Illinois Buffer Partnership

Illinois Buffer Partnership™

The Illinois Buffer Partnership promotes and showcases the voluntary conservation efforts of Illinois farmers and landowners. This program is a collaborative partnership of Trees Forever, Syngenta, GROWMARK, state and federal government agencies, Trees Forever members and participating landowners.

Primary Goals:

To reduce soil erosion, improve water and soil quality, as well as provide wildlife and pollinator habitat.
To highlight the ongoing efforts to restore Illinois’ flood plains.
To increase the awareness of buffers and other conservation practices.

Eligible Participants

Each year, between10-20 Illinois Buffer Partnership participants are selected to receive cost-share assistance, on-site assistance from Trees Forever field staff, project signs and the opportunity to host a field day to highlight their project.

To be eligible, the buffer project must be in one of the following Illinois counties and watersheds:

Spring Lake watershed – McDonough Co.
N. Fk. Vermilion River – Vermilion Co.
Paradise Lake & Mattoon Lake watershed – Coles, Shelby, & Cumberland Cos.
Carlinville Lake watershed – Macoupin Co.
Glen Shoals Lake watershed – Montgomery Co.
Hillsboro Old Lake watershed – Montgomery Co.
E. Fk. Kaskaskia/Farina Lake watershed – Fayette Co.
Salem Lake watershed – Marion Co.
Skillet Fork watershed – Wayne Co.
Washington County Lake watershed – Washington Co.
Nashville City Lake watershed – Washington Co.
Shoal Creek watershed– Clinton Co.

Types of conservation projects eligible for the Illinois Buffer Partnership program include: riparian buffers, livestock buffers, streambank stabilization projects, wetland development, pollinator habitat, rain gardens and agroforestry projects.

Benefits for Participating

Farmers and Landowners

Cost-share funds are available to select landowners to help support their project. Participants will be reimbursed, in an amount up to $2,000 for 50 percent of the expenses that remain after Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or other federal, state or local funding has been applied to their project. Landowners can also benefit from a seed cost-share program offered through FS/GROWMARK.

Help Others Conserve!
Program participants also have the opportunity to showcase their efforts during field days. These events bring producers, landowners and communities together to educate the public about the benefits of conservation buffers and practices.

Applications are due December 31.

Application period is August through December. Download the Illinois Buffer Partnership application

For help with your application, please contact Debbie Fluegel at 309-613-0095.

Need ideas on how others have found success through our program? Read success stories here.