Champaign County Land Resource Management Plan

Last Tuesday evening, Jamuary 26, we attended the open house to review and comment on the LRMP.  There were lots of charts and posters and steering committee menbers on hand to take questions and comments. 

My initial reaction was surprise at how comprehensive the plan is, all 348 pages.  It addresses so many areas of land use in Champaign County.  I encourage you to look at it and express your opinions and ideas. Public comments will be accepted through Feb. 9.

The areas that is of primary interest to this blogger are:
Goal 8 Natural Resources.  Champaign County will strive to conserve and enhance the County's landscape and natural resources and ensure thier sustainable use.

And more specifically:
Objective 8.5 Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystems. Champaign County will encourage the maintance and enhancement of aquatic and riparian habits.  
Objective 8.6 Natural Areas and Habitat.  Champaign county will encourage resource management which avoids loss or degregration of areas represtative of the pre-settlement environment and other areas that provide habitat for native and game species.
Policy 8.7.4.  The County will encourage the establishment of public-private partnerships to conserve woodlands and other significant areas of natural envoronmental quality in CC. 
Action Item 8.7.4. As a cooperative and adjunct effort to any similar action of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District or the Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District, develop an information package regarding voluntary establishment of public-private partnerships to conserve woodlands and other significant areas of natural environmental quality in Champaign County.

The idea of getting out information, educating private land owners and encouraging them to do the right thing is something I support.  We all seem to be in agreement that we want beautiful natural areas, but how to preserve and maintain them is what is in dispute.  IMHO, educate people, give them support and tools and the people will do it.  This can be much more productive than the restrictive regulation approach attempted a few years ago.  I applaud CC for starting the efforts to encourage people to do so.

FYI the News Gazette also has a review of the meeting

Champaign County Forest Preserve Trail Stewardship

The Champaign County Forest Preserve is more than a friend to the Salt Fork River.  The Salt Fork River is actually part of the Champaign County Forest Preserve at Homer Lake.   Activites of the CCFP have an impact on the Salt Fork River.  One activity that indirectly affects the river is the Trail Stewardship Program.  There will be a workshop  about the program January 23 from 10 AM -Noon.  There is more information on their web site: http://www.ccfpd.org/index.html

Invasive species have become a serious threat to all our natural areas from prairies to woodlands to riparian corridors.  It will only be the efforts of people willing to take the time to commit to helping eradicate invasives that will finally make a difference.  Please consider being a steward to a Homer Lake trail and in doing so becoming a Salt Fork Friend.

 Hope to at least see you at the workshop. Preregistration required.

Freezing Up

The river is not yet frozen over. This bitter cold weather is to continue so perhaps the Salt Fork will freeze over yet. This photo was taken on our property which borders the Homer Lake Forest Preserve.

Salt Fork River Flood Plain

The river is finally back in its banks after the recent one inch of rain we had here in Homer/Saint Joseph area. However, the flooding has left numerous potholes in the flood plain. This one was full of Canadian geese early this morning. My slow reaction photo missed most of them but I did manage to capture a few. The river is still quite high and quick moving but by the weekend it should be great for a kayaking trip. Note also that the trees are still showing some color and the field had been harvested before the flooding.

Blog Action Day - Climate Change

Today is Blog Action Day. Blogs all over the world and of all types are sharing a common topic, Climate Change. There is no doubt that the world’s climate is changing and that in the next 50 years the Salt Fork River will be changed by this.

Climate change will affect the water temperature, the flow rate, the vegetation, life in the river and life along the river. What a change this will be for the Salt Fork River and the region. One encouraging fact that I have been reading is that healthy and intact river basins, wetlands and floodplains are less vulnerable to climate change.

So Salt Fork Friends, I would like to encourage you to educate yourselves selves about the River, about its environment, its wetlands and floodplains. Then, do what you can to ensure that these areas are healthy and intact. If many people are personally involved in initiating projects to promote and establish a healthy river corridor, the Salt Fork stands a much better chance of surviving and adapting to future climate changes. Homeowners and landowners especially need to be more intentional about establishing and nurturing these areas, some of which are in their own back yards. Don’t wait for your neighbor to do this; don’t wait for the government to do this. Educate yourself about rivers and climate change, decide what YOU can do for the future of the Salt Fork River and its watershed, and then do it!

Crayfish

On Saturday, we went wading around the ford across the Salt Fork, about one quarter mile upstream (as the crow flies) from the bridge on 1200N at the south edge of Homer Lake Park. We were looking for mussels, and although we didn't find any live ones, we did find these guys, a large one (top, about 2.5-3.0 inches), and a small one (bottom, maybe 1.5 inches) about 10 feet upstream.

We have no experience identifying crayfish (among other things), so if you have any specific knowledge, please add comments. Rob Kanter has a nice post on Appeciating Illinois Crayfish at the Environmental Almanac blog, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History maintains an extensive database, including information and many photos of Illinois species

Another Friend

The Salt Fork River just got another friend: Carle Foundation Hospital. Carle Foundation hospital and Carle RxExpress are opening free medical-waste disposal sites that will be open all year. This is a new program called "Healthy People, Happy Planet," which provides safe disposal practices for expired and unwanted medications and used needles. Previously, the only local year-round option available was to dispose of these items in the trash and, in the case of medications, many ended up being flushed into the sewage system. Well, no more. Starting August 29th there will be drop boxes for medication disposals at RxExpress locations.

There is such a vast amount of trash, both seen and unseen, that ends up in the Salt Fork River. Kudos to Carle for this new service which facilitates decisions by each of us that can provide cleaner water in east central Illinois.