S. 2548 · On the floor · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act of 2025

Sponsor: Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)

What it does

• Designates approximately 750 acres in the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois as Camp Hutchins Wilderness and adds it to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
• Establishes three Special Management Areas in the Shawnee National Forest: Camp Hutchins (2,953 acres), Ripple Hollow (3,445 acres), and Burke Branch (6,310 acres).
• Closes Forest Road 211 to public vehicular traffic and maintains it as a hiking trail, including the eastern extension known as Hutchins Creek Spur.
• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a comprehensive management plan for the Special Management Areas within three years of enactment.

Latest action

Oct 27, 2025: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 217.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry