Registration Open for 2013 Illinois Conservation Congress

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois citizens interested in natural resources protection and sustainable use, outdoor recreation, and conservation stewardship are invited to participate in the 2013 Illinois Conservation Congress.

In advance of the planned statewide Conservation Congress session in Springfield in September, a series of regional meetings are scheduled for February and March, and online registration for those meetings is being conducted at www.dnr.illinois.gov/ConservationCongress.

“Conservation Congress provides Illinois residents with a direct voice to help guide the future of protecting and enhancing the natural resources of our state, and I encourage individuals and organizations who share our passion for conservation and outdoor recreation in Illinois to register today,” said Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Director Marc Miller.

The mission of the Illinois Conservation Congress is to give Illinois residents a formal process to propose and advocate actions that can be taken by elected and appointed officials to protect and conserve the natural resources of the State of Illinois.  The goal of Conservation Congress is to ensure, through professional management, that sustainable use, recreational opportunities and enjoyment of these resources is available for this and future generations.

The regional meetings scheduled across the state in the coming weeks will be used to gain interest and feedback from the public.  The regional meetings are scheduled at:

• John A. Logan College, Carterville – February 19 and 20
• Heartland Community College, Normal - February 26 and 27
• WIU Campus, Quad Cities Campus, Moline - March 4 and 5
• South Shore Cultural Center, Chicago – March 12, 13 and 14
• Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville – March 21 and 22

At the evening regional meetings, participants will begin discussing five broad topics to focus Conservation Congress deliberations for action this fall:

• Sustainable Resource Development and Extraction – mines and minerals, water resources, forestry, etc.
• Sustainable Resource Harvest – outdoor recreation – wildlife and fish conservation, hunting, fishing, etc.
• Sustainable Provision of Outdoor Recreation – recreational public access, state parks, etc.
• Sustainable Resource Protection – regulation, law enforcement, etc.
• Building Bridges – developing new constituencies, professional development, improving and growing partnerships

For more information, to register for regional meetings, and to provide input to the Illinois Conservation Congress, go online to:  www.dnr.illinois.gov/ConservationCongress

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