The Following dates have been tentatively sheduled for upcoming Council and Board meetings. More information will be mailed to you at a later date and posted here on our webpage. If you have questions in regards to these meetings, please call the office at (309)833-4747.

UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS

Date: Thursday May 22, 2008
Time: 11:30-1:00
Place: Il Spazio's on the Macomb Square
Agenda: to be mailed at a later time
Speaker: Collen Callahan of Collen Callahan Communications
More information will be posted and mailed at a later date.

Thursday July 10, 2008-Summer Council Meeting


UPCOMING EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS

Thursday June 12, 2008

Thursday August 16, 2008

Thursday October 11, 2008

Thursday December 18, 2008

In September 2007, Prairie Hills accepted a $250,000 grant on behalf of the LaMoine River Ecosystem Partnership from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Prairie HIlls RC&D is working in conjunction with the Illinois Beef Association, Lamoine River Ecosystem Partnership, and the McDonough County Soil Water Conservation District. The grant monies are intended to provide livestock operators alternative watering sources to the river and improve pasture grazing to help protect the river from erosion and pollution of sediment and animal waste. This program will use Best Management Practices in the upper reaches of the LaMoine River Watershed. Installation of the practices will address water quality, streambank erosion, runoff, and habitat degradation through coordinated livestock management. Examples of some practices include the following: fencing, watering facilities, soil testing, nutrient management plans, prescribed grazing, stream crossings, upland erosion control, streambank stabilization, grade control and wetland riparian re-vegetation. Prairie Hills will be working with the IEPA on this conservation reserve program for approximately 2 years helping provide cost share to landowners interested in this program. To date Prairie Hills has had 6 landowners sign up for the program. The operations vary from cattle to sheep and other livestock. A last call letter was sent out April 14th to original participants in the affected area in the upper reaches of the LaMoine River. If no other response is received, then a new area of the LaMoine River Watershed will be selected.

If you would like to receive more information on this program, please contact our office at (309)833-4747.

The 14th Annual Fee Hunting Workshop took place on February 29, 2008 at Dickson Mounds Museum. With over 58 participants involved and a new session added to the mix the workshop was a success.

Elaine Lowry of Warren White Tails presented the new session "hospitality for housing hunters". Elaine has had over 12 years of experience housing outfitters through her husbands and hers outfitting business. Both Elaine and her Husband Bob whom also presented the "habitat and wildlife managment" session, offer a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience to help new outfitters and landowners with their questions and needs. They make themselves available throughout the year to help landowners/outfitters assess their business and land. This helps the landwoner/outfitter make decisions such as how much to lease the land for, and what kind and quality of habitat/wildlife is available on the land. The Lowry's are also able to share some of their past experiences and problems they have had through their years of operation showing participants what seems to work and what doesn't.

Other speakers available were John Pike, Kyla Kruse, and Earl Allen all of the University of Illinois Extension, Bob Carner and Rich Steiner, both Outfitters, Dan Voorhis, Small Business Development Center, Mark Ludolph, Attorney for Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen, and Beau ingledue and Jerry Brookhart of Purdum Gray Ingledue Insurance. All speakers provided the participants with great information on Liability, Insurance, Risk Management, Marketing and Business Management, and Wildlife and Habitat Management. Individuals were encouraged to participate and ask questions through the Outfitter Panel, and throughout the sessions.

For more information or to purchase a packet from this years 14th Annual Fee Hunting Workshop, contact Prairie Hills office at (309)833-4747. The 15th Annual Fee Hunting Workshop is tentatively Scheduled for the first Friday in March of 2009. Additional sessions are being considered to provide particpants more variety. More information will be released at a later date through our newsletter and website.

2008 Brochure