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* Illinois Environmental Council executive director Jen Walling argues that the state needs to focus on “nature-based climate solutions”…
Nature-based climate solutions involve conserving, restoring or better managing ecosystems to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as allowing forests to regrow, restoring wetlands and switching to regenerative agricultural practices. These ecosystems soften climate impacts, such as extreme weather, and reduce climate pollution by capturing carbon dioxide from the air and sequestering it in plants and soils. They also provide many other important benefits, such as cleaner air and water, economic activity and biodiversity.
According to research conducted by the Nature Conservancy, on a global level, nature-based climate solutions can account for up to 37% of the reductions needed to meet 2030 emission targets and avoid global climate catastrophe.
Yet, Illinois has a dismal reputation for the preservation of natural areas. Less than .01% of Illinois’ ancient prairie remains, less than 4% of Illinois’ land area is in natural preservation, and Illinois ranks 49th out of the 50 states in the amount of preserved natural area per capita.
* Some of her recommendations are to stop leaving federal money on the table and update the state’s ridiculously complex procurement system to make it more small business-friendly…
Maximize every single possible federal dollar. Illinois is leaving millions in federal conservation funding on the table by not matching federal grant funds, not applying for funding or not supporting the efforts of conservation agencies to apply for federal funding. The Inflation Reduction Act, Land and Water Conservation Fund and upcoming Recovering America’s Wildlife are among some of the opportunities the state isn’t prepared to fully utilize, along with past agricultural conservation efforts and upcoming farm bill opportunities.
Invest in economies. Studies show that every dollar put into conservation drawsmore money into the economy through outdoor recreation purchases, visitors to area businesses and increased property values near nature. Illinois’ procurement system needs to be updated to give small businesses more opportunities to invest in state parks and IDNR should prioritize a conservation corps that hires and trains people from disinvested communities.
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 12:03 pm
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====There isn’t a single state park or natural area easily accessible by public transportation.====
Nitpicking here but the Wm. Powers State Recreation Area on the S.E. side of Chicago on Wolf Lake has a CTA stop right at its entrance. Also, people are surprised when you tell them this is an area within Chicago’s borders that allows limited hunting.
Comment by Been There Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 12:21 pm
==every dollar put into conservation drawsmore money into the economy through outdoor recreation purchases, visitors to area businesses and increased property values near nature.==
We would do well to better utilize the natural beauty in the southern part of the state. Everyone in Chicagoland seems intent to travel to Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan for lake houses and outdoor activities. Imagine keeping more of those dollars in-state.
Comment by supplied_demand Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 12:23 pm
It’s a nice thought.
I just wonder how realistic it is given we sit on some of the flattest most productive land in the world with nary a mountain in sight whatever National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might tell you.
Undoubtedly better eco-system management and agricultural practices will be huge for reaching climate goals, but we’re just an incredibly developed and urbanized state, so the ‘non-natural’ component seems like it’d naturally be larger for us than, say, a Colorado or Maine.
Comment by Nick Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 12:45 pm
==Less than .01% of Illinois’ ancient prairie remains==
And the state doesn’t seem to be doing much to preserve Bell Bowl Prairie at the Rockford Airport. The hard work is being left to NGOs. https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/local/2022/10/28/preservationist-threat-injunction-if-airport-expansion-is-greenlighted/69590269007/
Comment by Sangamo Girl Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 12:58 pm
Thoughts? Skeptical. I’m all for conservation, but counting conservation or tree planting as carbon offsets seems ripe for malfeasance.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 12:59 pm
I’m admittedly not well versed in how other state’s DNRs operate, but I’ve always felt like IDNR has never had much vision or imagination since I started paying attention to state government.
I’d be thrilled to see an Illinois CCC and much more land conserved for public use. If federal dollars are being left on the table then it’s probably time for new leadership.
Comment by Excitable Boy Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 1:08 pm
The state might try making some lemons out of lemonade by reforesting the thousands of acres of farmland it purchased for the not-gonna-happen South Suburban Airport. It’s a big, contiguous tract of land, and it’s closer than Wisconsin or even Starved Rock for most of Chicagoland.
Comment by Benjamin Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 1:24 pm
@Supplied =Everyone in Chicagoland seems intent to travel to Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan for lake houses and outdoor activities.=
While I agree with you the SIL is worthy of a vacation home. Chicago is 90 minutes to Lake Geneva or St. Joe Michigan. Its’ 5 hours to Carbondale. And SIL has nothing over mid-Michigan lakes during July and August.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 1:34 pm
Procurement needs an overhaul. We make potential vendors do a ton of often needless paperwork just to bid on state work. Cutting the red tape for vendors is a real opportunity.
Comment by Dan Johnson Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 1:42 pm
Best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. Best time to buy the land it’s on is while it’s still standing.
Comment by Biker Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 2:44 pm
==Chicago is 90 minutes to Lake Geneva or St. Joe Michigan. Its’ 5 hours to Carbondale. ==
No doubt this has an impact on desirability. However, Eagle River and Traverse City are each a 5 hour+ drives. Door County is 4+ hours away. I know people from the western suburbs who drive to the Ozarks every summer (8+ hours).
Comment by supplied_demand Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 3:28 pm
I’ve always thought a modern day Conservation Corps would be a good idea. Get upgrades and maintenance done at state parks and teach young people valuable trades that can lead to careers.
As for the tourism, outside of getting more people from the Chicago area to stay in state, there’s other metro areas (Indianapolis, St. Louis, Nashville, etc.) that can be targeted for tourism dollars in Southern Illinois.
Comment by MyTwoCents Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 4:46 pm
Illinois’ DNR has squandered a lot of its land acquisition funding on unreclaimed or partially reclaimed stripmine land in deep southern Illinois for hunting. It has done little for northeastern Illinois in terms of creating accessible State Parks. It’s one foray was Tr-County State Park but DNR turned management over to the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. Beyond the better summer weather in Wisconsin, etc, it’s no surprise that folks in northeastern Illinois travel out-of-state. Illinois DNR is a non-issue for them.
Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 6:08 pm
It’s so hard for me to imagine that farmers will turn productive land toward conservation purposes, except where it’s already along a river. There’s federal multi-use forest all over the UP. But a three month growing season. Wonder what conservation really can look like in farm country? Do other agricultural states do it better?
Comment by Yooper in Diaspora Monday, Dec 12, 22 @ 10:46 pm