Stacy Iwanicki retired today from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after 39 years. She will be inducted into the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame this March. WNIJ's environment reporter Jess Savage asked her to reflect on her time with the department and at her headquarters, Volo Bog State Natural Area in Lake County.
Jess Savage: Okay, Stacy, why did you take this job almost 40 years ago? What attracted you to the work?
Stacy Iwanicki: Honestly, I stumbled upon the opportunity. And I was out looking for some place to go birding, and I found Volo Bog State Natural Area, except the gate was closed, and there was a driveway right next to the gate about 200 feet away. And as I'm turning up the driveway, there was a sign that said, "Authorized Personnel." I passed the Authorized Personnel sign, came back a couple hours later to a note on my windshield that basically said, 'Who do you think you are? Can't you read the sign?' And so I thought, 'Oh, darn it, I'm gonna have to go find the writer of the note.' And sure enough, this, this tall, curly- haired, bespectacled guy comes walking toward me. So I introduced myself and offered my apology, and we got chatting a little bit, and I said, "Do you know of any place that's hiring?" And he said, "Well, as a matter of fact, we are." So I said, "Give me everything you got. And you know, how do I apply?" And this was 1987.
JS: Okay, so what does your job look like on a day to day basis?
SI: One of the things I loved about this job was the variety. And the bulk of what I did is environmental education. But my morning, for most years, started with opening the gates in the morning, and I would start with cleaning the outhouse.
Honestly, when we're short staffed — which we chronically are — everybody pitches in. And Volo Bog's been my headquarters, and I take great pride in people having a good experience. So, I start where they start and make sure there's a nice clean outhouse.
And as the education program coordinator here, I recruited and trained and schedule and supervise all the volunteers, and they're amazing.
Occasionally I do bog tours, but in addition to bog tours, we were doing all sorts of stuff. We would have guest speakers come in. There were programs that I would lead, like animal tracking in the wintertime (and) insect safari. Some of the programs that we offered to children, we did adult and family versions of during the week.
So there's just always something going on and ways to get people out into nature and immerse them into the amazing ecosystem that is Volo Bog.
JS: You built up the education programming from basically bare bones. Why was that important to you, and what has been the impact of that work?
SI: Oh, my goodness, when I started here, they were doing a few things that we still do today. Of course, the bog tours and the bird walks. Those are the three main things that still continue today, (and) adding stuff I just really enjoy kind of figuring out as I go. I learn from the people around me all the time. So, it's just the fact that if some idea comes to me, somebody comes to me with an idea, it seems to fit the objectives, it's like, yes, let's do it.
JS: I'm curious what was one of the biggest challenges you faced
SI: In 2004, 2005 there was some huge staff cuts through the whole department. Actually, statewide, but Department of Natural Resources got especially hard hit, and three of the four staff that ran Volo Bog State Natural Area were eliminated that year.
At the end of 2004 and in 2005 we were merged with Moraine Hills State Park and McHenry Dam. That was hard, but there were great people that we merged with, so it made that transition easier. But, you know, change is always a little challenging. Trying to bring interpretive programming there brings more opportunities, but also challenges.
JS: I'm sure there are so many, but I'm wondering if you could reflect on maybe one or two of the most meaningful or most memorable moments from your time at Volo Bog.
SI: I think maybe some of the most memorable things are very personal. So, walking out into the bog one day and finding long-eared owls, learning at that moment that long-eared owls come in groups.
The day I was out again by myself, and I just kept hearing these footsteps, and I'm watching all of a sudden, I see a coyote, and it's kind of walking straight toward me, which, to this day, I just laugh at myself. I woofed at the coyote, and it stopped up short and turned and it took off and disappeared into the mist. It was just a magical moment. Another magical moment.
JS: What would you want to say to the people who have visited you over the years at Volo Bog?
SI: Thanks for being a part of it. Thanks for making basically my entire adult life such a pleasure. And, keep on coming. Keep on coming to the bog, keep on coming to the hills, keep on fishing that river and hiking those trails and being out there. You know, it's not about me or any one of us, it's about the resource.
JS: Well, Stacy, thank you, and you know, good luck in your retirement in Wisconsin.
SI: Thank you so much.
