The purpose of this study is to promote population growth of osprey in illinois by implementing hacking techniques

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources received a $200,000 formula grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI FWS), Region 3, under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611), effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The award supports an osprey population restoration initiative in Illinois utilizing hacking techniques—a wildlife management methodology for reestablishing breeding populations. The project is designed to promote osprey population growth in central Illinois and generate scientific data to inform future delisting decisions regarding osprey conservation status in the state.

The University of Illinois at Springfield has been designated as a subgrantee to support the project implementation. As a Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act-funded initiative, this award exemplifies the program's core mission of restoring and conserving wild birds and their habitats while supporting scientific research and wildlife management activities. The project's outcomes will contribute to broader wildlife restoration efforts and provide evidence-based recommendations for osprey species management and regulatory determinations.

This study will help restore local breeding populations of osprey in central illinois as well as inform the delisting decision of osprey in the future. University of illinois at springfield is an expected subgrantee of this project.