[BCNnet] no sightings: 11 state parks to close October 31 - will affect birders

[casresearch at comcast.net]

Right now, unless things change, 10 Illinois state parks and 1 state forest will close on November 1st, and might stay closed until the end of the budget year, next July 1, 2009.   There are a number of state parks included that birders have reported bird sightings from this past year (and I usually go to a few of them each year too).    IBET:  FYI only (conservation issues should be discussed on BCNnet and other sites).  This might affect a few Christmas Counts this winter also.    

The following Illinois State Parks will close effective November 1:
•    Castle Rock State Park, Oregon
•    Lowden State Park, Oregon
•    Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Sheffield 
•    Illini State Park, Marseilles 
•    Rice Lake Conservation Area, Canton 
•    Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon 
•    Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris 
•    Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg 
•    Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood 
•    Moraine View State Park, LeRoy 
•    Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton

For further info:
http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=426480
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/outdoors/1135931,CST-SPT-bowman31.article
http://blogs.suntimes.com/bowman/
(I didn't see any notice of the closings on DNR website tonight:  http://dnr.state.il.us/

(of course, contact your legislators)

--
Alan B. Anderson 
casresearch at comcast.net 
Des Plaines, Cook Co.
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