More opportunities to see Fluddles, the Movie

In the next few weeks, people in the Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, and Will County, IL, will have the chance to see the movie FLUDDLES.

“FLUDDLES chronicles the wildlife of agricultural wetlands of Illinois. Sometimes described as “big puddles,” fluddles appear in the spring and fall and provide habitat and forage for a diversity of waterfowl and shorebird species,” says Bob Dolgan, founder of Turnstone Strategies.

NORMAL, April 22, Normal Theater, 7 p.m.
In partnership with Grand Prairie Bird Alliance

CHAMPAIGN, April 26, Champaign Public Library, 4 p.m.
In partnership with Grand Prairie Friends & Champaign County Audubon Society

WILL COUNTY, May 3, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 6:30 p.m.
In partnership with the Forest Preserve District of Will County

You can get the details on the upcoming screenings and learn more about the movie at https://www.turnstoneimpact.com/fluddles.html.

A trailer and excerpt are available..

FLUDDLES: A look at the beauty and benefits of temporary wetlands

The Wetlands Initiative is proud to support FLUDDLES, which premieres on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, at 7 pm in the 127F Lecture Recital Hall on the Illinois Central College East Peoria Campus. There will be a panel discussion following the screening, and attendees will be able to talk with some of those featured in the movie.

“FLUDDLES chronicles the wildlife of agricultural wetlands of Illinois. Sometimes simply described as “big puddles,” fluddles appear in the spring and fall and provide habitat and forage for a diversity of waterfowl and shorebird species,” says Bob Dolgan, founder of Turnstone Strategies. Turnstone Strategies recently produced two Illinois-based films, Monty and Rose and The Magic Stump.

“FLUDDLES takes viewers on a journey to these secret, oft-fleeting wildernesses at a time when Illinois has lost 90% of its original wetlands. It features those who enjoy the beauty of wetlands while showcasing the movement underway to construct more wetlands, which provide critical habitat, reduce flooding and erosion, and help to ensure healthier waterways,” says Dolgan.

The slightly depressed area near the creek in the upper right of the photo has been restored so a fluddle can form in the spring and fall. Fluddles are places where migrating waterfowl and shorebirds can gather to rest and feed on their journeys. A Smart Wetland sits to the left of the creek and provides a similar habitat for migrating birds.

The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) is proud to be a sponsor of this movie. It will have representatives at the event, including Wes and Andie Lehman, whose wetlands are featured in the movie, including one tile-treatment wetland designed and constructed by TWI. “Similar to the fluddles, our tile-treatment wetlands are small farm-based wetlands. While they are designed to capture and improve the quality of water leaving the farm, these wetlands are full of native plants that provide habitat, food, and structure for waterfowl and birds,” said Dr. Jill Kostel, TWI’s senior environmental engineer.

The film includes interviews with Wes and the Wetlands Initiative’s executive director, Paul Botts. In addition, representatives from two of TWI’s Smart Wetland partners, Ducks Unlimited and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Two more viewings are scheduled, one at McHenry County College on Nov. 28, 2023 and the other in Decatur on Dec. 9, 2023. TWI is also working to arrange a screening in the Chicago metro area. We’ll share the details when available.

If you want a sneak peek at the movie, a trailer and a movie excerpt are available. You can learn more about the FLUDDLES at https://www.turnstoneimpact.com/fluddles.html.

A Wildly Beneficial Wetland Field Day for Hunters at Feather Prairie Farm

Hunters, hunting dog trainers, and landowners who want hunting areas are invited to a special event at Feather Prairie Farms near Dwight, IL, on Thursday, September 14, 2023, from 2–6 pm.

Just one year ago, the Land Improvement Contractors Association restored a 0.58-acre wetland scrape and built a 2.01-acre wetland for treating tile drainage at the 12.3-acre project on Feather Prairie Farm. The Wetlands Initiative's Smart Wetland Program and the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provided the design and covered the construction costs. In addition, Illinois Pheasants Forever planted a short and tall grass native habitat to attract wildlife and pollinators to the area.

In addition to touring the tile treatment and restored wetlands, visitors can watch a hunting dog training demonstration and hear two expert researchers speak about upland birds, waterfowl, and wetland management.

Event Agenda

• 2-5 pm — Self-guided tours of the on-site constructed and restored wetlands

• 2-5 pm — Visit with exhibitors

• 3 pm — Bird Conservation in Illinois and Beyond, Dr. Michael Ward, professor and researcher,  Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

• 4 pm – Waterfowl, Wetland Birds, and Management Practices that Attract Them, Dr. Auriel Fournier, Director of the Illinois Natural History Survey's Forbes Biological Station

• 5 pm – Dinner, sponsored by Springfield Plastics, Inc.

• 5:30 pm -- Hunting Dog Training demonstration, Dan Ihrke, owner and hunting dog trainer at Green Acres Sportsman's Club

Please RSVP at this link so we have enough food and space for attendees to join us for dinner. Driving directions and the latest details on the event can be found at https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland6.

The Wetlands Initiative is sponsoring the event with support from the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association (ILICA), US Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, Feather Prairie Farm, Ducks Unlimited and Springfield Plastics, Inc.

A Derecho can't keep us from showing you our Marshall County Wetland

Henry, IL –  If you missed the June 29, 2023, field event held near Henry to see and learn about a Smart Wetland, you have another chance to see it. Due to the derecho that hit Marshall County, the Marshall-Putnam Soil and Water Conservation District (M-P SWCD)and the Wetlands Initiative (TWI) had to cancel the evening session of the field event. Therefore, we have rescheduled the evening event for 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, August 17, 2023.

Visitors can visit the ag tile-treatment wetland and talk with the farmer, Rex Newton, and the wetland designer, Jill Kostel. In addition, a series of displays will explain how TWI develops an ag-tile treatment wetland, how wetlands remove nitrogen and phosphorus, and how effective Smart Wetlands are at removing nitrate from ag-tile drainage water. Finally, there will be the opportunity to enjoy the pollinator habitat surrounding the wetland. We also plan on some of our ag and conservation partners joining us.

Smart Wetlands are precisely located and custom-designed constructed wetlands to fit within today’s farming operation and tile-drainage system to remove nutrients. This wetland was constructed in September 2021 and is now fully operational. M.K. Farm Drainage Specialists built the 1.83-acre wetland at McCuskey Farms under the direction of the M-P SWCD and TWI through their Smart Wetlands program. Martin McCuskey owns the land, and Rex Newton farms it.

The Smart Wetland site is located west of Henry, IL, near the intersection of Marshall County Road 500 East and County Road 1400 North, along the Scholes Branch Creek. Additional information about the field day, including a location map, is available at: https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland5.

This event is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2022-38640-37486 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number LNC22-465. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agricutlure.

Join ISAP for an Ag and Conservation Family Night at Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL – Whether you are from the country or town, there will be something of interest to all ages at the upcoming Ag and Conservation Family Night event at Illinois Central College’s (ICC) East Peoria campus on August 2, 2023. Visitors will get an up-close view of farmers' many practices and technologies to improve soil health and protect water quality on their farms from 5:30-8 pm that evening.

The tour will feature conservation drainage installation equipment, a constructed wetland, cover crop plots, and even a soil pit! There will be plenty of time to ask questions and connect with the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP), Illinois Central College, and the Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, along with plenty of family-friendly activities.

The event kicks off at ICC (1 College Dr, East Peoria, IL 61635) with appetizers, refreshments, and a welcome from the event’s organizers at 5:30 pm. Then, from 6:15-7:45 pm, attendees are invited to visit several nearby field stations, including:

• An ag-tile drainage constructed wetland hosted by The Wetlands Initiative

• Rainfall simulator hosted by Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership 

• Soil Pit & Cover Crop plot presented by the Illinois NRCS and The Nature Conservancy

• Agriculture drainage tile and water and sediment control basin installation demonstrated by the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association

The event will wrap up at 7:45 pm, with ISAP providing additional resources.

Register today at agandconservation.eventbrite.com. Transportation will be available to help those with limited mobility to and from the Workforce Sustainability Building and through the various displays.