1 Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Minutes of the 200
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Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Minutes of the 200th Meeting (Approved at the 201st Meeting) World Shooting & Recreational Complex One Main Event Lane Sparta, IL Tuesday, October 28, 2008 200-1) Call to Order, Roll Call, and Introduction of Attendees At 10:05 a.m., pursuant to the Call to Order of Vice-Chair Rosenthal, the meeting began. Deborah Stone read the roll call. Members present: Ron Flemal, Richard Keating, Mare Payne, Lauren Rosenthal, and John Schwegman. Members absent: Jill Allread, Harry Drucker, Jill Riddell, and Bruce Ross-Shannon. Others present: Samantha Adams, Steven Byers, Bob Edgin, Judy Faulkner Dempsey, Randy Heidorn, Jason Inczauskis, Tom Lerczak, Kelly Neal, John Nelson, Debbie Newman, Debbie Reider, Kim Roman, Jenny Skufca, and Mary Kay Solecki, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC); Jeannie Barnes, Russell Blogg, Martin Kemper, Jeff Horn, Glen Kruse, Diane Tecic, Office of Resource Conservation (ORC), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR); Megan Borrowman, Kathi Davis, Don McFall, and Justin Ramey, Office of Realty and Environmental Planning (OREP), IDNR; Sue Dees, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT); Dr. Brian Anderson, Illinois Natural History Survey and INPC Advisor; Marilyn Campbell, Endangered Species Protection Board (ESPB) and INPC Consultant; Dr. Stan Harris, John Sommerhof, and Edmund Thornton, former INPC Commissioners; Fran Harty, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), representing the proposed Carl N. Becker Savanna Nature Preserve; Bob Mohr, Jim Pflasterer, and Dennis Valentine, Village of Valmeyer, representing the proposed addition to Salt Lick Point Land and Water Reserve; Les and Mary Moore representing the proposed Lafarge Limestone Glade Nature Preserve; Alley Ringhausen, Great Rivers Land Trust, representing the proposed Palisades Nature Preserve; Robert Shapiro representing the proposed Horsefly Ridge Nature Preserve; Tim Huber and Keith McKinney, Norris Electric Cooperative; Kathy Andria, American Bottom Conservancy; Roger Beadles, Ralph and Karen Buettner, Lila Lehnherr, Jim Payne; Martha Schwegman, and Paul and Carol Soderholm. Vice-Chair Rosenthal thanked Debbie Newman for the field trip to Buck Hill Bottom Land and Water Reserve on October 27, 2008. She also thanked Martin Kemper, District Heritage Biologist, for helping with the field trip. Vice-Chair Rosenthal stated she would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Shuetz for allowing the Commission to tour their Land and Water Reserve. She stated that three former INPC Commissioners attended the field trip, Stan Harris, Judith Joy, and Edmund Thornton. 1 Vice-Chair Rosenthal thanked the IDNR for allowing the Commission to hold its meeting at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex. The Complex opened approximately two years ago, and it has brought hundreds of visitors to southwestern Illinois. 200-2) Adoption of Agenda Item 9, Horn Prairie Grove Land and Water Reserve, has been deferred. Item 16 will be presented after Item 7. It was moved by Flemal, seconded by Keating, and carried that the Agenda be adopted as amended. 200-3) Approval of Minutes of the 199th Meeting Minutes, August 5, 2008 It was moved by Schwegman, seconded by Flemal, and carried that the Minutes of the 199th Meeting be approved. Vice-Chair Rosenthal reported that at the 199th Meeting of the INPC, held on August 5, 2008, at the Sugar Creek Administration Center, Joliet, legal protection for two tracts of land, totaling 549 acres was approved by the Commission. Of these, one area totaling 3.4 acres is owned by private individuals or not-for-profit corporations who donated the value of the protection agreement to the public. This private land was permanently preserved without acquisition of the land by the State. Private lands protected without State acquisition at INPC=s 199th Meeting was an addition to Sweet Fern Savanna Land and Water Reserve in Kankakee County. Protection of this land came about because the Commission has nine staff members in the field working with private land owners. There are now 341 dedicated nature preserves in 82 counties, totaling 45,457.23 acres and 148 land and water reserves in 61 counties, totaling 41,742.434 acres. 200-4) Proposed 2009 Meeting Schedule January 27, 2009 10:00 a.m. Department of Natural Resources Building, Springfield May 5, 2009 9:00 a.m. Starved Rock State Park Visitors Center, Utica September 22, 2009 10:00 a.m. Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center, Zion It was moved by Flemal, seconded by Keating, and carried that the proposed 2009 meeting schedule be accepted. 200-5) INPC Staff Report Deborah Stone stated that Chair Riddell called a small think group together to help the Commission plan an appropriate way to celebrate the Commission’s 500th site that will be brought into its programs in the near future. This benchmark is a remarkable achievement, and it could be used as a way to carry the message about the nature preserve system and the importance of preserving land to a wider audience. In addition to the group assembled by Chair Riddell, former Commissioner and 2 current INPC Consultant Jerry Adelmann and INPC Advisor Bonnie Styles are working on this plan. The idea was to do something participatory such as a photo contest to involve people, including children, across the State in learning about the sites protected by the INPC. Ms. Stone stated that if any of the Commissioners have ideas they would like to share, they should contact her. Randy Heidorn presented the INPC staff report, and it is attached as Exhibit A. Mr. Heidorn introduced Jason Inczauskis. Mr. Inczauskis is the resident intern working with Steven Byers in Area 2. Mr. Heidorn stated that there have been some questions related to the proposed State Park closures as it relates to the Illinois Nature Preserve System. He stated that Kelly Neal put together a list comparing the sites that were proposed for closure in relation to the properties enrolled in the INPC programs. As it turns out, there is only one site, George B. Fell Nature Preserve, which is totally within a State Park that is slated for closure. George B. Fell Nature Preserve is located in Castle Rock State Park. There is some concern because of the deer management program, and a deer hunt was scheduled. Because of the proposed closure, that deer hunt will not take place this year. All of the other sites are either not involved in the proposed closures or they are areas where they are satellites to the State Parks on the proposed closure list. At this time it appears that those areas are not going to be affected, however, the INPC does not have the final word on how this will affect some of the uses of the sites. There will be some impact at one site and probable minimal impact at the other sites. Mr. Heidorn stated that with the addition of Jenny Skufca, the Commission will move forward on the Class III groundwater project. The Class III groundwater designation is a classification that pertains to areas that support natural areas. The groundwater that supports a nature preserve, by definition, could be considered Class III groundwater; however, to receive that classification, a petition needs to be prepared. Over the last number of years, through a contract, the data has been collected for some initial petitions. Ms. Skufca has been assembling that information. The list of the sites that will be included in the first petition are outlined in the staff report. Mr. Heidorn stated that discussion is ongoing regarding the threat at Hickory Creek Barrens Nature Preserve. He asked that the Commission discuss the litigation pending for this site under the Other Business portion of the meeting. Vice-Chair Rosenthal thanked the staff for the great work that has been done over the past months. 200-6) IDNR Staff Report Glen Kruse presented the IDNR staff report, and it is attached as Exhibit B. Mr. Kruse stated that the Natural Areas Evaluation Committee held its 50th meeting on September 30, 2008. He stated that new Category 1 natural areas evaluated by the natural areas inventory update project staff were added to the inventory. The update field staff are out and 3 doing the evaluations, and they are finding additional Category 1 areas. It is anticipated that more Category 1 sites will be added in the coming meetings. Mr. Kruse stated that Russell Blogg, resident intern, started with the IDNR on September 2, 2008. Mr. Blogg is working with Michelle Simone, District Heritage Biologist in central Illinois. 200-7) Endangered Species Protection Board Report Marilyn Campbell reported that the ESPB has hired Anne Mankowski as the new coordinator. She will start on November 3, 2008. Ms. Mankowski brings extensive experience to this position. The ESPB’s next meeting will be on November 14, 2008. The preliminary changes to threatened and endangered species will be submitted at that meeting. Commissioner Keating presented a resolution in recognition of Dr. John Ebinger’s conservation efforts. It was moved by Keating, seconded by Payne, and carried that the following resolution be adopted: The Illinois Nature Preserves Commission wishes to recognize the exceptional conservation efforts of Dr. John Ebinger. John was a Member of the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board from 1988 - 2008, and he served as Vice-Chair of the Board from 2001 - 2008. He was the Board’s long-standing Chair of the Endangered Species Technical Advisory Committee for Plants. John has also authored, co-authored, and edited a number of publications on behalf of the Board. His diligent efforts have protected threatened and endangered species of Illinois. He is a tireless partner of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in its efforts to protect natural areas throughout the State. His legacy will be the long-term survival of many elements of Illinois’ natural heritage. (Resolution 2006) Vice-Chair Rosenthal stated that the registration agreements for today’s land and water reserve presentations are signed and executed by the landowners as required by administrative rule.