This committee will review and recommend policy and program options for meeting the long-term public funding needs of acquisition of open space for recreation including hunting and fishing and other wildlife-related recreation, preservation of natural areas, camping, etc.  It will also review and recommend policy and program options for meeting the long-term public funding needs of conservation, resource protection and regulation, education and recreation activities and programs provided to the public by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  It will consider what should be funded, the size of the need and potential revenue sources.

Report of this committee, with recommendations to be presented and considered at Conservation Congress, now available:

Conservation Funding EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Conservation Funding FULL REPORT

Committee Members
Claudia Emken, Chair

Staff
Deborah Stone, 217-785-0075

Committee Meeting Dates

• July 23, 2009, 5:00 p.m., IDNR Headquarters, Springfield, IL
• Monday, August 10, 2009, 1 pm to 4 pm at the IDNR Region II Office, James "Pate" Philip State Park, 2050 W. Stearns Road, Bartlett, Illinois - see agenda here
• Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 5 pm to 8 pm, at the Sparta World Shooting and Recreational Complex, One Main Event Lane, Suite 510, Sparta, Illinois - see agenda here
• Monday, September 14, 2009, 1 pm to 4 pm - Openlands, 25 East Washington Street, Suite 1650, Chicago, IL 60602 - see agenda here
• Thursday, October 1st, 5 - 8 pm, DNR Headquarters, Springfield, IL
  

July 23, 2009

August 10, 2009

Committee Resources (Presentations, Reports, etc.)

1. 07/23/2009 Agenda (.pdf)
2. Charge to Funding Committee (.pdf)
3. DNR Historical Budget Issues - presentation by Deborah Stone, IDNR (Powerpoint)
4. Midwest Fish and Wildlfie Agencies Long Term Demographic Context - presentation by John Buhnerkempe, IDNR (Powerpoint)
5. Illinois State Land Conservation Funding - presentation by Charles Jackson, Illinois Environmental Council, and Beth White, Trust for Public Land (Powerpoint)
6. Key Findings from Recent Illinois Voter Survey - presentation by Beth White and Matt Zieper, Trust for Public Land (Powerpoint)
7. Fees that Need Legislation (.pdf)
8. Fees That Can Be Done With Adminstrative Rules Only (.pdf)
9. Past Conservation Congress Funding Recommendations, compiled by Claudia Emken (.pdf)
10. News Release and Key Findings, Public Survey (.pdf)
11. 08/10/09 Agenda (.pdf)
12. Comments to Funding committee from Conservation Congress Website as of August 6
13. "State Investments in Land Conservation" Matt Zieper, Trust for Public Land
14. 1988 IDOC Cost Recovery Study