By Lindsay Keeney
IEC Conservation Director
As part of our work to educate lawmakers on the importance of agriculture and natural resource conservation practices and to help them become environmental champions in the Illinois General Assembly, we have developed programs that connect lawmakers with experiences that demonstrate the real-world impacts of their votes in the legislature.
On these tours, we take legislators out of their office buildings and out into the natural areas we need their help to protect. For example, we bring them to farms in their districts or to conservation areas where they get a first hand look at the importance of conservation practices, soil health and nutrient pollution reduction.
Hands on Experience Becomes Advocacy
Our tours give legislators hands on experience with important issues, allow them to ask questions at their own pace, and help them become knowledgeable experts advocates on the conservation practices they are exposed to.
Expertise Becomes Leadership
We empower conservation leaders, including farmers and conservation professionals, by connecting them with the lawmakers who represent them in the General Assembly, giving them the opportunity to share their expertise and call on that shared experience when asking for support on a bill or issue.
Relationships Become Stronger
Legislator tours allow us to strengthen our relationship with participating lawmakers, which is critical to our work passing proactive environmental laws at the State Capitol. With stronger legislative relationships, our credibility as a go to organization for food, farm and conservation questions and advice grows.
A few examples of the experiences we offered in 2018 include:
- A southern Illinois trip hosted by the Outdoor Caucus where a group of legislators visited a local food business, Scratch Brewery and explored Shawnee National Forest.
- Along with other conservation partners, we offered several hiking excursions and a canoe trip of the Cache River where legislators learned about the natural history of the area, saw firsthand the oldest tree in Illinois – a bald cypress aged over a 1,000 years, and witnessed invasive silver carp in the river.
- An April, 2018 visit to Loda Cemetery Prairie with a state representative to celebrate the ribbon cutting of a new all abilities viewing platform.
- Several farm tours highlighting innovative conservation and soil health strategies
Now that the legislative session is coming to a close, we are excited for our annual legislative tours for 2019.
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