The following is from Defenders of Wildlife's "Wildlines," October 9, 2000: ILLINOIS GRANTS $5 MILLION FOR NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION: In a September 25 press release, Governor George Ryan of Illinois announced that the state will be giving more than $5 million in grants for natural resource protection projects: "These grants, combined with local matching funds and other support, provide important land management, habitat enhancement, and resource conservation projects in watersheds throughout Illinois." Under the Illinois Conservation 2000 program, the money will go to 30 private/public partnerships that will match the state funding with $10.1 million in cash and in-kind contributions. The largest single grant of $392,360 will go to the Northwest Illinois Prairie Enthusiasts to expand the nature preserve that includes Hanover Bluffs. A series of large grants will also go to various organizations for restoration work, tree planting and reseeding along the Cache River. The lion's share of the money will go to purchase land and easements to preserve habitat, but a $100,000 grant will help fund the removal of the Brewster Creek Dam. A full list of the projects funded is available at http://www.state.il.us/gov/press/00/sep/conservation2000925.htm. [Tom's comment: in Iowa we are still building dams on public land that destroy creek valleys, in the name of "habitat improvement" (for fish).] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]