Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants

Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act Key Terms & Definitions

Dedicated Nature Preserve: A natural area that has been formally protected under the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act through a dedication process, which imposes land use restrictions and management requirements to maintain the area's natural condition. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Dedication: The process by which a natural area is formally protected under the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, involving the recording of a legal document that specifies the land use restrictions and management requirements for the area. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Endangered Species: Any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Geologic Feature: A natural formation or structure of the earth's surface or subsurface, such as a cave, rock outcropping, or fossil bed, that has scientific or educational value. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Habitat: The place or type of site where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows. (525 ILCS 30/3)

High-Quality Natural Community: An assemblage of plants and animals that is largely undisturbed by human activities and exhibits a high degree of ecological integrity, as determined by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR): The state agency responsible for administering and enforcing the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, as well as managing state-owned natural areas and providing conservation programs and services. (525 ILCS 30/4)

Illinois Natural Areas Inventory: A comprehensive survey and database of the state's natural areas, including their locations, ecological characteristics, and conservation status, which is maintained by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC): A state commission established under the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act to oversee the designation, acquisition, and management of dedicated nature preserves in the state. (525 ILCS 30/4)

Land Use Restrictions: Limitations on the types of activities and development that are allowed within a dedicated nature preserve, as specified in the dedication document and enforced by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. (525 ILCS 30/11)

Management Agreement: A legal document that outlines the specific management activities and responsibilities for a dedicated nature preserve, which is developed by the landowner in consultation with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Management Plan: A detailed strategy for maintaining and enhancing the ecological condition of a dedicated nature preserve, which is developed by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in collaboration with the landowner and other stakeholders. (525 ILCS 30/11)

Native Species: A plant or animal species that occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem, without human intervention or introduction. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Natural Area: An area of land or water that either retains or has recovered to a substantial degree its original natural or primeval character, though it need not be completely undisturbed, or has floral, faunal, ecological, geological, or archaeological features of scientific, educational, scenic, or esthetic interest. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Natural Community: An assemblage of plants and animals that interact with each other and their environment in a specific habitat or ecosystem. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Nature Preserve: An area of land or water that is formally dedicated under the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act for the purpose of protecting and preserving its natural features and ecological value. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Non-Native Species: A plant or animal species that has been introduced to an area outside of its natural range, either intentionally or unintentionally, and may have adverse ecological impacts on native species and ecosystems. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Rare Species: A plant or animal species that is uncommon or scarce, but not necessarily threatened or endangered, as determined by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Register of Land and Water Reserves: A list of areas that are recognized by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as having significant ecological, geological, or archaeological features, but are not formally dedicated as nature preserves. (525 ILCS 30/16)

Scenic Vista: A viewpoint or area that offers a panoramic or aesthetically pleasing view of natural features, such as forests, prairies, wetlands, or geological formations. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Threatened Species: Any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Unique Natural Feature: A rare or exceptional aspect of the natural environment, such as a waterfall, canyon, or grove of old-growth trees, that has special ecological, geological, or scenic value. (525 ILCS 30/3)

Volunteer Stewardship Network: A program established by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to engage citizens in the conservation and management of natural areas through volunteer activities, such as habitat restoration, species monitoring, and environmental education. (525 ILCS 30/5)

Wetland: Land that has a predominance of hydric soils and that is inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. (525 ILCS 30/3)