Bob Frazee has more than 35 years of experience with University of Illinois Extension. After growing up in Tazewell County, Frazee attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, where he received a bachelor's degree in agronomy. He earned a master's degree in agronomy from the University of Illinois.

Following graduation from the University of Illinois in 1972, Frazee began his career with Extension. He has served as the Agriculture Extension Advisor for Peoria, Marshall and Putnam counties, and as an Area Conservationist for North-Central Illinois.

Frazee provides leadership in Natural Resources Management programming for 21 counties in North Central Illinois. Working with farmers, elected officials, organizations, and other agencies, he addresses issues impacting soil and water conservation, no-till management, surface and groundwater quality, streambank erosion, and management of the Illinois River System. He is a Certified Professional Agronomist. Frazee authors numerous articles for professional journals and the popular farm press. He is the co-author ofsix books: Designing, Implementing and Controlling No-till Systems; Designing, Implementing and Controlling Mulch-till Systems; 60 Ways Farmers Can Protect Surface Water; Illinois 4-H Small Grains Manual; Illinois 4-H Corn Manual; and Illinois 4-H Soybean Manual.

He provides leadership for the organization and planning of the Governor's Conferences on the Management of the Illinois River System that are held biennially in Peoria. These conferences are co-sponsored by over 65 state and federal agencies and organizations and are attended by more than 300 natural resources professionals. Frazee has also been instrumental in developing and conducting Streambank Stabilization Workshops for landowners, agency staff and land improvement contractors from around the world.

Frazee has received numerous awards, including the National Conservationist of the Year Award from the Izaak Walton League of America, the Sustained Excellence in Extension Programming Award from University of Illinois Extension, the National Urban Hometown River Award for "Going the Extra River Mile on the Illinois River" from American Rivers in Washington DC, and the United States Department of Agriculture Superior Service Award presented by US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy in Washington DC.

Natural Resources Management programming embarks on a new course of action for correcting imbalances, a course that hopefully will balance prosperity and stewardship of our natural resources for future generations. Major programming areas include:

Soil Erosion degrades valuable farmland, destroys Illinois' competitive marketing edge, harms its rural communities, and pollutes the environment. "The wealth of Illinois is in her soils."

Water Quality, as it relates to surface & groundwater, is the number one environmental problem currently facing agriculture and the environment.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) provide practical and cost-effective approaches to protecting and enhancing our natural resources.

Streambank Erosion is increasing in severity due to greater volumes of surface water runoff from agricultural and urban areas. Five new low-cost methods are now available to stabilize eroding streambanks.

Illinois River Management is our state's most important inland water resource. Implementation of an Integrated Management Plan is essential to prevent soil erosion and sedimentation from impacting the future of this important water resource for navigation, recreation, as a source for drinking water, and for fish and aquatic habitat.

Ecosystem and Whole Farm Management examines the "big picture" of how people use the natural resources, their interaction, and how they affect our quality of life and the environment.


For more information on protecting groundwater, surface water and your home environment, check out http://www.thisland.uiuc.edu .