13 Farmers are not respected as natural resource stewards Implied in the establishment of a wildlife refuge is the notion that an area needs additional protection and stewardship to meet natural resource goals. To many farmers, that implication is insulting. Farmers work very hard to not only cultivate and nurture a crop, but to protect the environment around them. They’ve been here for generations and know this land the best. Each family over the years has worked tirelessly to make a living while stewarding the natural resources they were given. You can’t buy that kind of local knowledge. Farmers implement best management practices (BMPs) for all sorts of natural resource concerns, including water quality and pollinator health, while they farm. It is a part of everything they do. And farmers help protect and manage wildlife because animals and insects are a daily part of farm life. Many of the species that were here 100 years ago are here and thriving. Farmers know how to live with and work with wildlife, and contribute to their protection in many ways. Farmers in this area also have a deep respect for the beauty of the nature around them. It’s the reason their ancestors settled here, and subsequent generations stayed. They love this land. Inherent in a new refuge is a takeover of the title of conservationist, while farm families in this area have been stewarding this land for generations. Farmers want to continue implementing practices on private land that protect natural resources without government overreach. To see more farmer stories, visit www.ILfarmersconserve.com. CONCERNS WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF A WILDLIFE REFUGE IN THIS AREA STATS FROM 2018 Ford, Iroquois, and Kankakee Counties have the following formerly cropped acres set aside in long-term contracts for the benefit of conservation and wildlife: TOTAL 28,667 POLLINATOR HABITAT 9,906 FILTER STRIPS 5,914 WETLANDS 4,900 UPLAND BIRD HABITAT1,464 1