The cooler weather of fall is a time of year when many people head into the great outdoors. Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and photography are just some of the recreational pursuits that motivate people to explore the fields and woodlands of Illinois. Since a vast majority of the state is privately owned, it is important to review the laws that pertain to accessing privately held land for recreational purposes. In Illinois, a recreational user of private property must first obtain permission from the landowner or tenant.

This rule is universal whether or not the land is posted or fenced. Illinois does not require this permission to be in written form, but for the benefit of everyone, this is a good practice and is strongly recommended. Users must have permission to access waters flowing over or standing on the land of another; users do not have the right to trespass to retrieve wounded game; and users can not allow access by other animals such as hunting dogs without permission. It is also important to note that railroad rights-of-way are generally private property. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources employs Conservation Police Officers (C.P.O.'s) to work throughout the State empowering them to enter all lands and waters to enforce the provisions of the Wildlife Code and Administrative Rules.

Most C.P.O.'s will tell you they respond to more calls from landowners related to complaints of trespassing than any other topic. It is the responsibility of the user to know exactly where the boundary lines of landowner are located. Therefore, it is vitally important for recreational users to treat landowners and private property, as they themselves would want to be treated. For understandable reasons, it only takes one bad experience with a recreational user for most landowners to begin denying access to all. In 1987, the Illinois General Assembly enacted the "Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act" which was designed to encourage landowners to make their land and waters available to the public. This Act goes to great lengths to limit landowners from liability when they allow others to access their property for recreational purposes. The exceptions to these liability restrictions only occur when an admission fee has been charged and an injury occurs, or in situations where there is proven willful and wanton neglect or misconduct. For more information on landowner liability, call 217/782-7498 and ask for the brochure entitled "Laws for Illinois Landowners and Sportsmen".

- Curt Sinclair, Natural Resources Management

Compost is decomposed organic material. Compost is made with material such as leaves, shredded twigs, and kitchen scraps from plants. To gardeners, compost is considered "black gold" because of its many benefits in the garden. Compost is a great material for garden soil. Adding compost to clay soils makes them easier to work and plant. In sandy soils, the addition of compost improves the water holding capacity of the soil. By adding organic matter to the soil, compost can help improve plant growth and health.

Composting is also a good way to recycle leaves and other yard waste. Instead of paying a company to haul away leaves, you can compost the leaves and return the nutrients to your garden. Instead of buying peat moss, save money and make your own compost! To learn more about home composting visit http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/compost/index.html

Lawrence Hanks, a University of Illinois entomologist is researching how planting a variety of flowering plants would attract natural enemies like insects to an area, keeping the insect population in check without the use of insecticides. The test plots have already demonstrated that the method works. The ultimate goal is to provide the public with a list of flowering trees, plants and ground covers that will make a sustainable landscape for insecticide-free maintenance.

"What we're recommending is that homeowners create a little plant community, a miniwildlife refuge with plants that support insects providing food for natural enemies like ground beetles and crickets," said Hanks. When people can accept having a variety of insects in their yards, the population of one pest won't get out of control. A natural predator-prey control system will take place. This ecological balance sustains the populations of natural enemies of pests. The alternative is regularly spraying with insecticides. "So we're saying that for the sake of an ecologically-balanced environment, without the need for weekly spraying, accept the insects and along with it you'll get more of what you want like birds and butterflies." For more information on natural pest management practices, contact your local University of Illinois Extension office.

With funding from the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (CFAR), farmers, consumers, and others concerned about sustainable agriculture were asked the question, "What issues related to the economic, environmental, and social aspects of food production, distribution, and marketing represents the most pressing information needs for Illinois farmers and/or consumers?" The responses to this question became a part of the Agroecology/ Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) website, Important Issues for Farmers and Consumers (http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/asap).

The issues discussed ranged from nutrition to GMO's to water quality. With increasing awareness and interest in eating local foods, more and more consumers want to buy their fruits, vegetables, meats, and other goods directly from the farmers who produce them. The ASAP website provides information about the ways that you can purchase locally grown food. The first, Farm Direct (http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/asap/resources/farmdirect/), is an on-line resource that can help you locate fresh, high quality agricultural products grown and sold in Central Illinois.

The second, Illinois Fresh, is one of the best guides to buying directly from Illinois growers. It is arranged by region and has plenty of tips if you decide to "pick your own." It also has listings for Northwestern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan. The site is part of the University of Illinois Extension, Urban Program Resource Network (http:// www.urbanext.uiuc.edu). The third source for information is the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Illinois Food Guide (http://www.agr.state.il.us/markets/FoodGuide) that provides a listing of farmers near you in the section, Farm Retail Markets. The fourth, FarmStop.com (http://www.farmstop.com/home.asp), is a new national website that provides a comprehensive listing of working farms, ranches and wineries in the United States and Canada that are open to the public for entertainment, family activities and authentic experiences in the country.

Consumers have lost touch with those who grow their food as sadly as most farmers have lost contact with those who eat their food. Wendell Berry states in his essay, Conserving Communities, that "no food economy can be, or ought to be, only local. But the orientation of agriculture to local needs, local possibilities, and local limits is simply indispensable to the health of both land and people, and undoubtedly to the health of democratic liberties as well."

- Source: Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of Illinois Extension Specialist

Some bugs are on the side of homeowners. They are the natural enemies of damaging insects and are known as beneficial insects. Releasing beneficial insects into your yard or garden may have some benefit, but your best bet is to conserve the beneficials already there. Keeping beneficial insects alive may help keep pest problems at an acceptable level so you can reduce insecticide use. To conserve beneficial insects, you first need to know how to identify them.

Beneficial insects are often slow to colonize a yard. The best way to make sure they are nearby is to maintain their natural habitats. You can do this by maintaining a diversity of plantings.

How much radon is in your home? This colorless, odorless radioactive gas may be present in high concentrations. You won't know the radon level in your home unless you test for it. "Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking," said Elizabeth Haynes, University of Illinois Extension natural resources educator.

"Inhaling radon gas is the number one health risk in the home, above falling, poisoning, fire and burns, and second-hand smoke." The gas is emitted from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. The gas enters homes and buildings due to pressure and temperature differences between the indoor and outdoor air. Sump pumps, crawl spaces, cracks and openings where the floor and wall meet are common radon entry points. Radon gas is harmless when dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, elevated levels of radon gas can be harmful. Radon is always present in low concentrations in homes and buildings, but it should not exceed 4 pCi/L. If test results reveal high levels, homeowners can contact IDNS licensed mitigation professionals to reduce the radon levels. Radon problems can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs, like painting or having a new hot water heater installed. "The only way to be sure that your home does not have high concentrations of radon is to test for it," Haynes said.

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as many as one in 15 homes across the U.S. have elevated radon levels. Testing for radon is simple and inexpensive, therefore I advise homeowners to test for radon every two years to ensure good indoor air quality." For more information about testing instructions, radon test kit sources and the names of radon measurement professionals, visit the IDNS web site, www.state.il.us/idns. Information is also available by calling the toll-free number (800) 325-1245. Take steps now to protect your family from radon.

Want to learn more about your local water quality? Take part in World Water Monitoring Day on October 18th. Monitor your local water quality and then compare your results to international data! This World monitoring effort is coordinated by America's Clean Water Foundation, International Water Association in cooperation with several other environmental groups and government agencies.

World Water Monitoring Day is an international event that will create awareness on water quality issues throughout the world. Over time the data collected will help develop a better understand of water quality throughout the world. Monitoring test kits, if shipped within the United States, are $18.35 and include supplies for up to 50 tests. The monitoring test kits measure dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity/clarity and temperature. The reported results will be available for anyone desiring to view the data and will be used in the 2003 Summary Report. For more details or to order monitoring kits from America's Clean Water Foundation, visit the World Water Monitoring Day website at http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org

- Susan Meeker, Natural Resource Management