Showcasing a UIS treasure at Emiquon

The Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon, about 45 miles northwest of Springfield on the Illinois River, is a very important part of the University of Illinois Springfield. Just a few days ago, I was reminded again of that great treasure when we played host at Emiquon to UI President Robert Easter; Board of Trustees Chairman, Chris Kennedy; Board of Trustees member, Ed McMillan; and several others. UIS Professor, Mike Lemke, who is Director of the Field Station, and other representatives from our partners including The Nature Conservancy and Dickson Mounds State Museum, provided an action-packed day for all of us at the Emiquon complex – 14,000 acres of wetlands, conservancy land and the Dixon Mounds State Museum. The UIS Field Station is the hub for important research on a variety of topics including water quality, wetlands restoration and wildlife and is a resource for UIS faculty and students as well as researchers from around the world. The highlight of the day was a tour of the wetlands via an airboat. That was a first for me!