CNA Usage
Guidelines
Introduction
As early as
the 1880's, professors S. A. Forbes and T. J. Burrell saw
a need for University owned, undisturbed lands, where research
and teaching could be conducted. It was not until 1918,
with the purchase of Trelease Woods and the formation of
the "Committee on University Woods", that such
goals began to materialize. In the 1930's, under professor
V. E. Shelford's chairmanship, the 'Committee' proposed
ambitious acquisitions of land, both close to campus and
regional, that would provide for adequate areas "for
present and future needs of research and instruction in
biological and soil sciences". The plans envisioned
the purchase of over 1,000 acres of property and a cooperative
effort with private landowners to create a 13,000 acre State
Game Preserve. Despite lobbying the University and Federal
Government for funding, they were largely unsuccessful and
plans had to be scaled down. However, their long term goals
of establishing and maintaining a network of research and
education oriented sites were defined. Although the "Committee's"
role has evolved over eighty years, through the foresight
of many individuals, including the Committee's five past
and current chairman, S. A. Forbes, V. E. Shelford, S. C.
Kendeigh, L. L. Getz, and M. R. Berenbaum, the goals of
acquiring and managing a series of protected Natural Areas
have been maintained. As a result, a unique and valuable
resource has been created to advance research and teaching
opportunities in Life Sciences at the University of Illinois.
Ten University
areas are currently under the direct supervision of the
Committee on Natural Areas (CNA) with one affiliate site.
They are: Brownfield Woods, CCDC Collins Woods, Funk Forest,
Nanney Research Area, Nettie Hart Woods, Phillips Tract,
Edgar and Sophia Richter Research Area, Rutan Research Area,
Trelease Woods, and Trelease Prairie. Together they comprise
about 490 acres and are composed of seven woodlands, a recreated
prairie, a stream wetland, and a multi-use former farm.
The sites also provide direct access to stretches of Timber
Creek, the Sangamon River, the Saline Ditch, the Embarras
River, and the Salt Fork River. In addition, the CNA supervises
biological research at the Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department's Vermilion River Observatory site, a 474 acre,
mostly wooded site. For further site specific information
or tours of sites, please contact Steve Buck at 333-6458
or by e-mail at sbuck@uiuc.edu.
General inquiries are encouraged!
Research opportunities
also exist at the University owned Allerton Park, located
southwest of Monticello, Illinois. The 1,500 acre park is
mostly wooded, and dissected by the Sangamon River. Although
the park is primarily managed for public use, much of the
area is available for biological research. Allerton Park
is not part of the Natural Areas group and research inquiries
should be directed to Kim Petzing at (217)-244-1035.
All of the CNA
areas are restricted access, closed to the public and to
recreational activities. Only authorized research and class
field trips are permitted on the sites. Permits may be issued
to U of I faculty, staff, and students, Illinois Department
of Natural Resources personnel, or qualified researchers
from other colleges/universities. To obtain applications
for research or class field trip permits, contact Steve
Buck at 116 Vivarium (MC-444), 606 E. Healey, Champaign,
IL, 61820.
To maintain the
current and historical integrity of the sites, a set of
guidelines have been developed for use of the areas. On
an annual basis, an average of about 85 studies are in progress
that utilize the sites to varying degrees. Due to the number
of individuals working in the areas, the amount of materials
taken into the sites, and the fragile nature of some of
the studies, it is imperative that the CNA is able to maintain
accurate and current records of use. Knowing what each researcher/instructor
is doing and what sites are being used allows the CNA to
effectively maximize the potential of the sites without
creating overuse, misuse, or disturbance to projects. Currently,
all sites are available for new studies.
Permit
Procedures
Researchers and
instructors may obtain permission to enter the sites to
determine the suitability of the areas for their research.
After procedures, location, and study design have been determined,
a permit application must be filled out. Providing the study
will not create undo disturbance or interfere with ongoing
studies, a permit will be issued. If the project involves
multiple components involving different researchers (i.e.
graduate students), each researcher should submit an application
for their portion of the study. No permanent plots or temporary
markings should be established until the permit is approved.
Continuing long-term
studies can normally be expected to be renewed. Any substantial
changes in the study (i.e. additional areas, sampling changes,
changes in materials or markings, etc.) must be updated
on the permit before the changes are made. If there is any
doubt about the effects the changes may have, please contact
the naturalist to discuss them. Every effort will be made
to accommodate researcher's reasonable requests.
The CNA office
is required to maintain annual research and class use records
for the sites. This information is used to justify budget
requests and determine fund and work project priorities.
If a study termination date differs from that which was
put on the application, the scope of the study changes,
or the study is not actually done, please notify the CNA
office.
Markings
and Materials
Be specific
on the permit as to what markings and materials will be
used and where they will be placed. Problems have occurred
in the past where several projects have used the same color
flagging or markings. Use of paint or permanent markings
must be cleared through the CNA office prior to use.
Removal of materials
and markings, which appear to be abandoned or are of unknown
origin, is an ongoing process on the sites. Failure to properly
record your materials with the CNA office may result in
their accidental removal.
Phillips
Tract Research Plots
The Phillips
Tract site provides areas for research involving manipulation
of the environment (only minor manipulations are allowed
in the other sites). Requests for the use of research plots
should be made in late summer so that any plowing, disking,
planting, etc. can be scheduled and completed by the following
spring. We have only a limited ability to provide agricultural
plots due to the lack of farm equipment and support staff.
Removal
of Research Materials
All research
materials must be removed from the site upon termination
of the study. Without such a policy our research areas will
become littered with abandoned markings and construction
materials. This has already occurred to different degrees
in some of the areas and are awaiting cleanup.
Over the years,
many projects conducted in the Natural Areas have required
simple to elaborate marking systems and materials. In the
past, some individuals have left the University and/or terminated
their projects without dismantling or removing their research
materials. That does not meet the level of responsibility
or professionalism expected of researchers using the sites.
Also, research material cannot be left indefinitely just
because someone "thinks" it might be used by someone
in the future. Any materials left must be with the knowledge
of the CNA office and duly recorded with pertinent information.
Each researcher
is responsible for returning the site to it's original condition
upon completion of the project. Advisors are ultimately
responsible for ensuring that their students clean up their
sites. Future permits may be denied to researchers until
their past project materials are cleaned up.
Course
Field Trips
It is important
that permits for class field trips be turned in at least
two weeks in advance of the scheduled trip to avoid conflicts
with ongoing research or other class visits. Students should
be cautioned to stay on trails as much as possible and avoid
any research markings. Some areas have restrictions on class
use.
Title
Submission
Titles of any
manuscripts, reports, thesis', etc. which result from work
done on Natural Area sites should be sent to the Committee
on Natural Areas office. This will greatly aid in the development
of a database on the sites. Currently, the CNA office has
about 600 publication titles in a FileMakerPro format, and
it's certainly not complete. Reprints would be especially
appreciated.
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