Farmland helps protect streams and rivers by absorbing rainwater and moderating the amount of runoff that flows into them. Some of the most pristine streams in our region run through rural areas, providing habitat for a wide variety of fish and other aquatic species that help keep watersheds healthy.

Woods and wetlands, too, can benefit from sound farmland management. Conservation resource programs, such as the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the state-managed Conservation Resource Enhancement Program (CREP), give farmers the tools they need to protect other natural features on and near their land. Through CRP, landowners receive cost-share assistance for restoring and managing enrolled land, including wetland areas. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ CREP gives farmers an incentive to adopt conservation plans that protect buffers and natural areas. Farmland can be an important buffer to adjacent public open spaces, and in some cases, can  serve as a cooridor by connecting land and water networks that allow wildlife and migratory species to more easily travel throughout our region.

Wooded areas can also be protected through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Legacy Program, which places conservation easements on strategic forests within farmland areas. These forests provide natural oases for migratory birds, turkeys, bobcats, and other species.