The Nature of Illinois-Spring 2022 by TNCMRC

SPRING 2022

City of Harvey Kicks off StormStore™ Pilot Project Every spring, seasonal storms bring flooding to communities across the Midwest. As excess rainwater runs off roads, sidewalks and parking lots, it can overwhelm local sewer systems and back up into homes and businesses. But replacing concrete with nature can make a huge difference, and the City of Harvey is leading the way through a new green infrastructure project in their downtown district. “If you plant the right trees in the right places, or add green spaces with native plantings, they can catch stormwater, slow its release to the sewer system and even filter pollutants,” explains Jen Jenkins, the natural infrastructure project manager for the Illinois chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

“As part of the Complete Streets Vision for 154th Street, the City of Harvey is doing just that by installing a series of sidewalk plantings that extend along a 0.75-mile stretch of the city’s main commercial corridor. It’s part of a major downtown revitalization vision. They’re also focused on the ways that greenery like trees and native plants can keep the city’s air cooler in the summer and provide habitat for pollinators and other local wildlife.” The project also provides a learning opportunity for Jenkins, other TNC staff and partners at Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC). Together, TNC and MPC are working to establish StormStore™, an innovative marketbased approach to managing stormwater in continued on page 4

IN THIS ISSUE: 2 TNC Launches Freshwater Resilience Analysis 3 Local and Federal Policy Wins Advance Conservation 5 Propelling a Partnership for Our Planet 6 Conservation News in Brief 7 Study Shows Green Infrastructure Addresses Flooding, Insurance Costs

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Board of Trustees William M. Miller, PhD Chair Mamadou-Abou Sarr Vice Chair Rebecca Gerchenson Treasurer Yvonne Bruce Luis Gutierrez Kunal Kapoor Ronald S. Levin Lydia Link Ian McCutcheon Brad McMillan Pin Ni Ann Suker Potter Shari Rogge-Fidler Alison Taylor Matthew Walker Donald J. Wuebbles, PhD Trustees Emeriti Philip D. Block IV Lynne Dinzole Lynn B. Donaldson Peter H. Fenner Christopher D. Gould Elisha Gray Ted Haffner Constance T. Keller Ethan Meers Richard E. Sparks, PhD David L. Thomas, PhD M. Jay Trees Life Trustees Harry Drucker Wendy J. Paulson Brenda Shapiro Nancy Hamill Winter State Director Michelle Carr International Headquarters Arlington, Virginia 703-841-5300

9/21 The Nature Conservancy is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) international membership organization. Its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Nature Conservancy meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability established by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a national charity watchdog affiliated with the Better Business Bureau.

TNC Launches Freshwater Resilience Analysis Two of the world’s greatest freshwater treasures—the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River—sit in the cradle of America’s heartland. For millennia, they have been connected to tributary rivers and streams that wind their way through the landscape, providing essential habitat to a wide range of species. Today, these freshwater environments are North America’s most imperiled ecosystems. “Reduced water quality in our rivers and lakes is an ongoing concern,” says Dr. Maria Lemke, the Illinois chapter’s director of science. “Water quality impairments are likely to become worse as climate change increases the intensity of rain events. This will put added stress on fish and other aquatic life.” These challenges are further compounded by a system of 54,000 dams that fragment the region’s streams. But, despite that fragmentation, many Midwestern streams are still well connected—and that provides an opportunity for the future. “These connected systems can be referred to as ‘resilient stream networks’ because they offer aquatic life the opportunity to move

freely to a wide range of habitats as needed,” says Dr. Lemke. “This facilitates adaptation in the face of climate change and other environmental stressors.” Using this lens, the Illinois chapter participated in a project led by TNC’s Center for Resilient Conservation Science to assess the characteristics of all streams in the Mississippi and Great Lakes basins and identify which are resilient stream networks. If protected, restored or better managed, these networks have a chance to sustain the nation’s aquatic diversity and ecosystem benefits under a changing climate. “This mapping tool can help us identify and assess how conservation efforts can protect and increase resilient systems,” says Dr. Lemke. She participated on the regional steering committee for this effort, along with Dr. Richard Sparks, who is a member of the chapter’s Science Advisory Committee. This mapping process is also being used to identify resilient stream networks in the Eastern and Western parts of the country.

Printed on 100% PCW recycled, process chlorine-free paper, creating the following benefits:

75.8

trees preserved for the future

5,672.0 gal.

waterborne waste not produced

11,008.6 lbs.

net greenhouse gases prevented

cover: Road bioswales like this will be installed in the City of Harvey. © Ryan Wilson/Metropolitan Planning Council this page: Mississippi Palisades State Park © Charles Larry 2 ILLINOIS UPDATE 2022 SPRING

Local and Federal Policy Wins Advance Conservation At The Nature Conservancy, we believe in a world where people and nature thrive together. And although that world can, at times, feel far away, we know can get there by working together. Some recent policy wins at the state and federal level are examples of stakeholders coming together to create science-based, bipartisan policy solutions that work for both people and nature. In September 2021, Governor Pritzker signed The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act into law. The historic legislation significantly bolsters investments in renewable energy, sets decarbonization timelines for the fossil fuel industry, prioritizes pollution reduction in environmental justice communities and incentivizes workforce development for those most impacted by climate change, as well as a just transition for coal communities.

“What’s different about this legislation is that it centers on equity and is the first bill in the Midwest to require the complete phase-out of fossil fuels in the power sector,” says Ashley Maybanks, associate director of government relations for the Illinois chapter. TNC was among more than 200 organizations and businesses that, as part of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, worked over the last three years to advance equitable and robust climate policy in the state. “We are looking forward to monitoring how implementation evolves and continuing our work with the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition,” says Maybanks. “It is essential that these newfound resources are allocated to the most impactful, on-theground projects and to communities most impacted by climate change.”

At the federal level, Congress passed the $1.2-trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November. This bill will help address long-standing improvement needs for roads, culverts, levees, ports and other structures and make significant changes that support our nation’s natural resources. The bill makes critical investments in nature to ensure clean water, clean air, healthy fish and wildlife habitat and all of the other essential services and benefits nature provides. “We’re excited about the passage of the Infrastructure bill, and how we can leverage it to support our conservation efforts here in Illinois and in other TNC chapters across the country,” says Ellicia Sanchez, external affairs coordinator for the Illinois chapter. “It’s going to be a long-term, collaborative effort and the journey is just beginning.”

The U.S. Capitol building © Devan King/TNC nature.org/Illinois 3

CONTINUED FROM COVER urban areas. Through StormStore™, local landowners (such as municipalities, churches or schools) that install green infrastructure (such as rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs or even permeable paved areas) to store excess water can sell their storage “credits” through a market. The credit buyers are developers that are required to manage stormwater for new or redevelopment projects but have trouble installing enough green infrastructure on their own sites. “What we need now are some pilot projects to demonstrate how the marketplace can work, and also to learn lessons that we can apply to future projects,” Jenkins says. To do just that, TNC and MPC designed the StormStore™ Opportunity Fund to seed a pilot project that will give us insight into how stormwater credit trading can work in Cook County. They selected the City of Harvey for this pilot, which will add over 100,000 gallons of new stormwater storage in an area of the community that often experiences flooding. This means during every rainstorm, up to 2,500 bathtubs worth of water will be captured

by the green infrastructure instead of flowing directly into the sewer system.

toward future stormwater projects through a TNC revolving fund.”

“Our hope is that this first project will help demonstrate how stormwater credit trading can be leveraged to bring naturebased stormwater solutions to communities that are experiencing repeated flooding,” Jenkins says. “It will also provide some of the first stormwater credits in the Little Calumet Watershed, which will then be sold through the StormStore™ trading market and put

The City of Harvey began work to design the project in 2022 and will install trees and bioswales in early 2023. The StormStore™ Opportunity Fund was made possible by grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Grand Victoria Foundation, Kelson Foundation, McDougal Family Foundation, Patricia and Laurence Booth and the Eunice and Joshua J. Stone Foundation.

Propelling a Partnership for Our Planet Visitors stopping by The Nature Conservancy’s Nachusa Grasslands and Emiquon preserves will soon notice a new feature: charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs). The installation is part of a transformational partnership between TNC and Rivian, a U.S.-based electric SUV and truck company, that will help preserve biodiversity and fight climate change. “Transportation is the single highest source of carbon emissions in the United States and TNC is focused on doing all we can to accelerate the conversion from fossil-fuel powered vehicles to EVs,” says Georgie Geraghty, deputy director for the Illinois chapter. “The EV chargers at Nachusa and Emiquon will directly help support this effort.” The Illinois chapter—the home state for Rivian’s manufacturing facilities—is

leading this North America initiative with Rivian in close cooperation with the Michigan chapter, World Office and TNC’s Global Sustainability Program. In the first year of the partnership, Rivian delivered four vehicles to TNC for use at its preserves in California, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Florida. This is the first step in helping TNC further electrify its fleet of vehicles used on preserves and lands managed across the United States—keeping pace to advance organizational climate goals. (Fleet emissions represent the third highest source of identified emissions across TNC’s portfolio.) TNC will also use these vehicles to test new technology and functionality across diverse terrain for real-world land management needs. In addition, Rivian is helping to establish a cross-country EV charging network at

TNC preserves throughout the United States, which includes the chargers at Emiquon and Nachusa. More than 50 locations are expected to be up and running by the summer of 2022. The charging network will serve as a gateway for EV drivers to experience nature first-hand, while charging for free. Bringing new visitors to TNC preserves via a complimentary charge can plant the seed for future engagement, as well as begin important conversations on climate change. “One of the biggest challenges in confronting climate change is that less than half of Americans talk about it with family and friends, and we can’t fix what we don’t talk about,” says Geraghty. “Our hope is that the EV charging stations will help facilitate more of these conversations.”

A Rivian vehicle above the Tongue River Valley in Montana © Trey Davis TNC nature.org/Illinois 5

Conservation News in Brief Lucy Gomez-Feliciano Receives ‘Force of Nature’ Award In her role as the community stewardship program leader for the Chicago Park District, a joint position between the Park District and The Nature Conservancy, Lucy Gomez-Feliciano is dedicated to connecting the people of Chicago to its natural areas. In 2021, her efforts earned her a Chicago Wilderness Dr. George B. Rabb Force of Nature Award. This honor recognizes residents of the region whose novel approaches, big ideas, extraordinary collaborations and bold leadership set an inspiring example for others. Lucy was recognized for her efforts to connect with community partners on Chicago’s South and West Side to jointly engage more diverse residents from the neighborhoods closest to Ping Tom, McKinley, Humboldt, Garfield and Palmisano Parks. Much of her work has focused on building new relationships with anchor institutions like the Coalition

for a Better Chinese American Community and LUCHA. In partnership with Carol Johnson, Garfield Park community steward, and Keith Kelley, longtime Garfield Park leader, she helped design a storytelling docent program at Garfield Park. To engage individuals with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities, Lucy has been working closely with Envision Unlimited. Together, they created three videos: “Cutting Buckthorn,” “Mulching Paths” and “Testimonials From a Workday,” all available on YouTube. In addition, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Chicago Park District’s natural areas and community stewardship programs, Lucy identified 20 community partners to create whimsical fairy houses to engage children and families in the natural areas. The fairy houses were on display in 20 natural areas across the city in 2021.

Calumet Conservation Compact Partnership Receives Funding

Located at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the Calumet region is known for being one of the largest steel producers in the world. But among its residential and industrial corridors, nature thrives, providing

6 ILLINOIS UPDATE 2022 SPRING

habitat for a range of species, including least bitterns, common gallinules, piedbilled grebes and black-crowned nightherons. TNC and partner organizations are working to restore these important habitats through the Calumet Conservation Compact. In the fall of 2021, the Compact received notice from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation that the Sustain Our Great Lakes (SOGL) program will provide $543,448 for the fifth phase of the restoration work of the Calumet Conservation Compact partnership. Previous SOGL grants allowed the Compact to treat wetlands and other natural areas

in the Calumet for invasive species, and the new award funding will continue that work. Through the funding, the partners will treat a total of 486 acres at Marian R. Byrnes Park, Park 566, Thornton-Lansing Road Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Prairie and TNC’s own Indian Boundary Prairies. The funding will also enable the partners to continue vegetation cover monitoring and breeding marsh bird monitoring to serve as metrics of restoration success. The grant brings the total of SOGL funds awarded to restoration of natural areas in the Calumet region to more than $3 million since 2015.

Study Shows Green Infrastructure Addresses Flooding, Insurance Costs From minor water damage to major property loss, more and more Illinois residents are being impacted by climate change and the increased flooding it causes. That’s why The Nature Conservancy and Munich Re, one of the largest reinsurers in the world, joined forces to study how nature-based solutions to flooding, such as restored wetlands, are a viable, sustainable and cost-saving answer to this challenge. We talked to Viv Bennett, the Illinois chapter’s director of protection and conservation strategies, to learn more about how this research can benefit people and nature. What was unique about this study? The benefits of ecological restoration on insurance costs have been studied in areas that experience coastal flooding or wildfires, but never for inland river flooding. With this study, we wanted to develop strategies for resilience on multiple fronts—upgrading infrastructure to incorporate nature-based solutions that reduce flood risks, as well as introducing a community resilience flood insurance model. What research did you conduct? We set out to quantify how a levee setback project conducted by TNC and partners along the Missouri River—and, by extension, other nature-based solutions at other geographies—would reduce flood risk, and how flood insurance premiums might be lowered as a result. What we learned is that a portion of the costs of a nature-based solution could be

recovered from the reduction in premium provided by a new kind of communitybased insurance solution. How does a community-based insurance solution work? Community flood resilience insurance is an innovative concept that was developed as part of this study. Instead of insuring on a home-by-home basis, an insurance company would sell an insurance product to an entire community or subset of a community, to be managed by a local government entity, commercial interest or homeowners association. Through the study, we found that, in some instances, the annual flood insurance premiums for homes and businesses within the areas benefiting directly from the levee setback could be reduced by up to 55 percent through the levee setback coupled with a community flood insurance product.

left: The study focused on a 2019 flood that caused a levee breach along Missouri River (pictured). © USACE right: The levee has been repaired and a wetland installed to capture and absorb future floodwaters. © USACE

How does this benefit nature? Usually, nature-based solutions create additional space for water to expand, reducing how fast it’s flowing while allowing a place and space for land and water to reconnect. This area of reconnection will become habitat for waterfowl, fish, amphibians and many other critical species. Giving space for water to slow down and spread out will also help remove sediment and nutrients that impact water quality. What are the next steps? We are looking for new project sites that have experienced repeated flooding, and where the communities are open to testing and adding some nature-based solutions. Together, we will co-create ways to design and implement these solutions, using the savings from reduced insurance premiums to cover the cost.

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Connect with us! No matter where you are, you can connect with nature at an upcoming webinar featuring TNC experts from Illinois and beyond. See the full list of events at nature.org/illinoisevents.