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Public Access Committee Mr. Larry Lucas, Chair Mr. Pat Kernan , Co-Chair

Public Access Committee Mr. Larry Lucas, Chair Mr. Pat Kernan , Co-Chair. Public Access Goal. Goal: To provide every outdoor recreationist an opportunity to pursue his/her outdoor activity.

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Public Access Committee Mr. Larry Lucas, Chair Mr. Pat Kernan , Co-Chair

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  1. Public Access CommitteeMr. Larry Lucas, ChairMr. Pat Kernan, Co-Chair

  2. Public Access Goal • Goal: To provide every outdoor recreationist an opportunity to pursue his/her outdoor activity. • The committee traveled to Springfield, Quincy, and Bartlett to solicit public input and discuss recommendations to accomplish goal.

  3. Scope of Outdoor Access • Public versus Private Landownership • Type of Recreational Use (Trails/Consumptive/Non-consumptive) • Land versus Water

  4. Challenges With Providing Access on Public Land • Limited Amount of Public Land • Diversity of Competing Outdoor Activities • Relatively Large, Increasing Human Population

  5. Challenges With Providing Access on Private Land • Habitat Loss and Fragmentation • Parcelization of Landownership • Urban Sprawl • Cultural Changes

  6. What do outdoor recreationists want from a public access program?

  7. Access to Public Lands • Determine availability and location of public lands • Maximize outdoor recreational opportunities for all groups • Develop, improve and maintain infrastructure on public lands • Provide additional opportunities through land acquisition from willing sellers • Update the definition of a public waterway

  8. Access to Private Lands • Liability Protection • User and landowner relationships • Needed incentives to open land to access • Cash • Tax Breaks • Technical Assistance and Cost Share • Free Labor • Federal Farm Program Subsidies • Wildlife Management Benefits

  9. RECOMMENDATIONS • Amend the Recreational Use of Land and Waters Area Act • Develop a Program to Provide Access to public and Private Lands • Create a State Water Trails Plan and a Model Heritage Water Trail • Star Parks on State-owned Sites

  10. Recommendation #1Restore liability protection for private landowners who open their land for recreation Objectives: • Reinstate the original protection for landowners • Retain the current protection for landowners • Protect landowners who contract with the IDNR

  11. Recommendation #2Develop a program to provide access to public and private land Objective: • The IDNR needs to increase access to available land in Illinois for outdoor recreational purposes.

  12. Recommendation #3IDNR should create a State Water Trails Plan Objectives: • Increases paddling related tourism throughout the State • Expands public access to Illinois rivers and streams • Accurately reflects the current recreational use of Illinois’ waterways • Establishes designated watertrails on waterways identified in the Plan

  13. Recommendation #3IDNR should establish a model State Heritage Water Trail Objectives: • The IDNR should establish one model state Heritage Water Trail outside of Northeastern Illinois between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012.

  14. Recommendation #4IDNR should establish a star park in every IDNR site. Objectives: • Provide a place to enjoy the starry nightscape on each IDNR site. • Initiate long-range planning to qualify one area as a Starlight Reserve/Dark-Sky Preserve • Stop the increase in light pollution starting with State properties.

  15. Where do we go from here?

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