Saving Our Wetlands
Only 10% of Illinois historic wetlands remain.
Illinois wetlands are some of the state’s most valuable natural resources. Found in urban and rural river floodplains, lake edges, and prairie basins, these ecosystems include marshes, swamps, and bogs. They provide a habitat for a rich variety of wildlife, including many of the state’s endangered and threatened species, and help absorb excess rainwater and reduce flooding, acting like nature’s sponges.
Illinois has already lost 90 percent of its original wetlands, making the protection and restoration of these areas critical.
Take Action to Save Our Wetlands
Illinois wetlands are more at risk than ever. The U.S. Supreme Court recently gutted the Clean Water Act, eliminating the protection of most wetlands. Now, Illinois wetlands are left vulnerable to developer bulldozers because our state lacks a comprehensive program to protect them.
Contact Your Legislators
Click to send a quick pre-written note urging them to act
Contact Gov. Pritzker
Ask him to step up and save our remaining Illinois wetlands
Sign Up for Updates
Get updates on opportunities to support legislation protecting wetlands
Join Us in Fighting to Protect These Special Places
IEC and our partners are fighting to pass new legislation restoring legal protections for Illinois wetlands. HB3596/SB2401 calls on the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to step up where the U.S. Supreme Court stepped back. The legislation would establish state-level protections for vulnerable Illinois wetlands and establish the state’s responsibility to protect them.
Big developers with deep pockets and top-dollar lobbyists are standing in our way. Legislators and Gov. Pritzker need to hear that you support our wetlands!
Wetlands Under Threat
In late 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Clean Water Act, eliminating the legal protection of many wetlands we rely on for flood control and habitat along major rivers, including right here in Illinois. Now, Illinois wetlands are left vulnerable.
Since the Sackett decision, the number of Illinois wetlands protected by the Clean Water Act has dropped by nearly a third. Illinois has already lost nearly 90% of its wetlands. In our warming climate and increasing extreme weather, we can’t afford to lose any more.
Nature’s Sponges
Wetlands act as natural sponges, soaking up excess rainwater and reducing the risk of flooding in nearby communities. By slowing and storing runoff, they provide an estimated $755 million in annual residential flood mitigation benefits. Over the long term, these benefits add up to between $10.8 billion and $25.2 billion. Protecting wetlands is a cost-effective way to safeguard homes, infrastructure, and lives from increasingly frequent and intense storms.
Enjoying the Great Outdoors
Wetlands are a vital part of what makes the Illinois outdoors so special. They support wildlife, clean our water, and help create great places for hiking, hunting, fishing, birdwatching, photography, and more. Polls show that nearly 80% of Illinoisans want to protect natural areas like wetlands, prairies, and forests. Our state’s outdoor spaces support over 175,000 jobs and bring in more than $10 billion every year—proof that protecting wetlands means protecting what we love.
Stay Engaged
Wetlands are also vital to people. They naturally filter water by trapping pollutants, improving the quality of rivers and lakes used for drinking, recreation, and farming. By storing carbon in their soils, they also help fight climate change. Preserving Illinois’ wetlands is not just about saving wildlife—it’s about protecting clean water, safe communities, and a healthy environment for future generations.
If you care about irreplaceable places like our wetlands and the vital role they play in our lives, please sign up to stay engaged!
Learn More About Illinois Wetlands
Empowering Environmental Champions: 2024 Legislative Tours
To educate decision-makers on the importance of environmental stewardship, we connect them with experiences that demonstrate the real-world impacts of their votes in the General Assembly.
Illinois Wetlands Protection Act Letter to Gov. Pritzker
Illinois wetlands are vulnerable because unlike Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, Illinois lacks a comprehensive state wetlands program. Illinois has already lost 90% of the state’s wetlands since the 1800s.
Protecting Chicago’s Wetlands
Wetlands–home to a dazzling array of plants and animals–stand between us and some of the worst effects of climate change. Advocates in Chicago urge decision-makers to implement policy solutions to protect these incredible ecosystems.
Jen Walling’s List of Must-see Treasures in Southern Illinois
Many people overlook our natural areas as a major highlight of things Illinois has to offer, but that’s a mistake: Illinois is beautiful.
10 Great Illinois Spots and the Land and Water Conservation Fund
The LWCF has had an outstanding, though often unrecognized, impact on some of Illinois’ most significant places, from historically meaningful sites to a myriad of recreational spaces including national refuges and urban open spaces.
Conservation Updates
2025 Legislative Report
IEC's state legislative team has published our 2024 Legislative Report detailing environmental wins and setbacks during this year's legislative session.
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Wrapping Up the 2025 Illinois Legislative Session
Our team has been on the ground at the Capitol for the last five months, all the way up until the final moments this evening....
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How Big Ag thwarted wetlands protections in Illinois and Iowa
Two years ago this week, the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. the Environmental Protection Agency significantly limited the agency’s ability to use the 1972...
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A Sprint to Accelerate Illinois’ Clean Energy Progress
With two full weeks of the legislative session left before the May 31 deadline, IEC is working overtime to ensure our priorities cross the finish...
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Illinois Has Your Back, Mother Earth
We can’t count on Washington to do right for the environment. Good thing Illinois’ environmental movement is on top of it.
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Conservation Advocacy in Illinois
We're midway through the legislative session. Our team has been hard at work this week rounding up roll call votes for many of the bills...
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