RENEWAL. Illinois is striving to preserve and protect its last few wild places

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1 Photo essay RENEWAL Disturbed land can return to its natural state and we can learn a lot from the transformation Illinois is striving to preserve and protect its last few wild places even, occasionally, returning farmland to Nature. The Illinois River Valley and the Cache River Basin are two areas of the state rich in habitat and in various stages of restoration, regeneration or preservation. Scientists, students and citizens with a passion for the natural world have been playing a part in their renewal. The Nature Conservancy, working with state and federal agencies, is restoring the vast floodplains along the Illinois River. It has transformed Spunky Bottoms in Brown County into a thriving wetland landscape, including a replanted bottomland hardwood forest and a reseeded upland prairie. Once drained and farmed, the 2,026-acre site now is home to one of the most abundant populations of northern cricket frogs in the state. In the spring, more than 16,000 waterfowl rest and eat in its waters during migration. Uncommon species such as river otters and American bitterns also call it home. But Spunky Bottoms and similar restorations at Lake Chautauqua and Hennepin-Hopper Lakes are but overture to the symphony expected at Emiquon near Havana. The 7,100 acres in Fulton County will be turned from farmland to wetland, edged by upland prairie, blufftop savanna and bottomland forest. The conservancy s scientists will help the process by planting trees and seeds, in some cases reintroducing native Illinois species. Ecologists will use the latest science and technology to record the changes in this large-scale restoration, which will function as a model for other floodplain restorations throughout the world. Unique to Illinois, though, is a companion project led by a team at the Illinois Natural History Survey. In the spirit of the Lewis and Clark exploration, entomologist Mike Jeffords enlisted 45 citizens to be an Emiquon Corps of Discovery. Trained in photography, descriptive writing, poetry, drawing and painting, they record their observations to create a total aesthetic picture of Emiquon as it regenerates. Each year s work is displayed at Dickson Mounds Museum. This year, a second, 29-member Cache River Corps of Discovery is artistically documenting that biological diversity. The Editors The Illinois River Valley viewed from Morton Ridge, site of the proposed Emiquon Heritage Observatory, overlooking the Emiquon Preserve. Illinois Issues July/August

2 UIS biology student Andy Grant and high school student Nick Boltuc wade through a thick stand of giant ragweed at the unrestored LaGrange refuge near Meredosia. Courtesy of the University of Illinois at Springfield Wetland grass emerges from standing water at Emiquon. A migrating egret forages for food at Emiquon. 18 July/August 2006 Illinois Issues

3 Moonrise over Spunky Bottoms inspires a chorus of animal songs. Courtesy of the University of Illinois at Springfield A UIS student holds a bryozoan living in the LaGrange refuge waters. Courtesy of the University of Illinois at Springfield Citizen scientist Margaret Ovitt with the Emiquon Corps of Discovery recorded observations during restoration. Drawing by Margaret Ovitt, courtesy of the Illinois Natural History Survey Illinois Issues July/August

4 Sunset over an Emiquon backwater near Dickson Mounds highlights the potential of the 7,100-acre preserve to return to its natural state. Emiquon backwater plants glow at sunrise. A red-tailed hawk keeps an eye on intruders at Emiquon. 20 July/August 2006 Illinois Issues

5 As the pumps fall silent in the cornfields, the waters of Emiquon rise, illustrating the ease of conversion. Canada geese take flight from Emiquon. Three pairs of Canada geese feed in the shallow water. Illinois Issues July/August

6 ADVICE Poem by Deane Doolen Emiquon Corps of Discovery E NJOY the M AJESTY I and NSPIRATION and Q UINTESSENCE of this U NIQUE O BSERVATION of N ATURE Last fall, as water filled the fields at Emiquon, thousands of waterfowl stopped to rest and feed. Photograph by Doug Blodgett, courtesy of The Nature Conservancy Russell Clendenin, Rend Lake Community College instructors and Cache River Corps of Discovery member, captured the colors of these water plants near the Barkhausen Wetlands Center in Johnson County. Photograph by Russell Clendenin, courtesy of Illinois Natural History Survey 22 July/August 2006 Illinois Issues

7 A fleet of ducks sail effortlessly in a drainage ditch, created for previous farming operations. Photograph by Kelvin Sampson, courtesy of Dickson Mounds Museum Emiquon Corps of Discovery sketch artist Margaret Ovitt notes animal behavior. Drawing by Margaret Ovitt, courtesy of the Illinois Natural History Survey Jan Sundberg, a Cache River Corps of Discovery photographer, catches a toad resting on leaves. Photograph by Jan Sundberg, courtesy of the Illinois Natural History Survey Illinois Issues July/August