Chapter 525, CONSERVATION

(525 ILCS 47/0.01) (was 720 ILCS 400/0.01) Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Wild Plant Conservation Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(525 ILCS 40/0.01) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 5900) Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the State Forest Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(525 ILCS 20/0.01) (from Ch. 61, par. 500) Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Ginseng Harvesting Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(525 ILCS 27/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Native Prairie and Forage Preference Act. (Source: P.A. 101-76, eff. 1-1-20.)

(525 ILCS 5/1) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 9501) Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the Cave Protection Act. (Source: P.A. 84-140.)

(525 ILCS 37/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Prescribed Burning Act. (Source: P.A. 95-108, eff. 8-13-07.)

(525 ILCS 25/1) (from Ch. 19, par. 1401) Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Lake Management Program Act." (Source: P.A. 86-939.)

(525 ILCS 10/1) (from Ch. 5, par. 931) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the Illinois Exotic Weeds Act. (Source: P.A. 103-620, eff. 1-1-25.)

(525 ILCS 33/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Open Land Trust Act. (Source: P.A. 91-220, eff. 7-21-99.)

(525 ILCS 35/1) (from Ch. 85, par. 2101) Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. (Source: P.A. 83-722.)

(525 ILCS 40/1) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 5901) Sec. 1. The Department of Natural Resources shall have control, supervision and management of all State forests herein provided for and hereafter to be established. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

(525 ILCS 47/1) (was 720 ILCS 400/1) Sec. 1. Any person, firm or corporation who knowingly buys, sells, offers or exposes for sale any blood root (Sanguinaria canadensis), lady slipper (Cyprepedium parviflorum and Cyprepedium hirsutum), columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), trillium …

(525 ILCS 60/1) (Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2029) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Youth and Young Adult Conservation Education Act. (Source: P.A. 103-788, eff. 1-1-25.)

(525 ILCS 30/1) (from Ch. 105, par. 701) Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act". (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 15/1) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 9101) Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Forestry Development Act". (Source: P.A. 83-446.)

(525 ILCS 31/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Act. (Source: P.A. 100-420, eff. 8-25-17.)

(525 ILCS 45/1) (from Ch. 5, par. 1601) Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Water Use Act of 1983". (Source: P.A. 83-700.)

(525 ILCS 22/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. (Source: P.A. 103-923, eff. 1-1-25.)

(525 ILCS 55/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Pollinator-Friendly Solar Site Act. (Source: P.A. 100-1022, eff. 8-21-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)

(525 ILCS 50/1) (from Ch. 48, par. 2551) Sec. 1. This Article II shall be known and may be cited as the Illinois Veteran, Youth, and Young Adult Conservation Jobs Act. (Source: P.A. 97-738, eff. 7-5-12.)

(525 ILCS 20/1) (from Ch. 61, par. 501) (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-785) Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: (Source: P.A. 83-680.) (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-785) Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in thi…

(525 ILCS 30/10) (from Ch. 105, par. 710) Sec. 10. An area may be dedicated as a buffer area in the same manner as provided in this Act for the dedication of a nature preserve. A dedicated buffer area shall have the same status and protection under this Act as a nature preserve, …

(525 ILCS 33/10) Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: "Conservation and recreation purposes" means activities that are consistent with the protection and preservation of open lands, natural areas, wetlands, prairies, forests, watersheds, resource-rich areas, greenways, and …

(525 ILCS 31/10) Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: "Administrative decision" has the same meaning ascribed to the term in Section 3-101 of the Administrative Review Law of the Code of Civil Procedure. "Commission" means the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. "Conserva…

(525 ILCS 35/10) (from Ch. 85, par. 2110) Sec. 10. This Act takes effect July 1, 1973 or upon becoming a law, whichever is later. (Source: P.A. 78-938.)

(525 ILCS 22/10) Sec. 10. State goal. It is the goal of the State that there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest, prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to State-supported activities. Further, the State and units of local government shall preser…

(525 ILCS 60/10) (Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2029) Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources. "Program" means the Youth and Young Adult Conservation and Education Pilo…

(525 ILCS 37/10) Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: (a) "Prescribed burning" means the planned application of fire to naturally occurring vegetative fuels under specified environmental conditions and following appropriate precautionary measures, which causes the fire to b…

(525 ILCS 55/10) Sec. 10. Site management practices. An owner of a ground-mounted solar site may follow practices that: (1) provide native perennial vegetation and foraging habitat which is beneficial to game birds, songbirds, and pollinators; and (2) reduce storm water runoff an…

(525 ILCS 30/11) (from Ch. 105, par. 711) Sec. 11. Any part or all of a cemetery that is suitable for dedication may be dedicated, as provided in this Act, by the owner or other cemetery authority. Dedication of a cemetery or a part thereof does not affect its status as a cemeter…

(525 ILCS 35/11) (from Ch. 85, par. 2111) Sec. 11. Progress reports on the implementation and development of this Act shall be filed annually with the Governor and the General Assembly. Such reports shall include a statement of goals and objectives and such quantifiable support d…

(525 ILCS 30/12) (from Ch. 105, par. 712) Sec. 12. If all or part of an abandoned cemetery is suitable for dedication, the county board for the county in which it is situated may dedicate it in the manner provided in this Act. If a county board proposes and intends to dedicate a …

(525 ILCS 35/13) (from Ch. 85, par. 2113) Sec. 13. There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Fund. The fund shall be used by the Department to make grants to local governments in the manner and for the purposes described in Sec…

(525 ILCS 30/13) (from Ch. 105, par. 713) Sec. 13. An owner of a nature preserve retains custody, administration and management thereof, or may assign, lease or convey an interest or ownership therein, or contract for the custody, maintenance or operation thereof, subject to the …

(525 ILCS 30/14) (from Ch. 105, par. 714) Sec. 14. Nature preserves are held in trust, for those uses and purposes expressed in this Act which are not prohibited by their instruments of dedication, for the benefit of the people of the State of present and future generations. Area…

(525 ILCS 35/14) (from Ch. 85, par. 2114) Sec. 14. There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. The fund shall be used by the Department for the acquisition, preservation and stewardship of natural areas, including habitats for endangered and …

(525 ILCS 60/15) (Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2029) Sec. 15. Cooperation. The Department shall have the full cooperation of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois State Job Coordinating Council cre…

(525 ILCS 31/15) Sec. 15. Powers, duties, and authorizations. The Department may: (1) make stewardship grants under Section 20 of this Act under an appropriation made from the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund to conservation land trusts to conduct stewardship actions on eligible la…

(525 ILCS 37/15) Sec. 15. Requirements; liability. (a) Before conducting a prescribed burn under this Act, a person shall: (1) obtain the written consent of the landowner; (2) have a written prescription approved by a certified prescribed burn manager; (3) have at least one certi…

(525 ILCS 33/15) Sec. 15. Powers and duties. The Department of Natural Resources has the following powers and duties: (a) To develop and administer the Illinois Open Land Trust program. (b) To acquire real property, including, but not limited to, open space and natural areas for …

(525 ILCS 55/15) Sec. 15. Recognition of beneficial habitat. An owner or manager of a solar site with a generating capacity of more than 40 kilowatts implementing site management practices under this Act may claim that the site is "pollinator-friendly" or provides benefits to gam…

(525 ILCS 30/15) (from Ch. 105, par. 715) Sec. 15. Any public agency or instrumentality of the State and its political subdivisions has the power, and is urged, to dedicate suitable areas or portions of areas within its holdings and to continue holding them as nature preserves. A…

(525 ILCS 22/15) Sec. 15. Receipt of federal moneys. The Department of Natural Resources may receive federal moneys to administer a Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program. (Source: P.A. 103-923, eff. 1-1-25.)

(525 ILCS 30/16) (from Ch. 105, par. 716) Sec. 16. A register of areas is established. The register consists of areas registered by the Department under this Act with the approval of the Commission and the owner. A registered area may be in public or private ownership and may or …

(525 ILCS 30/17) (from Ch. 105, par. 717) Sec. 17. All public agencies shall recognize that the protection of nature preserves, buffer areas and registered areas is the public policy of the State and shall avoid the planning of any action that would adversely affect them. It shal…

(525 ILCS 30/18) (from Ch. 105, par. 718) Sec. 18. No public agency shall designate an area as a nature preserve unless it is dedicated as a nature preserve under this Act or unless such designation is approved by the Commission. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/19) (from Ch. 105, par. 719) Sec. 19. The dedication or registration of an area or any other action taken under this Act shall not void or replace any protective status under law which an area would have were it not a dedicated or registered area, the protective prov…

(525 ILCS 20/1a) (from Ch. 61, par. 502) (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027) Sec. 1a. "Cultivated ginseng" means ginseng growing in tilled beds under shade of artificial structures or under natural shade. (Source: P.A. 83-680. Repealed by P.A. 104-785, eff. 1-1-…

(525 ILCS 20/1b) (from Ch. 61, par. 503) (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027) Sec. 1b. "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96. Repealed by P.A. 104-785, eff. 1-1-27.)

(525 ILCS 20/1c) (from Ch. 61, par. 504) (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027) Sec. 1c. "Director" means the Director of Natural Resources. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96. Repealed by P.A. 104-785, eff. 1-1-27.)