Poster Abstract Details

Author(s):
Natalie J. Mountjoy, Mae A. Davenport, David J. Myers and Matt R. Whiles

Affiliation:
Mountjoy (Southern Illinois University Carbondale), Davenport (University of Minnesota), Myers (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) and Whiles (Southern Illinois University)

Presentation Type:
Poster

Topic Area:
Monitoring and predicting human influences on landscapes and ecosystems

Abstract Text:
Natural resource management is trending away from adversarial, top-down approaches to a more bottom-up, citizen-led and organized approach. The Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, developed in 2005, recognized thirty-two Conservation Opportunity Areas (COAs) across the state as priority areas for conserving Illinois’ species in greatest need of conservation. Community-based natural resource management groups within the newly recognized COAs are collaborating to work as the community arm of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). We designed an online survey of COA stakeholders to establish the status of resource management planning efforts, perceived conditions necessary for success, expectations for the future of COAs, and current conservation priorities and threats. The survey documented a variety of planning efforts in different stages across the state. While stakeholders’ general evaluation of the resource management plans was that they are somewhat effective, over a quarter acknowledged uncertainty regarding effectiveness of the plans for managing and protecting habitats or species. Not having the appropriate level of funding or the type of equipment needed for conservation planning and implementation appears to be a major constraint to success. Interestingly, the single most important contributor to success, according to the stakeholders surveyed, is having community or landowner support. Restoring and enhancing wetlands and improving forests and savannas emerged as the highest priority conservation actions across the state, though individual COA priorities varied. The presence of invasive species was perceived as the biggest threat to COAs. The results of this survey provide much needed insight into the challenges faced and successes achieved in statewide conservation planning efforts. The study will help local and state resource managers prioritize technical and planning assistance to individual COAs and across COAs. In addition, these results will serve as preliminary data for a larger-scale investigation on the capacity of each COA and the quality of the resource management plans they produce.