A Wildly Beneficial Wetland Field Day for Hunters at Feather Prairie Farm

Hunters, hunting dog trainers, and landowners who want hunting areas are invited to a special event at Feather Prairie Farms near Dwight, IL, on Thursday, September 14, 2023, from 2–6 pm.

Just one year ago, the Land Improvement Contractors Association restored a 0.58-acre wetland scrape and built a 2.01-acre wetland for treating tile drainage at the 12.3-acre project on Feather Prairie Farm. The Wetlands Initiative's Smart Wetland Program and the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provided the design and covered the construction costs. In addition, Illinois Pheasants Forever planted a short and tall grass native habitat to attract wildlife and pollinators to the area.

In addition to touring the tile treatment and restored wetlands, visitors can watch a hunting dog training demonstration and hear two expert researchers speak about upland birds, waterfowl, and wetland management.

Event Agenda

• 2-5 pm — Self-guided tours of the on-site constructed and restored wetlands

• 2-5 pm — Visit with exhibitors

• 3 pm — Bird Conservation in Illinois and Beyond, Dr. Michael Ward, professor and researcher,  Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

• 4 pm – Waterfowl, Wetland Birds, and Management Practices that Attract Them, Dr. Auriel Fournier, Director of the Illinois Natural History Survey's Forbes Biological Station

• 5 pm – Dinner, sponsored by Springfield Plastics, Inc.

• 5:30 pm -- Hunting Dog Training demonstration, Dan Ihrke, owner and hunting dog trainer at Green Acres Sportsman's Club

Please RSVP at this link so we have enough food and space for attendees to join us for dinner. Driving directions and the latest details on the event can be found at https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland6.

The Wetlands Initiative is sponsoring the event with support from the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association (ILICA), US Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, Feather Prairie Farm, Ducks Unlimited and Springfield Plastics, Inc.

A Derecho can't keep us from showing you our Marshall County Wetland

Henry, IL –  If you missed the June 29, 2023, field event held near Henry to see and learn about a Smart Wetland, you have another chance to see it. Due to the derecho that hit Marshall County, the Marshall-Putnam Soil and Water Conservation District (M-P SWCD)and the Wetlands Initiative (TWI) had to cancel the evening session of the field event. Therefore, we have rescheduled the evening event for 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, August 17, 2023.

Visitors can visit the ag tile-treatment wetland and talk with the farmer, Rex Newton, and the wetland designer, Jill Kostel. In addition, a series of displays will explain how TWI develops an ag-tile treatment wetland, how wetlands remove nitrogen and phosphorus, and how effective Smart Wetlands are at removing nitrate from ag-tile drainage water. Finally, there will be the opportunity to enjoy the pollinator habitat surrounding the wetland. We also plan on some of our ag and conservation partners joining us.

Smart Wetlands are precisely located and custom-designed constructed wetlands to fit within today’s farming operation and tile-drainage system to remove nutrients. This wetland was constructed in September 2021 and is now fully operational. M.K. Farm Drainage Specialists built the 1.83-acre wetland at McCuskey Farms under the direction of the M-P SWCD and TWI through their Smart Wetlands program. Martin McCuskey owns the land, and Rex Newton farms it.

The Smart Wetland site is located west of Henry, IL, near the intersection of Marshall County Road 500 East and County Road 1400 North, along the Scholes Branch Creek. Additional information about the field day, including a location map, is available at: https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland5.

This event is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2022-38640-37486 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number LNC22-465. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agricutlure.

Join ISAP for an Ag and Conservation Family Night at Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL – Whether you are from the country or town, there will be something of interest to all ages at the upcoming Ag and Conservation Family Night event at Illinois Central College’s (ICC) East Peoria campus on August 2, 2023. Visitors will get an up-close view of farmers' many practices and technologies to improve soil health and protect water quality on their farms from 5:30-8 pm that evening.

The tour will feature conservation drainage installation equipment, a constructed wetland, cover crop plots, and even a soil pit! There will be plenty of time to ask questions and connect with the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP), Illinois Central College, and the Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, along with plenty of family-friendly activities.

The event kicks off at ICC (1 College Dr, East Peoria, IL 61635) with appetizers, refreshments, and a welcome from the event’s organizers at 5:30 pm. Then, from 6:15-7:45 pm, attendees are invited to visit several nearby field stations, including:

• An ag-tile drainage constructed wetland hosted by The Wetlands Initiative

• Rainfall simulator hosted by Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership 

• Soil Pit & Cover Crop plot presented by the Illinois NRCS and The Nature Conservancy

• Agriculture drainage tile and water and sediment control basin installation demonstrated by the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association

The event will wrap up at 7:45 pm, with ISAP providing additional resources.

Register today at agandconservation.eventbrite.com. Transportation will be available to help those with limited mobility to and from the Workforce Sustainability Building and through the various displays. 

Check out a wetland that is Smart, Hard-working and good-looking!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Henry, IL -- You can visit one of the newest Smart Wetlands in Marshall County this Thursday, June 29, 2023. The wetland is loaded with vegetation and primed to remove nitrates and phosphorus from ag-drainage tile water. The surrounding prairie is in bloom, with multiple species thriving despite the dry conditions. The public is welcome to attend two sessions.

Marshall County Smart Wetland, June 24, 2023

The first is from 11 am – 2 pm for farmers, farmland owners, and agribusiness professionals wanting to reduce nutrient loss from cropland. Participants will be able to tour the wetland and the surrounding prairie and learn why this conservation practice is essential to improving water quality in Illinois. A free ribeye sandwich lunch will be served at noon, with presentations on various sustainable agriculture practices. Those speaking include: Jim Isermann, Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership, and Dr. Jill Kostel, The Wetlands Initiative (TWI), talking about various resources available for farmers wanting to reduce nutrient loss from their farms; Kyle Maple, U.S. Agriculture, explaining how those investing in agriculture are demanding more sustainable ag practices; and Dylan Cook, American Farmland Trust, will provide an update on the progress to get a new Farm Bill passed this year.

Later from 4–7 pm, the public, conservation professionals, and hunters are encouraged to attend. This session will focus on how native marsh vegetation in and around a Smart Wetland can provide habitat for wildlife, waterfowl, pollinators, and recreational opportunities for landowners on their property. Staff from Marshall-Putnam Soil and Water Conservation District (M-P SWCD), TWI, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others, will be on hand to answer questions. Snacks and drinks will be served.

Smart Wetlands are precisely located and custom-designed constructed wetlands to fit within today’s farming operation to remove nutrients. This wetland was constructed in September 2021 and is now fully operational. M.K. Farm Drainage Specialists built the 1.83-acre wetland at McCuskey Farms under the direction of the M-P SWCD and TWI through their Smart Wetlands program. Martin McCuskey owns the land, and Rex Newton farms it.

 The Smart Wetland installation site is located west of Henry, IL, near the intersection of Marshall County Road 500 East and County Road 1400 North, along the Scholes Branch Creek. Additional information about the field day will be available at: https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland5.

The place is blooming!

A visit to the Marshall County Smart Wetland site on Saturday was a bit of a surprise. Despite having little to no rain for weeks, the prairie was blooming, and there was still water in the wetland. Below are photos of the bloomers. This is great since we planning a field day on Thursday, June 29. The public is welcome to attend.

More images and details about the event are available at https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland5

Jean McGuire, Smart Wetlands field outreach coordinator, a program of the Wetlands Initiative.