IDNR Budget Cuts Plague All Involved
By Scott Richardson
Not so long ago in a land not so far away, wildlife biologists and natural resource managers worked together so well the prestigious publication Science Magazine noted their efforts.
The year was 2000. The place was Illinois, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Natural History Survey were attracting national attention. They are the heroes of this story.
Their stage is a state where precious few opportunities remained to enhance wildlife after the destruction of native prairie and where the state ranked toward the bottom in terms of public acres set aside for recreation.
Former DNR director Brent Manning, with support from former governors Jim Edgar and George Ryan, had overseen the creation of a super agency that combined the former Department of Conservation, the INHS and other environmental and outdoor-related arms of state government.
Their leadership was supported by a cast of hundreds of experienced, dedicated professionals. Together, they became a coordinated force to put Illinois recreational opportunities on the right track. They bought land to set aside. They expanded manpower dedicated to resource development and protection. They moved conservation and recreation up the ladder of government priorities.
They realized fishing and hunting, green space and passive pursuits such as bird watching, jogging and mountain biking were more than luxuries: They are necessities. Study after study has found that people of all ages need a chance to connect with nature for mental and physical well-being. As Richard Louv writes in “Last Child in the Woods,” the kids are suffering from obesity and other ailments related to inactivity due to what he terms their “Nature Deficit Disorder.” We need places to play.
Enter Rod Blagojevich, the Chicago-based Democrat who took office as Illinois governor in January 2003. Blagojevich cut deep into the IDNR budget. Conservation groups and his Republican opponent for governor in 2006, Judy Barr Topinka, accused him of forcing mass layoffs and early retirements at IDNR. Topinka said Blagojevich redirected as much as $60 million meant to purchase natural areas, manage parks and handle other IDNR duties.
Last October, a committee of the General Assembly cited Blagojevich as the culprit in problems at IDNR. The Legislative Audit Commission said the conservation agency lost more than 400 employees since Blagojevich took office, declining to a work force of 1,720 workers with many positions unfilled. The upshot is too few dedicated workers are left to do too much work with too few resources.
The panel also noted Sam Flood has been acting IDNR director since he took over more than two years ago.
Now, the governor and the General Assembly are at odds again over the state budget. Last week, Blagojevich slashed $1.4 billion from what lawmakers wanted. IDNR will lose about $14 million if a compromise isn’t reached.
The INHS folks already have been sliced from IDNR and moved to the University of Illinois. INHS staff were said to be happy with the move. No doubt. They’re probably hoping they can escape the ax Blagojevich has been using to chop IDNR to bits.
IDNR spokesman Chris McCloud and Blagojevich spokeswoman Katherine Ridgway both say IDNR is still trying to gauge where cuts may be made. I asked to speak with Flood about his view of the situation. No dice.
But an action alert sent recently via e-mail by The Nature Conservancy worried the cuts would mean:- Eliminating staff that maintain and protect 4.5 million acres of forest and woodland areas;- Eliminating education programs, guided hikes, programs for school groups, and outdoor recreational and educational programs;- Eliminating conservation police, a bad idea that went nowhere when it was floated several years; and – Eliminating staff that complete annual water surveys on more than 87,000 miles of streams and 91,400 other water bodies.
Just last week, an official at Wildlife Prairie State Park west of Peoria said the popular park could close if about $830,000 in state funding Blagojevich eliminated from his proposal isn’t restored.
“The $14 million in cuts proposed by the governor would devastate Illinois’ ability to protect open space, preserve natural resources, and keep Illinois a desired destination for outdoor enthusiasts,” said Jonathan Goldman, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council.
Ridgway responded that the General Assembly is to blame. Lawmakers created the mess by passing a budget calling for too many expenses and too little revenue.
“He (Blagojevich) will not write a check that will bounce,” she said.
The Nature Conservancy also pointed out Blagojevich wants to slash Cooperative Extension programs by $7.2 million and Soil and Water Conservation Districts by $3.5 million.
The Nature Conservancy ended by asking members to call Blagojevich at (217) 782-6830 to protest the cuts.
Ridgway directed calls the other way.
“I encourage them to call the House if they’re interested and say, Pass the revenue…,’ ” she said.
Meanwhile, IDNR, the state parks, state-managed fisheries and wildlife areas are caught in the middle.
Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Contact him at (309) 820-3227 or email srichardson@pantagraph.com. Share stories and read past outdoor and fishing columns at www.pantagraph.com/ blogs
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