Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Part of Conservation Science Day at the Capitol used art to spread the message about Illinois wetlands.

Dylan Waguespack built a diorama (pictured) shaped like an hourglass. “In the upper chamber of the hourglass,” said Waguespack, “we have three scenes that depict some of the benefits from having wetlands intact in our communities where we live: having wetlands available for our recreation and educational use; for public land; wetlands as flood prevention. Wetlands are able to absorb water and keep our homes safer.”

Waguespack says the hourglass shape is apt: time is running out. A 2023 Supreme Court decision removed 90 percent of Illinois wetland acreage out of “protected” status and “threatened by development (and) no longer protected by federal law, unless on the state level there is some action to ensure that these lands aren’t developed, and they can stay as they are, where they are providing so much benefit to people across the state.”

The Illinois Environmental Council put on the conservation program.