 2,500 acres of wilderness-quality wetland habitat over the next five years. DU has also laid a solid foundation of conservation work in this target area through the protection of more than 1,100 acres of wetland habitat adjacent to Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area. DU s future acquisition efforts will focus on strategically located parcels and conservation easements adjacent to previously protected lands. According to DU Regional Biologist Eric Schenck, the Illinois Clean Energy grant is a game changer. Over the past six decades, the number of ducks surveyed in the Middle Illinois River during peak fall migration has declined by 60 to 90 percent, he says. This grant will allow DU to become much more proactive in directing our wetlands conservation efforts to the places we can do the most for waterfowl. Dennis O Brien, executive drector of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, noted that DU s grant application was the first to be submitted in response to the foundation s guidelines, which allow for the consideration of large-scale land acquisition projects. He said DU s history of conserving land throughout the state over the past 26 years was an important factor in the foundation s decision to award the grant. Another important factor was the opportunity to protect wilderness-quality wetlands at a landscape scale in the Illinois River Valley, O Brien says. We have confidence that Ducks Unlimited will successfully meet all the challenges associated with this grant and deliver an outstanding conservation project for the people of Illinois. Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes/Atlantic Region 1

2 Habitat happenings OTTER SLOUGH NEWEST DU PROJECT AT OAKWOOD BOTTOMS Ducks Unlimited has completed its most recent project at the Oakwood Bottoms greentree reservoir in Jackson County. The Otter Slough project enhanced water management capabilities on up to 560 acres of flooded bottomland hardwoods. This is the third in a series of projects that DU is developing in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) under a multi-year challenge costshare agreement to improve wetland habitat on the Shawnee National Forest. Over the past two years, DU and USFS have invested approximately $107,500 in these cooperative projects. The history of Oakwood Bottoms spans eight decades and provides insight into not only past accomplishments, but also conservation work yet to come. In the 1930s, USFS purchased more than 3,600 acres along the Big Muddy River and began planting flood-prone farmland to pin oaks and other native hardwood trees. In the mid-1960s, USFS worked with the Illinois Department of Conservation and Southern Illinois University to develop the site, now known as Oakwood Bottoms, into a greentree management unit by constructing levees and installing pumps that allowed the young timber stands to be flooded during the fall waterfowl migration. By the early 1990s, water management capabilities at Oakwood Bottoms were rapidly deteriorating as the aging equipment, levees and water control structures began to fail. DU and USFS responded by developing a plan to rehabilitate and upgrade the greentree reservoir system in phases to improve habitat conditions for waterfowl and to help maintain the health and growth of the bottomland forest. The first two phases of rehabilitation work were completed by 2000 at a total cost of more than $1 million. DU s current challenge cost-share agreement includes the third phase of Oakwood Bottoms rehabilitation and expands the scope of work to include an additional 550 acres of small wetland development along the Big Muddy River. According to Eric Schenck, DU regional biologist, the estimated cost of completing the third phase of Oakwood Bottoms rehabilitation and Big Muddy wetland development exceeds $2 million. While DU and USFS can be proud of the progress that has been made so far, we have a long way to go to reach our ultimate goal, Schenck says. Our hope is that the Otter Slough project reinvigorates support for the conservation partnership that has helped make Oakwood Bottoms a truly remarkable waterfowl area for Southern Illinois. DU Dedicates Nippersink Greenwing Project More than 100 Greenwing Sponsors from across northeastern Illinois were recognized this past summer at the Nippersink Greenwing Legacy Project dedication in. The celebration, hosted by the Chain-O-Lakes DU committee, included a barbeque and a canoe trip down Nippersink Creek that was enjoyed by guests of all ages. A special tribute was made in memory of Glen Chelcum for his dedication and support of wetlands conservation. The 103-acre Nippersink project was developed in cooperation with the McHenry County Conservation District. 2

3 Habitat happenings DU DONORS AND SUPPORTERS TOUR ILLINOIS RIVER PROJECTS Approximately 50 DU supporters and Illinois PRIDE donors packed onto a bus last February to tour local Illinois River projects as part of the annual state convention. The tour route followed the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway in a loop between East Peoria and Lacon, with stops strategically selected for both conservation reflection and revel rousing. From the McClugge Bridge, riders got a duck s eye view of the Illinois River. As the tour proceeded north on Highway 29, passengers learned about the geological and ecological history of the Illinois River valley. Hundreds of spring migrating ducks greeted the group at DU s Wightman Lake project near Sparland. In addition to watching this spectacle of nature, several tour members took the opportunity to visit the DU monument and bronze plaque recognizing Illinois PRIDE donors and partners who contributed to this $1.25 million project. The next stop on the tour took the group across the river to downtown Lacon, where the DU tourists split their time between the Marshall County Museum and Julie s Corner Store, known for its homemade fudge and collection of local wines. Upon boarding the bus, the group traveled south on Highway 26 and learned about other local attractions along the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway. A quick visit was made to Upper Peoria Lake to provide those on board a chance to see DU s latest Illinois River projects, which are restoring and protecting 305 acres of wetland habitat adjacent to Woodford County State Fish and Wildlife Area. Arguably the most popular part of the day was a stop at the Duck Inn to celebrate DU s many conservation achievements with libations and specially prepared duck hors d oeuvres. DU Donates Rockwood Island In spring 2011, Ducks Unlimited donated 318 acres at Rockwood Island to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) for inclusion in the Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The site is located along the Mississippi River and is accessible from the Great River Road National Scenic Byway (Illinois Highway 3) which follows the Mississippi River from its headwaters in Minnesota to its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. DU originally purchased the Randolph County property in 2005 using a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant. Since that time DU has planted more than 145 acres of frequently flooded cropland to bottomland hardwood trees and allowed the rest of the property to naturally revert back to wetlands for the benefit of waterfowl and other wildlife. DU s work at Rockwood Island has been in close cooperation with the American Land Conservancy. Together, the organizations have acquired nearly 2,000 acres on Rockwood and nearby Crains Island with the intent of transferring all property to the USFWS for Middle Mississippi River NWR. We are very grateful for this donation from Ducks Unlimited, said Robert Cail, manager of Middle Mississippi River NWR. If it were not for DU and our other Middle Mississippi River partners, this refuge would not have been possible. Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes/Atlantic Region 3

4 Habitat happenings DU HELPS SECURE WETLAND AND WATER QUALITY EASEMENT Ducks Unlimited (DU), working closely with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has helped secured the first permanent conservation easement under the Upper Peoria Lakes Wetland and Water Quality Project. The Upper Peoria Lake project is part of a $2.5 million proposal DU submitted for federal funding under the NRCS Mississippi River Basin Initiative in The purpose of the project is to help reduce the amount of nitrogen entering the Illinois River by restoring wetlands that capture storm water runoff from adjacent cropland. The 83-acre easement spans property owned by Dave and Dan Jenkins that has been enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP). WREP compensates the brothers for the permanent easement and covers the cost of restoring the property to wetlands. DU is contributing 5 percent toward the easement payment and is donating engineering and biological services associated with planning, designing and implementing the wetlands restoration project. DU introduced the Jenkins brothers to the program and hopes to use their WREP project as a demonstration site for encouraging other landowners in the Upper Peoria Lake watershed to join. DU ASSISTS GREAT RIVERS NWR Ducks Unlimited is assisting the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) with important habitat improvements on the Delair Unit of the Great Rivers National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The Delair Unit is located along the Mississippi River in Pike County. The contracted work at Delair involves dredging to improve water management within two wetland management units and replacing the primary water control structure through which five different wetland units drain. Altogether, 128 acres of wetland habitat will be enhanced with a total project budget of approximately $500,000. Magruder Construction Company of Eolia, Mo., contributed $30,000 toward the cost of the project as an in-kind donation to DU. DU is also donating a portion of its indirect costs associated with the project. USFWS is providing the remaining cost-share funding for the project. DU Helps Restore Casey Road Wetlands Ducks Unlimited provided nearly $30,000 in technical and financial support for the restoration and maintenance of wetland habitat along Casey Road in Lake County. The project, conducted in cooperation with the Liberty Prairie Conservancy, volunteers and local private landowners, helped control invasive phragmites and restore native plants in a series of wetlands that drain into Bulls Brook. We greatly appreciate the financial assistance and expertise Ducks Unlimited has brought to this collaborative conservation effort, said Steve Barg, executive director of Liberty Prairie Conservancy. DU has been a fantastic wetlands conservation partner in Lake County. 4

5 conservation summary Nippersink Greenwing Legacy Ducks Unlimited Projects completed featured Note: Project points may represent more than one project. Casey Road Wetland Upper Peoria Lake Great Rivers NWR Wings Over Wetlands Project 2011 Accomplishments 6 completed projects Rockwood Island 811 acres conserved 9,221 acres of technical assistance Oakwood Bottoms $1.04 million invested Meet Your Illinois biologist Eric Schenck, an Illinois native, has more than 24 years of experience in wildlife conservation, 18 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 Phone: eschenck@ducks.org Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes/Atlantic Region 5

6 supporting the vision North American Wetlands Conservation Act in 2012 Ducks Unlimited has contributed a strong voice for wetlands conservation across North America for 75 years, and works as a voice for waterfowl protections in national and state public policy. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is the most significant federal program that DU partners with to protect and conserve habitat for North America s migratory bird populations. This program provides grants to partner groups private landowners, local companies, conservation organizations, and more who have matched the grant funds by raising money from non-federal sources. These funds are then used to impact wetlands that are in need of protection, and competition for these funds means the match is typically 2-3 times the grant amount will be critical for NAWCA in two ways. First, NAWCA requires reauthorization every five years, with the current bill expiring in DU is seeking congressional support for bills in the Senate and the House that would reauthorize the program until This would allow the Congress to fund these wetland grants. Second, federal budgets are lean this year and funding for programs such as NAWCA are at risk. NAWCA brings in more money to the federal treasury than it cost. It also creates thousands of jobs each year, and creates business for hotels, restaurants, plant nurseries, construction companies, and many others. This program is an incredibly valuable tool for natural resource protection in this country. It deserves strong, active support from DU supporters. Please help by visiting or by calling your Senators and House member to express your support for NAWCA. 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 use or wish to own, but is owned outright and readily marketable can be gifted to DU. Gifts of habitat lands are especially important to our mission. 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: 6

7 supporting the vision Celebrating 75 years of conservation success By Dale Hall Ducks Unlimited CEO This year marks a very special time for Ducks Unlimited. On Jan. 29, 1937, the More Game Birds in America organization transitioned into what would become the greatest wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation organization in the world! Throughout this year, we will be celebrating our 75th anniversary, and we have a great deal to celebrate. From our beginnings in Manitoba at Big Grass Marsh with a project that impacted 100,000 acres, to our current partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts to conserve 1 billion acres in the vast boreal forests, our work has been based on the simple principle of cooperation with others. During DU s first years, struggling farmers were DU s best partners; the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression were in full swing and significant acres of wetlands were being converted to farmland. The partnership with farmers was based on water on the ground, ducks in the air, and immediately elevated DU s status as a group of people who wanted to roll up their sleeves and solve problems. The very first volunteers to answer the call were hunters. Hunters seemed to intuitively know that in order to have enough ducks to enjoy our passionate and recuperative pursuit, there had to be healthy habitats. In 1934, when the depression had more people in bread lines and westward caravans than were gainfully employed, duck hunters lobbied Congress to require them to pay to go hunting! This was followed in 1937 by another tax lobbied for by hunters, as well as the firearm and ammunition industries, to place a tax on these items to be used only for conservation. This law is still in place today and supports state fish and wildlife agencies. Also in 1937, Ducks Unlimited Incorporated and Ducks Unlimited Canada were born. With DUC as the original mechanism to deliver projects on the ground in Canada, our partnership has been long and rich with sciencebased decisions and volunteer-driven passion. Until the 1980s, all work done by DU was in Canada. Then science began to unveil the importance of migratory and wintering habitat. DUI has continued its partnership with DUC to conserve valuable nesting grounds, but has expanded to include projects in all 50 states. We are rapidly closing in on 13 million acres conserved in Canada and the United States, with a target of 750 million to 1 billion more acres conserved in the boreal forests of Canada. What an accomplishment to celebrate! But as we celebrate these great successes along with our numerous partners, we must not become complacent and think the job is done. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we are still losing more acres than we are able to conserve each year in the United States, and the pressures to convert valuable waterfowl habitat to other uses is greater than ever. In Canada and Mexico, those pressures are equally formidable. Our challenges are great, but with the continued dedication of our volunteers, members and professional staff, Ducks Unlimited WILL NOT FAIL! I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the next 12 months as we celebrate 75 years of phenomenal accomplishment. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DUCKS UNLIMITED! We need you to sign up today for Illinois conservation 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 listed below and mail it to the IL Secretary of State along with a check in the amount of $25. Ducks Unlimited must have 1,500 requests sent to the Secretary of State before they will actually issue the new license plate. Thank you for your support of the Illinos DU license plate! Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes/Atlantic Region 7

8 friends of ducks unlimited MARATHON PETROLEUM RECEIVES DU WINGS OVER WETLANDS AWARD Each year Ducks Unlimited issues a national award called Wings Over Wetlands to a corporate member of the Wildlife Habitat Council in recognition of its unique contributions to wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Marathon Petroleum Company (MPC) received the 2011 award for its support of a local wetlands restoration project located on property owned by Lincoln Trail College Foundation near Robinson. Partnering with the Lincoln Trail Foundation, we were excited to have the opportunity to expand our Lincoln Trail College Nature Area to include a wetlands project, said Ray Brooks, MPC s refining division manager in the Illinois Refining Division. We are very proud of this award and the fact that, with the help of Ducks Unlimited and the Wildlife Habitat Council, this wetlands restoration and management project is a success Friends of Ducks Unlimited Honorees In 2004, Ducks Unlimited purchased 370 acres in Marshall County on the north end of Wightman Lake near Sparland. The plan was to restore the property as a wetlands and waterfowl conservation showcase. Three family foundations the Buchanan Family Foundation, Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation and Miles C. Hauter Foundation made lead gifts totaling $135,000 for the Wightman Lake project and for related conservation work under DU s Illinois River program. These three gifts were not only instrumental in helping DU get an early start on the project, but also helped leverage another $400,000 of public and private restoration funding from federal and state partners, private corporations and DU major donors and supporters. Once the project was complete, a small amount of the original foundation gift also was used by DU to cover ongoing expenses during the three years following the donation of the Wightman Lake property, when DU shared operation and management costs with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. For all these reasons and more, the Buchanan Family Foundation, Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation and Miles C. Hauter Foundation are recognized here as outstanding friends of DU and supporters of wetlands conservation in the Illinois River valley. Senator Dick Durbin Receives DU Wetland Conservation Award In spring 2011, Ducks Unlimited recognized U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois for his contributions to wetlands conservation during the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources conference in Kansas City, Mo. Scott Sutherland, director of DU s Governmental Affairs Office, presented Sen. Durbin with the award in recognition of Durbin s support of wetlands conservation and watershed management practices that provide habitat for wildlife and improved water quality in agricultural landscapes. Illinois has realized great environmental achievements thanks to Sen. Durbin s conservation vision. Over the past seven years, his support has led to a $1.2 million investment in the Illinois River Basin Water Quality Initiative, which is administered by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in cooperation with DU to promote wetlands restoration projects that reduce sediment and nutrient runoff in 10 Illinois River basin counties. Sen. Durbin has also advocated on behalf of Great Lakes restoration efforts in Washington, D.C., as well as funding for Farm Bill conservation programs. As Congress gets serious about addressing the federal deficit, we will have plenty of time to debate about our nation s priorities, Sen. Durbin stated upon receiving his award. Conservation efforts that make wetlands and wildlife habitats available for future generations should be a part of that discussion. 8 Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI (Fax)