Like a replay of the historical past, people are returning in the wake of the wildlife.

The sportsmen are returning to hunt and fish. The nature enthusiasts and artists come to contemplate the view and seek out new species. And, of course, scientists abound at this site. According to Michael Reuter, director of The Nature Conservancy’s North America Freshwater Program, Emiquon has drawn attention from countries around the world such as China, a nation struggling with floodplain management on the Yangtze River. “They are curious about our approach, about the way we monitor the system,” he states. He adds that they have also had people here from Colombia, Brazil, and from Zimbabwe’s African Wildlife Foundation, who came representing the Zambezi River. They were all looking for something different to learn and take back to their respective countries.

The latest addition to the site is the visitor facilities, which were only recently completed. Now people have a way to pull off of Illinois 78/97 and gain access to an Emiquon experience.

Jason Beverlin, the deputy director of The Nature Conservancy’s Illinois River Program, notes this most recent project was funded privately by the Hamill Family Foundation, which donated $3 million. “Every parking lot that you see, all the roadways, all the pavilions, the boardwalk, the walking trail, the piers – all of that was funded by the Hamill family,” he states. Beverlin notes that the most time-consuming part of the construction was the recycling of the concrete that had been on site.

“All the rip rap, all of the road top, all of these concrete walls are made out of recycled concrete that was on the property.

There were about 20 acres of concrete here. We broke all of that up and reused it. That took time.”

The speakers atop the Wetland Observatory sit in a line like a human representation of the private and public dominoes that lined up and tumbled toward a tremendous realization – the money, the science, the vision. One by one the speakers come to the microphone to tell their piece of the story. They talk about achievements and future goals and economic advantages. Each expresses awe, using words like “phenomenal” to describe the accomplishment the Emiquon Preserve represents. The final speaker, Mayor John King of Lewistown, “the local guy,” provides the perfect summation: “The Nature Conservancy cares about the community, not just this lake. They care about Lewistown; they care about Dickson Mounds; they want this to be a package, and it is a beautiful package.” He concludes, “We have a lake!” The speakers now descend the stairs and stretch out a bright red plastic strip for a ribbon cutting. The sweating and smiling crowd surges forward, the people in the back try to hold cameras above the heads of the people with cameras in front, all hoping

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