Ecosystems Section

Partners for Conservation is a landmark program based upon an extensive network of local volunteers working to leverage technical and financial resources to promote ecosystem based management primarily on private lands. Partners for Conservatoin was designed to take a holistic, long-term approach to protecting and managing Illinois’ natural resources by providing grant funding for conservation projects primarily on private lands. This section is administers the Ecosystems Program of Partners for Conservation.

The main objective of the Ecosystems Program is to assist in the formation of public/private partnerships, called Ecosystem Partnerships, to develop plans and projects on watershed scale with an ecosystem-based approach. Ecosystems Partnerships are voluntary, broad-based, locally organized efforts, incorporating the interests and participation of local communities, and of private, public, and corporate landowners, and rely on incentives rather that government regulation.

There are currently 41 Ecosystem Partnerships covering 85 percent of the state and representing more than 98 percent of the citizens of Illinois. This grass-roots program has had a major impact on watershed groups throughout the state. Since 1996, the Ecosystems Program has provided more than $37 million in grants and has leveraged $40 million in additional funds for a total investment of more than $77 million in habitat protection, planning, education, and enhancement.

Impact Assessment Section

Numerous state and federal statutes require government agencies to consider the impacts of their actions (projects they authorize, fund, or perform) on environmentally sensitive and historically valuable resources. This Section administers these statutes by reviewing projects and, if appropriate, recommending alternatives to avoid or minimize potential adverse impacts to state-listed threatened & endangered species, natural areas, and, in certain circumstances, wetlands and cultural resources. Since 1998, more than 62,500 projects have been submitted for information for project planning or for legally required consultation. Currently, 10 full time employees conduct assessments.

Statutes (and associated regulations) administered by this Section are:

Natural Areas Preservation Act (525 ILCS 30)
Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989 (20 ILCS 830)
Endangered Species Protection Act (520 ILCS 10)
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, (16 USC 661)
IL State Agency Historic Resources Protection Act (20 ILCS 3420)
Archaeological and Paleontological Resource Protection Act (20 ILCS 3435)
Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act (20 ILCS 3440)
National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 USC 470)