A Conservation tour through Peoria and Tazewell Counties kicked off the 2007 Governor's Conference on Management of the Illinois River System today.

The first stop was Peoria's Historic Springdale Cemetery. Organizers say the conservation tour highlights what the Peoria area is doing to help the environment.

Robert Frazee, the U of I Extension Natural Resources Manager, said, "The conservation tour is an opportunity for us to be able to put into practice and actually see first hand some of the problems that are occurring out in here across the Illinois River."

At the Springdale Cemetery the group walked to the Savannah. In some areas, cemetery officials are trying to bring back natural wildlife.

An official with the Environmental Bureau of the Attorney General's Office says the conservation tour is very educational.

Javonna Homann said, "It is always good to get out and see what other people are doing to help the environment. Sometimes you get too close to what you are doing. A lot of what we are doing is augmented by working with other people."

Some of the other topics that will be discussed at the conference over the next couple of days include storm water management river monitoring and Asian Carp.

The conference goes through Thursday October 4, at the Peoria Holiday Inn City Centre Hotel.