Chapter 525 — CONSERVATION

(525 ILCS 25/3) (from Ch. 19, par. 1403) Sec. 3. As used in this Act. (a) "Administrative Framework Plan" means the plan developed by the State to administer and implement the requirements of this Act. (b) "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. (c) "Comprehe…

(525 ILCS 25/4) (from Ch. 19, par. 1404) Sec. 4. (a) Within one year following passage of this Act, the Agency shall develop, in consultation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and the Division of Water Resources, an Adminis…

(525 ILCS 25/5) (from Ch. 19, par. 1405) Sec. 5. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and the Division of Water Resources shall assist the Agency in its preparation of the Administrative Framework Plan. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2…

(525 ILCS 25/6) (from Ch. 19, par. 1406) Sec. 6. Applications submitted to the Agency by Lake Owners to implement Diagnostic and Feasibility Studies, Long-Term Restoration and Preservation Projects, and Water Quality Maintenance Programs shall be reviewed on an annual basis, with…

(525 ILCS 25/7) (from Ch. 19, par. 1407) Sec. 7. (a) The Agency shall grant funds to applicants on a priority basis limited only by the availability of funds. Grants should be 50% of the costs for Diagnostic and Feasibility Studies, and shall not exceed 50% of the costs for eithe…

(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 27/5) Sec. 5. Native prairie and forage plants; State agencies. Every State agency, where appropriate, shall give preference to using native prairie and forage plants to benefit pollinators, including, but not limited to, honey bees and monarch butterflies. The Departme…

(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 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 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 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 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 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 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 30/2) (from Ch. 105, par. 702) Sec. 2. All areas within the State except those that are expressly designated by law for preservation and protection in their natural condition are liable to be altered by human activity. Natural lands and waters together with the plants a…

(525 ILCS 30/20) (from Ch. 105, par. 720) Sec. 20. This Act does not provide public access to land without agreement of the owner thereof. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/21) (from Ch. 105, par. 721) Sec. 21. The Attorney General, or the State's Attorney of the county where a nature preserve or registered area is located, may, upon his own motion or upon request of the Commission, institute a civil action for an injunction, or other a…

(525 ILCS 30/22) (from Ch. 105, par. 722) Sec. 22. Any person who violates this Act or any rule, or causes such violation by his employee or agent, shall be liable for a civil penalty of not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, such penalty to be recovered in an action brought b…

(525 ILCS 30/23) (from Ch. 105, par. 723) Sec. 23. Any person who, directly or through an employee or agent, (a) willfully kills, injures, disturbs or removes any animal or plant or willfully damages, destroys or removes any object, or attempts to do any of the preceding, on a de…

(525 ILCS 30/24) (from Ch. 105, par. 724) Sec. 24. Conservation Police Officers, other employees designated by the Director, sheriffs and other police officers shall enforce this Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and are empowered to arrest any person detected in violation…

(525 ILCS 30/25) (from Ch. 105, par. 725) Sec. 25. All final administrative decisions under this Act are subject to judicial review under the "Administrative Review Law", as now or hereafter amended, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto. The term "administrative decision" is de…

(525 ILCS 30/26) (from Ch. 105, par. 726) Sec. 26. All actions heretofore effected and all areas dedicated under Sections 1a, 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d of "An Act in relation to the acquisition, control, maintenance, improvement and protection of State parks and nature preserves", approv…

(525 ILCS 30/3) (from Ch. 105, par. 703) Sec. 3. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms defined in Sections 3.01 through 3.16 have the meanings ascribed to them in those Sections. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.01) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.01) Sec. 3.01. "Abandoned cemetery" means a cemetery (a) in which no interments have been made and no parts of which have been conveyed or transferred (other than by inheritance or operation of law) for at least 30 years, (b) which has b…

(525 ILCS 30/3.02) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.02) Sec. 3.02. "Buffer area" means an area of land, any estate, interest or right in which has been dedicated or registered under this Act as a buffer area because it protects, provides access to or otherwise serves as a necessary adjunc…

(525 ILCS 30/3.03) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.03) Sec. 3.03. "Cemetery" means a parcel of land devoted to, or at least a part of which has been used for, the interment of human remains. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.04) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.04) Sec. 3.04. "Cemetery authority" means a legally authorized owner, operator, manager or other person in control of a cemetery and actively attending to its care and maintenance. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.05) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.05) Sec. 3.05. "Commission" means the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission created under this Act. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.06) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.06) Sec. 3.06. "Dedicate" means to set aside land in perpetuity as a nature preserve or as a buffer area as provided in this Act for the benefit of the public, thereby subjecting the land to a negative easement in favor of the public and…

(525 ILCS 30/3.07) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.07) Sec. 3.07. "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources. (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.08) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.08) Sec. 3.08. "Director" means the Director of the Department, who may be represented by his designated agents. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.09) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.09) Sec. 3.09. "Land" means real property and ownership rights applying thereto and includes water and the land thereunder, structures and improvements. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.10) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.10) Sec. 3.10. "Natural area" means an area of land in public or private ownership which, in the opinion of the Commission, either retains or has recovered to a substantial degree its original natural or primeval character, though it nee…

(525 ILCS 30/3.11) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.11) Sec. 3.11. "Nature preserve" means a natural area, and land necessary for its protection, any estate, interest or right in which has been dedicated under this Act to be maintained as nearly as possible in its natural condition and to…

(525 ILCS 30/3.12) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.12) Sec. 3.12. "Plan" means a master plan, developed and approved in accordance with the rules, for the preservation, protection, development, management and use of a nature preserve or a registered area. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.13) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.13) Sec. 3.13. "Register" means the official list of registered areas or to place an area on such list. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.14) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.14) Sec. 3.14. "Registered area" means a natural area or a buffer area registered by the Department under this Act. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.15) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.15) Sec. 3.15. "Rules" means rules adopted by the Commission in conjunction with the Department under this Act. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/3.16) (from Ch. 105, par. 703.16) Sec. 3.16. "System" means the State system of nature preserves established under this Act. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/4) (from Ch. 105, par. 704) Sec. 4. The Illinois Nature Preserves Commission is created. The Commission succeeds and continues the Commission created by "An Act relating to the creation of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and defining its powers and duties", …

(525 ILCS 30/5) (from Ch. 105, par. 705) Sec. 5. The Director, the Chief of the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Director of the Illinois State Museum, or their representatives, and representatives of such other agencies, institutions and organizations as the Commission ma…

(525 ILCS 30/6) (from Ch. 105, par. 706) Sec. 6. To effectuate the purposes of this Act, the Commission has the powers and duties enumerated in Sections 6.01 through 6.09 and elsewhere in this Act. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/6.01) (from Ch. 105, par. 706.01) Sec. 6.01. To compile and maintain inventories, registers and records of nature preserves, other natural areas and features, and species of plants and animals and their habitats and establish a fee, by rule, to be collected to recove…

(525 ILCS 30/6.02) (from Ch. 105, par. 706.02) Sec. 6.02. To seek and approve the dedication of nature preserves as part of the system. (Source: P.A. 82-445.)

(525 ILCS 30/6.03) (from Ch. 105, par. 706.03) Sec. 6.03. To prepare, or guide and participate in the preparation of, master plans for nature preserves, to keep watch over the protection, management and use of nature preserves, and to approve or disapprove the manner of holding a…

(525 ILCS 30/6.04) (from Ch. 105, par. 706.04) Sec. 6.04. To conduct investigations and to disseminate information and recommendations pertaining to nature preserves; other natural areas; and habitats of endangered, threatened or rare species of plants and animals and other eleme…