SUPPORTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The University of Illinois System is committed to advancing sustainability solutions that address environmental challenges locally, regionally, and globally. By fostering innovation and partnering with communities, we’re driving initiatives that not only protect our environment but also contribute to a resilient and healthy economy. As the system prepares to host the first international Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress in the United States during summer 2025, the state tour provided our leaders the opportunity to connect firsthand with environment-focused efforts across Illinois, showcasing how these initiatives ensure a bright future for all.
COUNTIES SERVED WITH ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Protecting natural habitats
Every day at the Therkildsen Field Station in Emiquon Nature Preserve brings opportunities to advance environmental research and education. As part of the University of Illinois Springfield, this site exemplifies the U of I System’s commitment to protecting Illinois’ natural resources and fostering a sustainable future. The Emiquon floodplain restoration project, launched in 2000, brims with nature at its finest, including the breathtaking presence of hundreds of thousands of migratory birds.
Emiquon covers more than 6,000 acres near Lewiston, about 40 miles southwest of Peoria, and stands as the premier demonstration site for The Nature Conservancy in Illinois’ work on the Illinois River and within the Upper Mississippi River system. Partnerships on projects like these support critical conservation efforts that enhance the state’s natural resources while contributing to a vibrant economy.
During this stop, state tour participants engaged with Emiquon’s transformative impact through hands-on ecology activities, experiencing the same research-based approach used to prepare students for careers in environmental sustainability.
By equipping learners with tools and knowledge to address pressing environmental challenges, the U of I System ensures its students are ready to lead efforts that protect vital ecosystems and drive innovation for a sustainable and prosperous future.
Job training meets urban farming
In Chicago’s Lawndale, the Farm on Ogden at the Chicago Botanic Garden combines food production and distribution, health and nutrition education, and sustainability-focused jobs in one location to offer opportunities for greater community wellbeing, as well as individual and family prosperity. State tour participants learned that the facility produces over 100,000 pounds of produce from 13 farms each year, most of which stays in the community.
The Farm on Ogden also provides paid, on-the-job training for at least 100 people each year. The University of Illinois Chicago is an enthusiastic partner in these initiatives that integrate food access, health education, and job training, directly benefiting local residents and fostering community resilience — which all combine to support the forward motion of the state’s economy.
The tradition and future of farming
For well over 100 years, the Illinois Farm Bureau has championed the farm families and businesses that keep our communities fed and our economy strong. Today, IFB is the state’s largest non-profit, serving nearly 400,000 members and more than 70,000 farmers, farmland owners, and agriculture industry professionals.
Spending time on the state tour with IFB leaders solidified the U of I System’s ongoing commitment to supporting the agricultural sector through research, innovation, and economic development. The IFB’s origin is part of the same movement that created Cooperative Extension nationwide and our very own Illinois Extension—led by UIUC’s College of ACES—which serves the educational, social, and economic needs of people and communities in all 102 Illinois counties. This important stop also reinforced the importance of our land-grant mission and partnering with the agriculture industry on today’s issues. Key economic and environmental topics included farm profitability and sustainability, sustainable aviation fuel, carbon sequestration, trade, and policy.
