E-Newsletter ■ July 2007

TWI seeks the ear of Congress

	Senator Dick Durbin (right) tours the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge with Donald Hey, TWI president.

On July 2nd Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) visited The Wetlands Initiative’s future lllinois River Nutrient Farm Pilot Project at Goose Pond and the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge. After a briefing by TWI’s Donald Hey about the power of wetlands to remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from our waterways, Durbin said he supports the nutrient farming project.

“We’ve got more corn production, more (agricultural) chemicals, more potential runoff, and we’ve got to start thinking of creative ways of protecting watersheds and resources. Letting Mother Nature give us a helping hand makes all the sense in the world,” Durbin said.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Rep. Judy Biggert (R-13th) both included the pilot project on their “ask” list to their respective appropriations committees, requesting that research at the project be included in upcoming federal spending bills. TWI is seeking federal funding for the $11.8 million, 10-year research program to measure nutrient cycles, greenhouse gases, vegetation growth, microbial communities, and other biological parameters at the project to determine how to optimize nutrient removal in wetlands. In addition, the pilot project will include economic studies to assess how to establish a credit market and regulatory structure, and to estimate nutrient farm income.

Washington Post highlights The Wetlands Initiative

On June 24th, the Washington Post featured a story about The Wetlands Initiative’s nutrient farming strategy in its Sunday edition. The story clearly outlined how restored wetlands could “be a cost-effective way to filter harmful nitrogen and phosphorus that damage ecosystems all the way down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico.” Numerous papers across the country picked it up off wire services and re-printed it, giving us excellent national publicity.

Goose Pond moves into public comment phase

	Berms like these will be used to control water flow in the nutrient farm wetlands at Goose Pond.

TWI staff and partners are working to address public comments sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the construction permit for the Illinois River Nutrient Farm Pilot Project at Goose Pond. As part of the standard permit review process, residents and others interested in the project submitted questions and comments about impacts from the project on flooding, sedimentation, endangered species (i.e., false aster), and wildlife.

The Corps considers all public comments when making its decision to issue the permit. In addition to preparing written responses to the questions, TWI is talking directly to landowners and others with questions or concerns.

Invasive carp studied at Dixon Refuge

Some 10,000 carp were caught in a carp management and research operation at the Sue & Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge in Hennepin this April.

After capturing approximately 10,000 common carp from Hennepin and Hopper Lakes in April, researchers now can estimate that the two lakes contain about 350,000 pounds of carp—a population that is unhealthy for wetland life. Fisheries biologists are now working with TWI staff to develop a long-range management strategy to reduce the carp population.

In other carp news, an outbreak of a carp-specific bacteria killed about 10% of the carp population in mid-June. Guests to Field Day were treated to the smells of the recent fish kill. According to fish biologists, the outbreak was within the norm of fish lifecycles and was likely fueled by the warm weather and the growing population of carp.

Let restoration inspire you on October 2nd

Save the date for our 2nd Annual Fall Gala, From Restoration, Inspiration, at the Arts Club of Chicago on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The evening will include a silent auction featuring nature photography and other items and a delicious buffet. Chicago-region friends will receive invitations in late August. JPMorgan Securities Inc. is the Lead Sponsor of the event.

Friends get out in the field at Dixon Waterfowl Refuge

Mariano Verucchi meets a frog at Field Day

Approximately 85 people enjoyed good food, sunny skies, and sightings of the yellow-headed blackbird at TWI’s first Field Day, Saturday, July 16th at the Sue & Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge. By canoeing into the cattail-dense pockets of Hopper Lake, visitors were treated to views of the yellow-headed blackbird, an Illinois endangered species, perch atop the stalks. Jim Hampson, John and Cindy McKee, and Gary Sullivan also led walking tours of the natural areas. Thanks to Midwest Generation for supporting the event.

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