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Water resources planning and management:
<br /> As ongoing activities during this period, AWI staff participated in meetings and activities of
<br /> various watershed stakeholder groups including:
<br /> • The Heart of the Sangamon Ecosystem Partnership
<br /> • Oakley Township Sediment Basin Advisory Committee (Tim McMahon)
<br /> • Macon County Community Environmental Council (CEC) board (Steve John)
<br /> • CEC subcommittee created to promote the Sangamon River Water Trail plan and
<br /> improvements to Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park(Steve)
<br /> • Steering committee exploring creation of a statewide Environmental Utility (Steve)
<br /> AWI continued to manage prairie � a
<br /> establishment for the City's Corley � *
<br /> landfill "mud-to-parks" project. �`� �,w.,,,� ' ~, �. ,�e�-,�•r,� ��.i�� w�
<br /> Activities this period included planting �� „ ' �,,�• % ' +,� � �- a-` 'j� �`"�
<br /> +o` °s� C 7' «r- �,. a �" �„r,
<br /> of the prairie seed mixture and ��'� � � �'�t,,�<, �.r._�� � �;
<br /> application of herbicide by FDC � t#.,�.r !�' y
<br /> Enterprises and removal of teasel, an '` r ,�';,�� �*�:����� i
<br /> invasive weed growing on the edge of ���� � � .
<br /> � �.�'��. •+�
<br /> the site. FDC Enterprises is a company ` • } 1 .� ,��� � ' ,. , `
<br /> s ecializin in rairie for bioener -� '� � -�'"� * � '�;'��.�,,�,;�
<br /> P g P gY, ` . .,
<br /> ta 1 d� .t'e�� �t:�., � � � � .. 4
<br /> forage, and conservation. This photo '�„t'�,�r ,�'� ,��_� . .x , ;� � v"y ,�
<br /> shows Tim McMahon cutting teasel for '4� ,;� �a�� .� . �'�,,� .�'�:',�'� �'
<br /> removal from the Corle site. , ,;r°� � "��C � ����� �'�'�:�.�
<br /> y y� ;� .��� �� �* �
<br /> t�� �]�. �r�, �' ...x����'�1 C . ���';y
<br /> Steve John participated in several meetings of the statewide steering committee that is exploring
<br /> creation of an Illinois Environmental Utility (EU). This innovative concept grew out of the
<br /> Mississippi River Nutrient Dialogues and is directly related to implementation of the new Illinois
<br /> Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Many of the strategies in the NLRS effectively reduce soil
<br /> erosion and sedimentation, as well as nutrient loss. During this period, AWI collaborated with
<br /> The Nature Conservancy and other committee members to prepare and submit an initial inquiry
<br /> to the McKnight Foundation for a Needs Assessment to evaluate potential funding sources and
<br /> institutional arrangements for an EU. This inquiry was not successful but the Foundation's
<br /> Mississippi River program grant officer encouraged us to resubmit when planning for the EU is a
<br /> little farther along. Steve John attended the One Water Leadership Summit in San Francisco
<br /> where he helped lead a breakout session on the Watershed Protection Utility concept.
<br /> Perennial biomass crops for renewable energy, forage, and water quality:
<br /> A major focus of AWI activity continues to be on our Local Bioenergy Initiative, which is
<br /> funded mainly by the City of Decatur and the Walton Family Foundation. City funding is applied
<br /> to work in, or directly benefitting, the Lake Decatur watershed. Initiative goals are: (1) Establish
<br /> the Lake Decatur watershed as a showcase for research, demonstrations, and education on co-
<br /> production of perennial biomass and ecosystem services, especially water quality; (2) Advance
<br /> learning networks in Illinois and throughout the Midwest to explore and promote co-production
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