Macon Reporter

A years-long partnership has been made official between Illinois state and federal agencies focused on natural resources. 

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service on Jan. 5 signed “an Agreement for Shared Stewardship,” a press release said.

DNR Director Colleen Callahan and USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen signed the agreement that strengthens the agencies “commitment to collaborative land management efforts throughout” Illinois, the press release said.

“The agreement establishes a framework to allow the state and the Forest Service to work collaboratively on forest management, accomplishing mutual goals, furthering common interests and effectively responding to the increasing suite of challenges facing the communities, landscapes and natural resources in Illinois,” the press release said.

DNR’s goal in part is “to manage, conserve and protect Illinois’ natural, recreational and cultural resources,” its Facebook page said.

A 30,000-employee agency, the USDA Forest Service “manages a system of 154 national forests, 20 national grasslands, and 222 research and experimental forests, as well as other special areas, covering more than 192 million acres of public land,” its Facebook page said.

Callahan and Christiansen said in the press release that the signed agreement “puts into writing” the agencies’ partnership for the benefit of future leaders, making their “working relationship even stronger.”

The Forest Service and DNR working together can meet the current challenges that Illinois’ land managers face, including droughts, storms, flooding, invasive species, insect plus disease outbreaks and public use, the press release said.

“These challenges must be met with proactive measures across all lands including: restoring fire-adapted ecosystems and reducing the risk of wildfire; identifying, managing, restoring, and reducing threats to forest and prairie ecosystems’ health; maintaining a sustainable use model to ensure forests meet the present and future demands for natural resources and public recreation; fostering economic development strategies that keep working forests productive,” the press release said.