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Featured Articles

1. Article number 1 - Governor Quinn Tours Mud-to-Parks Site in East Peoria
2. Article number 2 - Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant
3. Article number 3 - River Otter Trapping
4. Article number 4 - Featured DNR Site - Fort Massac State Park
5. Article number 5 - Now Accepting Online Campground and Shelter Reservations

• Governor Quinn Tours Mud-to-Parks Site in East Peoria

  Governor Pat Quinn visited the East Peoria riverfront to announce the latest project in the innovative Mud-to-Parks program, which is making use of soil dredged from the silt-choked Illinois River to build a new park on Lake Michigan. Sixty barge loads of sediment dredged from the Illinois River at East Peoria are traveling 163 miles to the old U.S. Steel (USX) Chicago South Works site to provide 90,000 tons of rich soil for green space and community recreational use along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

  • Mud-to-Parks website

• Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant

  Teachers and youth group leaders in Illinois are eligible to apply for funds to develop or enhance wildlife habitat through the Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program. The project must be on the school grounds or other public place, such as a city park. The maximum grant award per winning applicant is $1,000. The application deadline is November 30, 2012. Administered by the IDNR Division of Education and Illinois Conservation Foundation, funds are provided by the Jadel Youth Fund, Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Education Grant Program.

  • IDNR Education Grants Website

• River Otter Trapping

  2012-2013 marks the first Illinois trapping season for river otters since 1929. This success story was made possible by restoration efforts in Illinois and other states in the lower Midwest. Federal laws require each otter pelt to be tagged before it is sold, which will be new to most Illinois trappers. A simple and convenient registration process has been set up.

  The otter season is the same as the beaver season (November 5 - March 31 in the North Zone; November 10 - March 31 in the South Zone).

  • Information on River Otter Trapping
  • River Otter FAQs - Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest

• Featured DNR Site - Fort Massac State Park

  Dedicated the first Illinois State Park in 1908, Fort Massac overlooks the Ohio River from the southern tip of Illinois. The Park is a captivating reminder of days gone by with its rich military history predating the Revolutionary War. The historic park has an 1802 American fort, a visitor center, museum, day use area, and offers camping, picnicking, hiking trails, boating, and hunting. Fort Massac is the perfect place to relax in soothing natural surroundings and explore life as it was lived when our county was young.

  Join us October 20th & 21st for the Annual Fort Massac Encampment which celebrates the history of Fort Massac from the early French period until 1814. Military Units, Colonist, Sutlers, and Native American reenactors portray the history of the fort with crafts, military drills, music, childrens games and a mock battle, no admission fee.

  • Fort Massac State Park Web Site

• Now Accepting Online Campground and Shelter Reservations

  Illinois DNR and Reserve America have teamed up to offer a convenient new way to plan your camping stay! You can now reserve your favorite camping spot, cabin, group camp or shelter using the Reserve America website and secure your camping spot using your Visa or MasterCard.

  • Visit www.reserveamerica.com now to reserve your campsite or shelter.