Illinois Wildlife Action Plan

Illinois Wildlife Action Plan
Name	Illinois Wildlife Action Plan
Jurisdiction	Illinois
Agency	Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Established	2005
Updated	2015, 2020

Illinois Wildlife Action Plan

The Illinois Wildlife Action Plan is a statewide conservation blueprint produced by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to guide proactive species and habitat conservation across Illinois. It synthesizes assessments from state inventories, regional initiatives, and federal programs to prioritize actions for at-risk species and ecological communities in collaboration with entities such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, and academic partners like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Plan informs grant applications and regulatory strategies associated with statutes including the Endangered Species Act and programs such as the State Wildlife Grants Program.

Overview

The Plan identifies species of greatest conservation need by compiling data from the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Illinois State Museum, the Chicago Botanical Garden, and county-level partners like the Cook County Forest Preserves. It maps priority habitats—prairie remnants, Illinois River wetlands, Lake Michigan shoreline, Ozark-influenced woodlands, and agricultural matrix corridors—using inputs from the Great Lakes Commission, the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region, and landscape-scale efforts such as the Mississippi River Basin Initiative. The document aligns with regional plans produced by the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership and coordinates with interstate efforts involving Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri.

History and Development

Development began with inventories led by the Illinois Natural History Survey and strategic workshops hosted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with stakeholders including the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and tribal governments such as the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Earlier conservation efforts referenced in the Plan trace to programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps projects in the 1930s, restoration actions by the Civil Works Administration, and landmark policy shifts influenced by federal laws such as the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Revisions incorporated data from federal censuses like the National Land Cover Database and research from institutions including Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Northwestern University.

Goals and Strategies

Goals emphasize preventing extirpation, restoring native ecosystems, and maintaining ecological processes across ecoregions (e.g., Till Plains, Interior River Valleys and Hills). Strategies include habitat restoration informed by techniques practiced by The Nature Conservancy and adaptive management frameworks modeled after the Adaptive Management Working Group. Actions leverage conservation easements coordinated with organizations like Land Trust Alliance affiliates, habitat connectivity promoted by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and invasive species control referencing protocols from the Great Lakes Commission. Outreach and education programs partner with institutions such as the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and county extension offices of the University of Illinois Extension.

Priority Species and Habitats

The Plan lists priority taxa including freshwater mussels studied by the Illinois Natural History Survey, grassland birds monitored by BirdLife International partners like Audubon Society of Illinois, amphibians surveyed in collaborations with Chicago Herpetological Society, and pollinators inventoried in projects led by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Habitats prioritized include remnant tallgrass prairie associated with the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, bottomland hardwood forests along the Mississippi River, and coastal wetlands near Lake Michigan. Species examples drawn into the Plan reference federally listed taxa under the Endangered Species Act and state-listed species tracked in databases such as the NatureServe network.

Implementation and Partners

Implementation is coordinated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with federal partners including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Nonprofit partners include The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, Sierra Club, and regional land trusts such as the Openlands and the Kankakee Land Trust. Academic collaborators include University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Southern Illinois University, and the Illinois State University biology programs. Tribal partnerships are cultivated with sovereign nations including the Ho-Chunk Nation and advisory councils such as the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Monitoring and Adaptive Management

Monitoring protocols rely on standardized surveys conducted by the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources field teams, volunteer networks including Illinois Audubon Society citizen science initiatives, and national efforts such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Data management integrates platforms like the National Biodiversity Network concepts and regional biodiversity inventories coordinated with the Midwest Landscape Initiative. Adaptive management cycles reference methods developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and are used to revise priorities in response to threats from Asian carp invasions, changing hydrology tied to Big River flooding events, and land-use shifts documented by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Funding and Legislative Framework

Funding streams combine federal sources such as the State Wildlife Grants Program and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants with state appropriations administered by the Illinois General Assembly and matching funds enabled through partnerships with private foundations like the Pew Charitable Trusts and McKnight Foundation. Legislative context intersects with state statutes administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and oversight by the Illinois General Assembly committees on natural resources. Grant administration and accountability follow guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and reporting frameworks used by national programs like the National Fish Habitat Partnership.

Category:Environment of Illinois Category:Wildlife conservation in the United States