Dillon Law takes over as site superintendent at Illini State Park in Marseilles

Ask Illini State Park’s new site superintendent Dillon Law how he feels about his new role, and he’ll tell you it feels like the job was made for him.

“It truly feels like I’ve been funneled into this position,” Law said of his new position at the Marseilles park. “Everything I’ve done up to this point – logistics, maintenance, habitat work – all plays perfectly into what this park needs.”

Law takes the reins from longtime site superintendent Tom Jackson, who has overseen the park since 2014 and is guiding Law through the transition this month.

Originally from Dwight and now living near Wilmington, Law brings years of experience in private land management and wildlife habitat restoration.

“If you drive through the park now, I think you can really picture what it’s going to look like in three to five years.”

—  Dillon Law, site superintendent of Illini State Park

That expertise is being put to work with the park’s most recent initiative: a $175,000 woodland restoration project, funded through a grant from Constellation Energy and the Illini State Park Foundation.

The project looks to remove invasive species, promote native regrowth, and eventually rehabilitate the park’s popular Illiniwek Trail. The trail, which loops along a canal, is the first section undergoing repair and erosion control work.

Visitors also will notice improvements to trail surfaces and drainage as the project continues.

“If you drive through the park now, I think you can really picture what it’s going to look like in three to five years,” Law said. “We’re clearing invasive species from the 6- to 10-foot understory, and we’re hoping the native seed bank starts to flourish again.”

The project builds on a decade of improvements led by Jackson, who oversaw capital renovations to historic Civilian Conservation Corps-era structures, including the park’s concession building and former flush toilet facility, now converted into the Rizzo Shelter.

“There’s so much infrastructure here the public doesn’t always see – water systems, furnaces, basic utilities – that we’ve modernized over the years,” Jackson said. “Now, Dillon’s here to take it further. His energy is inspiring.”

White Jackson prepares to step back, he said he’s grateful for the chance to mentor his successor.

“It’s like having an encyclopedia on hand,” Law said about Jackson. “Being able to pick his brain every day has been a gift.”

As the park gears up for its full camping season beginning in May, Law also is seeking a new volunteer campground host, a role that involves assisting visitors and monitoring activity during evenings. The position is unpaid but includes a free campsite.

Illini State Park is accepting bids for a concessionaire to operate its renovated facility.

A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, and attendance is required to submit a proposal.

Law, who also oversees the nearby Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area and La Salle Lake, said he’s committed to making a lasting impact on the park and community.

“I couldn’t think of a better fit,” he said. “I hope to be here for a very long time.”