Billionaire. Danger. Bleach. These three words are among 50 conversation starters presented by The Nature Conservancy in Illinois to encourage Chicagoans to talk about the global conservation issues that impact their daily lives. Vibrant images from Chicago and around the world are paired with conversation starters in the series of displays currently posted across the city and online at www.StartOneConversation.org.

Today, The Nature Conservancy and partners will detonate approximately two miles of levees to restore wetlands at the Conservancy's 7,400 acre Williamson River Delta Preserve in southern Oregon. This will require 100 tons of explosives at four locations along the levee, causing Upper Klamath Lake to flood 2,500 acres within one hour. The use of explosives to restore wetlands follows months of intense study, engineering, and construction.

DuPont recently announced a pledge of $250,000 to The Nature Conservancy in an effort to improve water quality in vital Midwestern watersheds and to further reduce excess nutrient runoff from agricultural fields.

Four new Board of Trustees members join the Connecticut Chapter.

The Nature Conservancy announces the appointment of Leslee Spraggins as the new State Director of the Illinois Chapter. Spraggins brings 14 years of experience with The Nature Conservancy to the role, most recently as the organization's State Director in Iowa where she led the revitalization of the chapter's conservation and fundraising programs.