NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE
            “To protect the general welfare” is one of the purposes stated in the preamble to our U.S Constitution. We generally observe the government providing for our welfare in the present with such things as leaf collection, snow and ice removal, law enforcement, etc. Each act that protects our welfare now has an associated cost and a component that relates to the future.
Every state government including Illinois has an obligation to preserve and protect air, water, soil, and habitat for wildlife – all related to our general welfare not just now but into the future. Acquiring and managing public lands is part of this obligation. Thirteen million people now live in Illinois with 36,096,000 acres of total land – both public and private. Even though that represents 2.78 acres per person, each Illinoisan gets to claim a meager 1,200 square feet of state-owned land to hike, hunt, or fish in the state.
            Successful funding of state-owned recreational and natural areas is a major concern. A voter survey conducted earlier this year by the partners for Parks and Wildlife, a coalition of conservation organizations, revealed that eighty-three percent agree that it is possible to protect land and water while maintaining a strong economy, without having to choose one over the other.
            The reality of raising funds to sustain desired goals as defined by natural resource professionals, constituents, and the voting community is limited. Examining successful initiatives in other states suggest some ways (mainly taxes and fees) that have sustained funding elsewhere: percentage sales tax dedicated to conservation; bonds for land acquisition and improvements; trust funds that receive oil and gas royalties annually, real estate tax, waste disposal fees, tax revenues from sporting goods, lottery fund, cigarette tax, tax on deeds, land preservation tax credit, vehicle registration fees, water supplier fees, user fees including hunting and fishing licenses.
            The current director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Marc Miller, reinstated the Conservation Congress process so stake holders – all of the people of Illinois – have a voice in agency programs. The Conservation Congress has a funding committee chaired by Claudia Emken, Natural Resources Advisory Board Vice-Chair. “Committee members were given the charge of recommending options for meeting IDNR financial needs for acquiring open space as well as the resources for their long-term conservation, stewardship, protection, and regulation, and associated education and recreational activities and programs.” Emken
            We all share the responsibility for preserving the quality of air, soil, water, and wildlife habitat that is important to our general welfare. We all benefit from having recreational and natural areas available to us. This can become a reality for now and the future if we are willing to share the cost.
            Documents and reports related to the Conservation Congress can be found at www.dnr.state.il.us.

Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 12/2/09 for publication on 12/5/09 in the Journal Standard, Freeport, Illinois) Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org