As western Illinois landowners strive for productive soil, clean water, healthy forests, and abundant wildlife, we realize it can be challenging to meet land management goals. Your Land, Your Legacy is a landowner workshop series that focuses on landowner conservation programs and techniques. According to a recent Illinois Extension survey, western Illinois landowners want to learn more about establishing pollinator plots, managing their forests properly for ecological and financial benefit, controlling invasive plants, prescribed burning, and restoring streams and ponds through skill-based, hands-on field days.
Who?
We aim to focus on small to medium acreage landowners and/or farmers in western Illinois who have an interest in wildlife or conservation management or who have been prescribed conservation practices through USDA, IDNR or other programs.
The Need
A substantial gap exists between the expectations and standards which program managers hold in regard to the performance and implementation of prescribed conservation practices (CRP, EQIP, FDA, CSP, etc) and the understanding and ability of private landowners to attain those expectations and standards within their subject matter knowledge and hands-on experience.
Our Purpose
The purpose and goals of this program are to create interactions between private landowners and environmental resource professionals; to increase landowner knowledge and awareness of the expectations, standards, and best practices of conservation practices; to provide opportunities for hands-on training in the performance of conservation practices; and to close the gap between what resource managers demand and what landowners can accomplish based on their personal knowledge and experience. Experts in natural resource management will provide guidance, knowledge, and practical experience on commonly prescribed practices. Overall, this program will contribute to improved implementation of conservation practices which, ultimately, improves the health of our waters, woods, wildlife, soil and other natural resources.
Participant Goals:
Interested?
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A guide to managing invasive plants and pests of Illinois. Invasive species cause damage by changing the habitat for wildlife and native plants or by negatively impacting forest or agricultural resources.
Prescribed fire can be complex and difficult in many respects, but also results in numerous benefits. Learn reasons to burn, burn plans, preparations, weather considerations, permits, training options, tools, risks, hazards, and effects on vegetation and wildlife.
Illinois Extension can help you learn which grasses have forage and wildlife benefits, which are potentially harmful if left untreated, and when to take action.
Deep Roots: Home & Land Conservation News is a periodic newsletter for western Illinois landowners and homeowners
101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)
1301 W. Gregory Dr.
Urbana, IL 61801
Email: extension@illinois.edu