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Prestigious, international honors for 2 Illinois River sites

Wetlands at Emiquon Complex and Dixon Waterfowl Refuge earn Ramsar distinction

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[July 19, 2012]  FULTON COUNTY -- Some of Illinois' restored natural areas have received a highly prestigious, international honor. The Emiquon Complex and the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge have been designated as "wetlands of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty in which member countries commit to the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Emiquon, along the Illinois River near Lewistown, includes The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve, the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge and the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge. The complex totals 14,000 acres and includes a diversity of wetland habitats.

"At Emiquon, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have restored a thriving and productive wetland mosaic, and we're delighted our work and successes are being confirmed by this important designation," said Doug Blodgett, director of river conservation for The Nature Conservancy.

"Through our collective and collaborative restoration and management initiatives, the Emiquon Complex supports thousands of migrating waterfowl and other native species, helps to clean water entering the Illinois River, provides recreational opportunities for thousands of visitors, and serves as a model for resource managers around the world."

Emiquon is one of eight proof-of-concept sites within the Mississippi River Basin that the Conservancy's Great Rivers Partnership uses to facilitate the exchange of science and practices among those who manage large rivers around the globe.

Similarly, the 2,750-acre Sue and Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge at Hennepin Lake and Hopper Lake along the Illinois River has also been named a "wetland of international importance."

It's believed to be the first time that two sites on one river have earned this distinction.

"I'm pleased these wetlands are being recognized for their international importance as they play a key role in Illinois tourism," said Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon. "These sites draw folks from all around to hike, bird-watch, kayak and fish. This designation recognizes the work that's been done to restore these natural resources and will boost efforts moving forward."

Simon chairs Illinois' three coordinating councils on river issues, including the Illinois River Coordinating Council, which will have a dedication ceremony for the two Ramsar-designated sites in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wetlands Initiative.

"This is a great day for the Illinois River. It's a validation of the practices used to restore formerly drained and degraded areas back to high-quality natural areas, all in a relatively short time," said Paul Botts, executive director of the Wetlands Initiative, which restored the Dixon site.

The Ramsar Convention -- with 162 member nations, including the United States -- encourages countries to promote wetlands conservation and lays out strict criteria for a wetland to be deemed internationally important. A total of 2,031 sites around the world, including only 34 in the United States, have earned Ramsar designation. The Cache River-Cypress Creek Wetlands and the Upper Mississippi Floodplain, which stretches from Wabasha, Minn., to north of Rock Island, are the only other Illinois sites that have been recognized.

This week's Ramsar Conference of the Contracting Parties, COP 11, in Bucharest marks the signing of a three-year cooperation memorandum between The Nature Conservancy and Ramsar Convention Secretariat. The signing signifies an extension of an already 12-year relationship to improve, restore and sustain the world's natural resources through creating awareness surrounding wetland conservation, climate change, river basin management and ecosystem valuation.

"We are excited to continue our relationship with the Ramsar Convention Secretariat," said Carmen Revenga, a Nature Conservancy senior freshwater scientist and head of the delegation for the conference. "Working with Ramsar to find global solutions to protect the world's most precious natural resources is an honor as is the recognition of the restoration efforts at Dixon Waterfowl Refuge and Emiquon in Illinois."

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The Emiquon Complex met eight of the nine Ramsar criteria for designation. These include supporting endangered species, supporting plants and animals that are important for maintaining a diverse ecosystem, supporting 20,000 or more water birds, supporting 1 percent of a species population, and serving as an important food source for fish.

In most cases, Emiquon not only met, but exceeded the criteria. As examples, the Emiquon Preserve noted the presence in one day of 4.5 percent of the continental population of American coots, while the Ramsar criterion is 1 percent; and the Emiquon Complex supports hundreds of thousands of migratory water birds, far surpassing the Ramsar criterion of 20,000.

The Dixon Waterfowl Refuge met six Ramsar criteria, including containing globally rare wetland ecosystem types and being an important example of the region's native landscape, which is rare in Illinois today due to extensive habitat loss and wetland drainage. The refuge supports outstanding biodiversity, including 146 animal and plant species that are vulnerable to extinction in Illinois.

The Dixon and Emiquon locations are outstanding sites for hiking, bird-watching, boating, wildlife photography, canoeing and kayaking, and fishing. Both sites attract thousands of visitors each year.

The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wetlands Initiative plan an Aug. 8 dedication ceremony of their respective Ramsar-designated sites at 2:30 p.m. during a meeting of the Illinois River Coordinating Council at the Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect the land and water on which all life depends. To date, the organization and its more than 1 million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 18 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy online at www.nature.org.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The agency is both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

The Wetlands Initiative is dedicated to restoring the wetland resources of the Midwest to improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and reduce flood damage. The Wetlands Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Visit The Wetlands Initiative at www.wetlands-initiative.org.

[Text from file received from The Nature Conservancy]

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