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Fox River Heroes Nancy Williamson


Te upper Fox River was targeted in 1998 to be one of seven partners participating in an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Ecosystem Partnership. Te goal of this Partnership program, which at its height included 43 members, including the Lower Fox River, is to encourage ecosystem management. Nancy is the IDNR’s Ecosystem Administrator for these Partnerships.


In addition to all that she does through her job to promote and protect the Fox River’s unique ecosystem, Nancy in the mid 1980s began volunteering her time and her graphic arts abilities to help the Nature Conservancy. At that time, the Conservancy was building its volunteer stewardship program.


An accomplished artist with an eye for detail, Nancy is known for her precise drawings of birds and plants. She credits her love of art, and in particular her fascination with a thrush, for getting her focused on the


Te Fox River Ecosystem Partnership - FREP


Te Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP) was established in 1997 and is one of 41 ecosystem partnerships in the State under the auspices of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Te Partnership’s territory is the entire Fox River watershed, covering 1,720 square miles situated within portions of the counties of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry and Will. FREP membership includes individuals, governments, organizations and businesses that meet regularly “to promote, preserve, protect and enhance the natural, cultural, economic and recreational resources of Illinois’ Fox River and its watershed.”


FREP’s “vision for the Fox River Watershed is to balance all the uses and demands on our natural resources while preserving and enhancing a healthy environment.” Tis statement comes from FREP’s Integrated Management Plan for the Fox River Watershed Illinois, created in 1998 after more than 110 stakeholders in the watershed worked for over a year to study and develop the plan. Te Integrated Management Plan identifies 16 critical factors and six areas of concern, along with providing 37 specific recommendations and 270 strategies, focusing on habitat, land use, water quality, stormwater management, recreation, and education and outreach.


FREP has a meeting or program each month, held at different locations throughout the watershed and featuring a variety of topics. FREP’s website offers a wide range of information about the Fox River watershed and the activities of the organization. It can be found at: www.foxriverecosystem.org


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Conservation Partnerships


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