Vermilion River
Protected Lands - Kickapoo State Recreation Area, Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area, Kennekuk Cove County Park, Woodyard State Natural Area, Fleirman's River Nature Preserve
Priority Resources - streams (National Wild & Scenic River), fishes, mussels, geographically restricted amphibians
Conservation Philosophy - Maintain and enhance Scenic River Corridor and buffer areas, utilize historic vegetation conditions as a guide for a mosaic of prairie, shrubland, savanna, and open woodland on sandy terraces and flat uplands, dry-mesic and mesic forest in ravines, emphasizing forest establishment and enhancement.
Objectives - assess streambank erosion and stabilization needs; protect and restore terrace wetlands and all seeps, maintain 3-5 forested tracts >200 acres; develop channel evolution model for river to help identify future management needs; enhance oak recruitment in existing wooded tracts; decrease amount of hard' habitat edges through burning, invasive species control, and planting.
Priority Actions - hydrologic analysis and plan (especially vis-a-vis streambanks and channel stability); restoration of degraded habitats using historical vegetation conditions as a guide; landowner contact for all rare resources in database; establish amphibian breeding habitat adjacent to existing woodlands, forests, and woodland/forest restorations; control/remove exotic species; reduce remove hard habitat edges; increase prescribed burning, especially in oak woodlands and forests; perform biotic inventories and establish monitoring protocols.
Partners - Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, National Park Service, Dynegy Midwest Generation; U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, Vermilion County Conservation District; Vermilion County Soil & Water Conservation District, Prairie Rivers Network, Volunteer Stewardship Network, canoe outfitters, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Conservation Resources - Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Landowner Contact, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service W-76-D; State Wildlife Grants, C2000, National Park Service
Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation - Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State Water Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Critical Trends Assessment Program, Prairie Rivers Network