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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is the policy of the State of Illinois to
3provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of
4this and future generations; and
 
5    WHEREAS Through the Illinois Department of Natural
6Resources, it is the State's mission is to manage, conserve,
7and protect Illinois' natural, recreational, and cultural
8resources, further the public's understanding and appreciation
9of those resources, and promote Illinois' natural resources for
10present and future generations; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, prepared by the
12Illinois Department of Natural Resources, provides specific
13goals for protection of major habitats in the Northeastern
14Morainal Natural Division of Illinois, identifies specific
15action items to support the Forest, Farmland and Prairie,
16Wetlands, and Streams Campaigns, and identifies the
17Lake-McHenry Wetlands as a Conservation Opportunity Area
18containing rare wetland types and rare wetland and grassland
19species not found elsewhere in Illinois; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The National Wildlife Refuge System is a national
21network of public lands managed by the United States Fish and
22Wildlife Service and set aside to conserve America's fish,

 

 

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1wildlife, and plants; and
 
2    WHEREAS, On March 21, 2012, the United States Fish and
3Wildlife Service released its environmental assessment of the
4proposed Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and recommended
5that a refuge consisting of core areas linked by corridors be
6established in McHenry County, Illinois and Walworth County,
7Wisconsin; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service goals
9for the proposed refuge are to:
10    (1) protect and enhance habitats for federal trust species
11    and species of management concern with special emphasis on
12    grassland dependent migratory birds and protection of
13    wetlands and grasslands, and
14    (2) create opportunities for hunting and fishing, wildlife
15    observation and photography, and environmental education
16    and interpretation, while promoting activities that
17    complement the purposes of the refuge and other protected
18    lands in the region, and
19    (3) promote science, education, and research through
20    partnerships to inform land management decisions and
21    encourage continued responsible stewardship of the natural
22    resources of the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge; and
 
23    WHEREAS, The proposed Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge,

 

 

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1which lies within the Lake McHenry Wetlands Conservation
2Opportunity Area, will provide habitat for at least 60
3State-listed plant and animal species and support habitat
4protection goals identified for the Northeastern Morainal
5Natural Division of Illinois and Campaign action items
6identified in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Designation of the Hackmatack National Wildlife
8Refuge will serve to assist, protect, conserve, and further the
9management of the State's endangered and threatened species and
10their habitats, as well as the refuge's namesake, the tamarack
11tree, which is known as the "hackmatack" in at least one Native
12American language, is a rare remnant of the glacial history of
13Northern Illinois, and is found in the area of the proposed
14refuge; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Increased recreational opportunities from the
16creation of the refuge will help address child obesity and
17other pressing health conditions in Illinois where one in 5
18Illinois children is obese and 62% of Illinois adults are
19overweight or obese; the refuge will complement efforts of the
20Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Chicago
21Wilderness to partner with organizations to promote outdoor
22play and recreation; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Children benefit from access to the outdoors in

 

 

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1many ways, and the creation of the refuge will expand their
2opportunities to experience nature; studies show that when
3children spend time outdoors feelings of anxiety and depression
4decrease, concentration and performance at school improve, and
5an early appreciation and love of nature is fostered; young
6people who spend time in nature are also more likely to be
7strong advocates for the environment as adults; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Wildlife refuges are good for Illinois' economy,
9and outdoor recreation opportunities, such as boating,
10camping, fishing, hunting, picnicking, sightseeing, wildlife
11observation, swimming, and trail use, create a $3.2 billion
12annual economic impact in Illinois, supporting 33,000 jobs
13Statewide; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the United
16States Fish and Wildlife Service in its efforts to establish a
17new national wildlife refuge on the Illinois-Wisconsin border
18to be named the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge; and be it
19further
 
20    RESOLVED, That we urge the Governor to represent the State
21of Illinois as a supporter of the United States Fish and
22Wildlife Service's efforts to establish the Hackmatack
23National Wildlife Refuge as appropriate; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Department of Natural
2Resources to work in partnership with the United States Fish
3and Wildlife Service to make the Hackmatack National Wildlife
4Refuge a reality; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
6presented to the President of the United States, Barack Obama,
7the Governor of the State of Illinois, the Secretary of the
8United States Department of the Interior, the Director of the
9Midwest Region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
10the Director of Natural Resources, and members of Illinois'
11congressional delegation.