By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

State Representative Tom Bennett saw a victory over the weekend, when his Senate Bill creating the Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Act was given final approval in the Illinois House on Sunday.

According to a press release, Senate Bill 1029 would allow the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to make stewardship grants to conservation land trusts to conduct stewardship activities on eligible lands. This would include actions designed to maintain, preserve or improve the condition of native natural communities, diversity of species and ecological processes such as control or invasive species or other restorative practices.

“Some private nature preserves are maintained by volunteers, but many public preserves have not been maintained since first purchased. So, this act allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to create a competitive match grant program to assist nonprofit land trusts in caring for Illinois nature preserves,” Bennett said.

The measure now goes to the Governor’s desk for his signature.