Healthy land makes for healthier, cleaner water! Wetlands, forests, and prairies help control flooding, filter pollution, prevent sediment from being washed downstream, and provide critical habitat for our state’s wildlife.
Prairie Rivers Network’s habitat specialist, Elliot Brinkman, works with private landowners, public land agencies, land trusts, and others to expand and connect the patchwork of natural lands and habitats across the state. The majority of Illinois’ wildlands are located along rivers and streams.
Prairie Rivers Network has actively worked with conservation partners to develop wildlife habitat management plans for portions of the Mississippi and Vermilion River watersheds. These plans reflect the shared goals and priorities of agencies and organizations in each area, and acts as a tool for reaching state conservation targets outlined in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan. Through this work, we have recognized the need to promote conservation and responsible practices on private lands.
Ninety percent of land in Illinois is privately owned, which means that private lands conservation is critically important for clean water and habitat preservation.
Supported by a recent grant from the Grand Victoria Foundation, Prairie Rivers Network will draw on the best land conservation measures from across the country to craft policy-based solutions for Illinois.
