FLUDDLES Documentary
April 22, 2024 @ 7PM
FLUDDLES chronicles the wildlife of agricultural wetlands of Illinois. Sometimes simply described as “big puddles,” fluddles appear in the spring and fall and provide habitat and forage for a diversity of waterfowl and shorebird species. FLUDDLES takes viewers on a journey to these secret, oft-fleeting wildernesses in a time when Illinois has lost 90% of its original wetlands. FLUDDLES features those who enjoy the beauty of wetlands while showcasing the movement under way to construct more wetlands, which provide critical habitat, reduce flooding and erosion, and help to ensure healthier waterways. The idea for the FLUDDLES documentary started right here in McLean County with Grand Prairie Bird Alliance board member Bill Davison, who inspired both the film and the excellent academic work that the Illinois State University Geography Department did to catalog fluddles in the area using GIS mapping technology.