IDNR employees make record year possible
Illinois’ state parks and historic sites welcomed more than 41 million visitors in 2024, marking the highest attendance in nearly 15 years—a milestone that wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication of union members throughout the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
From the World Shooting Complex in Sparta to the hiking trails of Starved Rock State Park near Rockford, IDNR employees are on the front lines ensuring visitors have safe, clean, and memorable experiences at Illinois’ natural areas.
Maintaining world-class facilities
Rick Rice, a member of AFSCME Local 1805 who works at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, has witnessed firsthand how proper maintenance and care can transform a state facility into a national destination.
“We have 1,000 campsites, and when the grand shooting event comes in August, every one of those is filled,” Rice said. “There’s people that still have to go outside of town and rent hotels in St. Louis. Every campsite is filled up.”
Rice and his colleagues handle everything from electrical problems and water leaks to grounds maintenance and facility upkeep. Their work ensures that major events like Amateur Trap Shooting Association competitions can accommodate the massive influx of visitors who create a boon for the local economy.
Hands-on conservation
A Site Tech II and steward for AFSCME Local 2794, Nick Rodriguez is one of a new generation of conservation workers who combine environmental stewardship with public service. Rodriguez and his co-workers oversee multiple locations in north-central Illinois, including Illini State Park, LaSalle Lake Fish and Wildlife Area, and Marseilles Fish and Wildlife Area.
“We have a lot of responsibility for the amount of acreage we cover,” Rodriguez said. “Usually start of the day is making rounds, cleaning restrooms, [and] checking camper permits.”
A typical day in the busy summer months can bring anything, and Rodriguez and his co-workers have to be ready for whatever comes their way.
“If you have a tree that falls, [it] needs to be cut up; there could be anything mechanical, heavy equipment. It varies day to day.”
The work extends beyond basic maintenance to active conservation efforts. Rodriguez and his team tackle invasive species removal, which allows visitors to see deeper into forests and spot more wildlife.
“When people come up to us and say it’s looking great and thank us for what we do, that’s an amazing feeling,” Rodriguez said.
Record numbers reflect quality work
Nine Illinois state parks attracted more than 1 million visitors each in 2024, led by Starved Rock with 2.4 million visitors and Illinois Beach (along Lake Michigan north of Chicago) with 2 million.
Rodriguez has noticed the surge.
“Even days during the week are busier than the weekends used to be,” he said, “whether it’s people just coming down to fish or people that want to spend time outside.”
The busiest historic sites also benefited from AFSCME members’ care, with Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site—where the former president lived from 1831 to 1837—welcoming nearly 360,000 visitors and Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site attracting more than 200,000.
No matter where they work, spending every day in the great outdoors is a boon for IDNR employees.
“People enjoy their work and love coming to work every day,” Rodriguez said. “I truly feel blessed. It was not easy to get one of these jobs, and I feel blessed to have it and to put forth my best effort because of that.”