Center for Watershed Protection RFP for Technical Capacity Mini-Grant Program

Deadline: September 30, 2009

The goal of the mini-grant program is to strengthen the technical capacity of watershed organizations in the areas of stormwater and watershed management. For more information, visit http://www.cwp.org/Calendar/CWPMinigrantsRFP.pdf. 

Student Volunteers Invited to Apply for Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

Deadline: October 31, 2008

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial and administered by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, are designed to honor middle and high school students for volunteer community service. For more information, visit http://www.prudential.com/spirit/.

Illinois Recycling Grants, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Bureau of Energy and Recycling

Deadline: December 22, 2008

Two separate grant opportunities have opened simultaneously -- one for projects that address the collection or processing of traditional recyclables (paper, plastic, glass, and metal) and another for projects that address the collection or processing of electronic scrap. For more information, visit http://www.illinoisbiz.biz/dceo/Bureaus/Energy_Recycling/Recycling/.

Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Invites Proposals for Annual Awards Program

Deadline: January 21, 2009

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is a global awards program funded by Walt Disney World and Disney resort guests to support the study and protection of the world's wildlife and ecosystems. The fund provides annual awards to U.S. nonprofit conservation organizations working alongside their peers in other countries. Many of the recipient organizations concentrate their activities on "biological hotspots" -- areas rich in plant and animal life at risk of imminent destruction. For more information, visit http://conservation.wdwpublicaffairs.com/LinksTemplateCal.aspx?PageId=4b1f709e-d93d-46b9-bd4e-42e0f4b08a85.

National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants Application

The National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants Program funds projects that require venture capital, supporting exceptional projects while foregoing a time-consuming peer-review process. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are available at

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/grants-programs/waitt-grants-application.html.

(Posted 09/19/2008)

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Take Part in the World's Largest Shoreline Cleanup, September 20, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Various Locations

Join thousands of people in cleaning Great Lakes shorelines the September during the Alliance for the Great Lakes' Annual September Adopt-a-Beach™ event, part of the International Coastal Cleanup.  In 2007, 4,306 volunteers removed 20,371.5 pounds of trash from beaches and shorelines in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. To register online, visit http://www.greatlakes.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=589&srcid=525.  

Autumn on the Prairie 2008, September 20, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Franklin Grove, IL

The Nature Conservancy's Nachusa Grasslands preserve presents its 19th annual festival, featuring live music, guided tours, local artists at work, and a children's tent. For more information, visit www.aotp2008.blogspot.com.

The Illinois Natural History Survey Celebrates 150 Yeas of Service to the State, September 26 and 27, Champaign, IL

The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) is officially 150 years old this year! To celebrate this milestone, a series of special events are planned to commemorate natural history, natural resources, and the underlying science for which the INHS is noted. The official celebration will take place on September 26 and 27 at the INHS's south campus in

Champaign, IL. Events are planned to appeal to natural resource managers, government officials, fellow scientists, and the general public. A free family INHS Natural History Expo will be held at the INHS headquarters in Champaign on September 27 from 12pm-6pm; there will be numerous interactive exhibits and displays that showcase the science of the Survey. The centerpiece will be the world-renowned insect collection of Dan Capps, an insect collector extraordinaire. This education opportunity will feature topics relating to Illinois natural history. To learn more about this event, please visit

www.inhs.uiuc.edu/150.

National Public Lands Day, September 27

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2007, 110,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, planted trees and plants, and removed trash and invasive plants. Chicago Wilderness members can register their NPLD site on the official web site: http://www.publiclandsday.org/pre_reg.htm.  

Margaret Mead Film Festival: The Politics of Water, September 27, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., The Field Museum, Chicago

Film #1: The Water Front

In Highland Park, Michigan, local activists dealing with economic justice and welfare rights fight to keep their community's water from being privatized.

Film #2: Gimme Green

From subdivisions in Florida to sod farms in the arid Southwest, Gimme Green looks at the American obsession with lawns and how this $40 billion industry fuels our nation's most irrigated crop—the lawn.

Film #3: Village of Dust, City of Water

A lyrical and chilling ciné poem about social exploitation over access to water in India, where rural water supplies are redistributed to serve booming cities and whole communities are displaced to create dams.

Post-screening discussion to follow.

Go To 2040 Community Conversation, September 29, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Waukegan Public Library, Waukegan, IL

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is developing a regional comprehensive plan called GO TO 2040.  Regional planners need to learn what you love about your community, and which aspects you would like to see change in the future.  The GO TO 2040 regional plan will be built on a common vision of how residents want northeastern Illinois to look for themselves, their children, and their grandchildren.  Please send RSVP to davidvillalobos@waukeganpl.info or 847-553-5100 by Thursday September 25. For more information, visit www.goto2040.org.  

A New Path Forward: A Southland Business Forum on the Economic Promise of Trail Development, September 30, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, Alsip, IL

Across the country and right next door, private and public partnerships are generating sustainable and resilient economic growth through multi-use trail system development, while improving quality of life and lessening environmental impact.

With corridors in place for a regional trail network, the Chicago Southland is poised for the same transformation. The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau invites you to join business, community development, and local leaders as we learn from national and regional experts how we can move forward into an era of trail-based Triple Bottom Line development. For more information, visit http://chicagosouthland.travel/microsites/new_path_forward_081908.html.

Safer Pest Control Project (SPCP) Workshop Series, October 1-3

Safer Pest Control Project is dedicated to reducing the health risks and environmental impacts of pesticides and promoting safer alternatives in Illinois. SPCP is proud to present three training workshops for land managers:

Natural Lawn Care Workshop for School Grounds & Turf Managers, October 1, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL

Natural Lawn Care Workshop for Turf and Landscape Professionals, October 2, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn

For more information, and to register, visit http://www.spcpweb.org/training/.  

GreenTown: The Future of Community, October 2, Paramount Theatre, Aurora, IL, Free and discounted registration available to Chicago Wilderness Members

GreenTown: The Future of Community is a one-day conference designed to help create eco-effective communities. Mayors and elected officials, city managers, public works directors, park district directors, planners, developers, engineers, architects, landscape architects, builders, and many others interested in sustainable development, gather to hear from inspiring speakers, learn from been-there case studies and discuss actionable procedures to make communities more eco-effective.

Key speakers include Terry Tamminen, former Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and author of Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of our Oil Addiction, and Dean Kubani, manager of the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability. For more information, visit http://www.greentownconference.com. To obtain your organization’s one free registration and $95 discounted rate, please e-mail full information to Sara Rechtin at srechtin@a5inc.com or call 312-706-2525.

Chicago Wilderness Habitat Hootenanny, October 19, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL

The Chicago Wilderness Habitat Hootenanny is a celebration of the annual conservation volunteer efforts of monitors, stewards, and advocates. Don’t miss an autumn afternoon of tram tours, guided prairie hikes, good food, the Way Out Wilderness Awards and more for the whole gang!

For more information visit www.HabitatProject.org or contact Ryan White, Audubon Field Representative at SWhite@audubon.org or Kathy Garness at kmgfinearts@comcast.net.  

Determining Stewardship Costs and Raising and Managing Dedicated Funds: Standards and Practices Curriculum Seminar, October 23, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Milwaukee, WI

It is essential for land trusts to calculate the costs of stewardship and then raise the funds necessary to ensure that the promises made today will be kept in the future. Join your colleagues in learning about tools and practices that will help you make more informed decisions about how to determine stewardship costs and how to manage your land trust's financial assets and dedicated funds. Details available at: http://www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/training/1day/stewardship.  

Sustainable Cities Symposium, October 24, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL

The Sustainable Cities Symposium serves to educate Illinois municipal leaders on how to make communities more sustainable by implementing green practices and programs.  The conference is an opportunity for you to share information and exchange ideas with mayors, public works departments, planners, engineers, community groups, and interested residents. For more information, please visit www.GreenSolutions.il.gov.  

The Indian Creek Watershed Summit: Plotting a Course for a Better Future in Our Watershed, November 6, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., Royal Melborne Country Club, Long

Grove, IL

The main purpose of this meeting will be to publicize and encourage adoption of the Indian Creek Watershed Plan, one of the first EPA approved watershed-based plans in  Illinois. The keynote speaker will be Al Larson, Village President of Schaumburg, who will review the village progress on their locally-adopted Biodiversity Recovery Plan for Land and Water Improvement. For more information, please contact Tori Trauscht, Indian Creek Watershed Project, Ltd., at cleanwater@indiancreekwp.org.

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) 9th National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment: Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World, December 8-10, Washington D.C.

The conference will provide an opportunity to look at what is happening to biodiversity in the context of radical climate disruption, human population rise, land use changes, globalization and other economic forces. Melinda Pruett-Jones, Executive Director of Chicago Wilderness, will be presenting with Claire Cassel, US Fish and Wildlife in a breakout session called Building and Sustaining Conservation Partnerships. For more information, visit http://ncseonline.org/Conference/Biodiversity.

Share your research and initiatives during the conference Poster Session! Abstracts are now being accepted for posters that are relevant to the Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World theme including:

         Developing the New Biodiversity Science Agenda

         Moving from Science to Action

         Expanding Understanding: Information, Education, and Communication

Posters will be displayed December 8-9 in the main plenary room offering many great opportunities to share your work with the other participants.  Abstracts are due by October 13 and can be submitted online at http://ncseonline.org/Conference/Biodiversity/cms.cfm?id=2292. Please direct questions to conference@ncseonline.org.  

FPD of DuPage County Interested in Hosting Two-Day Training on Electrofishing

As part of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County's new Aquatics Monitoring & Research Program the Natural Resources Department is considering hosting a two day training seminar on the safe and proper techniques of electrofishing. The course would be taught by Smith-Root Inc. Technologies for Fisheries Conservation, out of Vancouver, Washington. Training will consist of one day in the classroom and one day in the field learning specific techniques of Backpack Electrofishing using the LR-24 system. Cost will range from $300.00-500.00 per person, depending on number of participants. The FPDDC would like to find out how many agencies may be interested in attending such training, most likely in Spring 2009. Any questions or interest can be forwarded to Erik Neidy, Natural Resources Coordinator, FPDDC eneidy@dupageforest.com, 630-933-7575. For more details on the course, visit

http://www.smith-root.com/training/introduction-to-electrofishing-course.

(Posted 09/19/2008)

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Invitation to Join the National No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Coalition

The national No Child Left Inside Coalition is comprised of more than 400 educational, environmental, health and business organizations across the country representing more than 20 million people. The Coalition has extended an invitation to Chicago Wilderness members to join the effort to secure new support for environmental education and create new opportunities for young people to get outside to learn and explore. Current CW members involved in the NCLI Coalition include: The Bolingbrook Park District, Chicago Zoological Society, Downers Grove Park District, Eden Place Nature Center, Friends of Ryerson Woods, Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center, Illinois Audubon Society, The Prairie Club, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation Center for Conservation Education, The Lake County (IL) Forest Preserves, the Notebaert Nature Museum, and Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd.

 

The NCLI Coalition is deeply concerned about the elimination or scaling-back of environmental education and field investigations in schools nationwide and is working to pass the No Child Left Inside Act, which would:

·        Provide federal funding to states to train teachers in environmental education and to operate model environmental education programs, which include outdoor learning.

·        Provide funding to states that create environmental literacy plans to ensure that high school graduates are environmentally literate.

·        Provide funding through an environmental education grant program to build state and national capacity.

 

If your organization is interested in becoming a member of the coalition, please fill out the online form at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jRAyPWHwIlPEBTn_2f_2bnZlbw_3d_3d. If you would like more information about the NCLI Coalition please visit www.NCLICoalition.org or contact Lucas Johnson, grassroots coordinator, at ljohnson@cbf.org

 

Leave No Child Inside in Northwest Indiana
Save the Dunes Conservation Fund (SDCF) has been awarded $15,000 in funding from Chicago Wilderness to continue its Leave No Child Inside project. SDCF began their Leave No Child Inside project in Michigan City, IN at the beginning of 2008, with funding from the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation. Since then, SDCF has been providing outdoor experiences for hundreds of children from Michigan City schools and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club. This project provided the opportunity for children to participate in local on-the-ground projects including planting native plants at Hanson Park, monitoring water quality in Trail Creek, and planting a rain garden on Michigan Boulevard.

“The funding from Chicago Wilderness will allow us to reach out to additional communities in Northwest Indiana and engage more children. Our objective is to help children increase their awareness of nature while working on worthwhile projects. We have found from this year’s Save the Dunes activities that children enjoy learning how to become stewards of biodiversity in their community. They develop ownership and take pride in the projects,” said Erin Crofton, project manager. For more information about Save the Dunes, visit http://www.savedunes.org/.

 

Leave No Child Inside Public Service Announcements

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County developed public service announcements in support of the Leave No Child Inside initiative.  View them at: http://www.dupageforest.com/video/nochild08.html.

 

State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants 2009

Deadline: October 15, 2008

With generous support from the State Farm Companies Foundation, Youth Service America is offering the annual State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant for youth-led community improvement projects across the United States and Canada. The grants of up to $1,000 support teachers and service-learning coordinators in engaging students (ages 5-25) to implement service-learning projects for Global Youth Service Day, April 24-26, 2009. Details are available at: http://servenet.org/Toolkit/ContentManagement/ServiceWireNews/tabid/122/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/750/Default.aspx

 

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) Youth Video Contest

Deadline: October 31, 2008

NCSE is pleased to provide a forum for young people to share their actions, perspectives, and passion for biodiversity through new media channels by hosting a video contest, Voices and Visions from the Next Generation of Conservationists, as part of the Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World Conference in Washington DC, December 8-10, 2008. For more information on the contest, visit   http://ncseonline.org/Conference/Biodiversity/cms.cfm?id=2549.

 

(Posted 09/19/2008)

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CW NEWS

CW Natural Resources Management Team Restoration Roundtable, September 25, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, Highland Park, IL

Topic: Ravine restoration at Fort Sheridan

 

A unique Lake Michigan natural resource, Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve is of statewide significance. Its bluff areas contain the largest and best remaining examples of natural open prairie-like vegetation that once occurred along the lake bluffs in Illinois. And one of its six rare ravines – Janes Ravine – is one of the few remaining examples of mesic and dry-mesic upland forests. The ravines and lakeshore provide a protected home for several endangered and threatened species.

 

Join staff from the Lake County Forest Preserve District as they discuss their restoration work that is underway at the ravines. Attendees will have the opportunity to view a unique natural area, learn about the restoration efforts there, and ask questions in informal setting.

 

The event is free and open to all CW members. For questions or to RSVP, please contact the CW Science and Natural Resources Management Teams coordinator, Chris Mulvaney, at cmulvaney@chicagowilderness.org or 847-242-6424.

 

CW Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training, September 29 & 30, The Morton Arboretum

Based on the National Wildfire Coordinating Group's (NWCG) S-130 and S-190 courses, this training covers the basics of such topics as prescription burn techniques, fire behavior, and smoke management. The objective is to provide participants with the background necessary to safely participate on the crew of a prescribed burn. Please be advised that while many CW land-owning organizations accept this course as their standard minimum crew member training, it does NOT carry the official NWCG S-130/S-190 certification.

 

Space is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. This course is free and open to natural resource professionals, volunteers, and others involved with the management of natural areas in the Chicago Wilderness region. Thanks to The Morton Arboretum for providing the space and the staff at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County for conducting the training.

 

To register, please fill out the registration form at http://www.chicagowilderness.org/members/documents/Fall_2008_CW_Burn_Training_Registration_Form_1.doc . For questions, please contact Chris Mulvaney, the CW Science & Natural Resources Management Teams Coordinator, at 847-242-6424 or cmulvaney@chicagowilderness.org.    

 

CW Wildlife Task Force Roundtable, October 3, North Suburbs (Location TBD)

The roundtable will focus on the topic "Wildlife Management Issues in Small Preserves and Urban/Suburban Communities.” More details will be available soon. The event is free and open to all CW members. For questions or to RSVP, please contact the CW Science and Natural Resources Management Teams coordinator, Chris Mulvaney, at cmulvaney@chicagowilderness.org or 847-242-6424.

 

CW Aquatics Task Force Roundtable, October 24, Spring Brook Prairie Forest Preserve, Naperville, IL

Topic: Spring Brook Creek Meander Project

 

As part of ongoing restoration and habitat improvement of the Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has constructed a new, meandering stream channel on approximately 2 miles of Spring Brook Creek, a tributary of the DuPage River. The primary objective is to improve habitat, reduce bank erosion and improve water quality by reconnecting the stream to the flood plain and reduce channel entrenchment. Stream channel design incorporated improved fish, mussel and macro invertebrate habitat.

 

Please meet at  (Time TBD) at the pavilion at the parking lot of Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve just west of Book Rd on 83rd St.

 

There will be a brief presentation and overview of the project and a short walk to the stream to tour the project site. Please dress for the weather and potentially wet/muddy conditions. The event is free and open to all CW members. For questions or to RSVP, please contact the CW Science and Natural Resources Management Teams coordinator, Chris Mulvaney, at cmulvaney@chicagowilderness.org or 847-242-6424.

 

Chicago Wilderness Honored for Outstanding Achievement in Greenways Preservation

Chicago Wilderness was honored by the Eastman Kodak Company, National Geographic Society and The Conservation Fund in a ceremony on September 15 along with 29 nonprofit organizations and local government agencies, including Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Partnership for the National Trails System.

 

“America’s greenways and trails serve as lifelines linking neighborhoods, parks and people,” said The Conservation Fund’s president, Larry Selzer. “I congratulate Kodak for its leadership and vision in sponsoring this important initiative and I also congratulate the recipients of this year’s awards. Thanks to the support and dedication of our partners, we are preserving a network of open space for future generations.”

 

Since 1992, the Kodak American Greenways Program, administered by The Conservation Fund, has made more than 650 seed grants of up to $2,500 to groups across the nation to help develop community-based, action-oriented greenways projects.

 

Following stream corridors, abandoned rail lines, canals or other linear landscape features, greenways preserve wildlife habitat, enhance water quality and provide opportunities for close-to-home outdoor recreation and sustainable economic development.

 

“Greenways are America’s parks for the 21st century,” said Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Chairman of the National Geographic Society. “With the help of companies like Kodak, a growing network is linking our city streets to parklands and other open spaces in ways that encourage us to get out of our cars and into the landscape. Publicly or privately owned, greenways represent a grand design for creating a new green infrastructure for America.”

 

L.L. Bean Store Honors Chicago Wilderness at Grand Opening

The launch of the new L.L. Bean store in South Barrington in early September was a tremendous success, and Chicago Wilderness was honored to be represented at the grand opening event. L.L. Bean gave a generous gift of $15,000 to Chicago Wilderness in support of the Leave No Child Inside initiative. L.L. Bean selected Citizens for Conservation, a Barrington area group, engaged in remarkable conservation programs and working to connect children with nature, to receive the grant. Thanks to the many representatives of Chicago Wilderness for attending the special VIP event, including members from Lake County, DuPage County, Cook County, our corporate council, and federal agencies. L.L. Bean will open a second store in Skokie this November; details about that event will be shared with all CW members.

(Posted 09/19/2008)

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CHICAGO WILDERNESS AUTUMN BENEFIT DINNER AND 2008 CONGRESS

The week of November 10 promises to be an exciting whirlwind of momentous Chicago Wilderness events, and we hope you can join us!

 

November 11: the Chicago Wilderness Autumn Benefit Dinner at the Field Museum

On November 11, 2008, Chicago Wilderness will hold its first Autumn Benefit Dinner at The Field Museum. The theme of the benefit event is Connecting Children to Nature, and the Honorable Richard M. Daley and his wife, Maggie, will be receiving an award from Chicago Wilderness for their leadership in greening Chicago and on behalf of the welfare of children. This event will also benefit Chicago WILDERNESS magazine, and is an opportunity for the more than 230 member organizations of Chicago Wilderness to celebrate their shared vision and collaborative work. The Autumn Benefit Dinner is generously sponsored by the Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council, who are committed to creating a sustainable, healthy environment for all the region's residents. Please join the region’s business and community leaders, policy makers and others who care about people and nature in this region for this important event. To learn more, call Carol Levenberg at (312) 580-2138 or clevenberg@chicagowilderness.org.

 

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November 13: Chicago Wilderness 2008 Congress

The Chicago Wilderness Congress will be held on Thursday, November 13 and is hosted by the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) at The Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt. This day-long conference will promote the exchange of ideas and exploration of collaborative conservation action. David Bragdon, President of Portland Metro in Oregon is the keynote speaker and will speak both on the exciting green infrastructure developments in Portland as well as how Chicago Wilderness inspired the Connecting Green initiative. A special evening event will feature a presentation by Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy, world renowned conservationist and scientist.

Online registration will be available by the end of September. We are pleased to welcome as many staff, volunteers, and partners from our member organizations as are interested in attending.  For more information on this event contact Michelle Uting, CW manager of membership relations, at muting@chicagowilderness.org.

(Posted 09/19/2008)

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CHICAGO WILDERNESS CORPORATE COUNCIL

CW Corporate Council Yellow Pages Directory

The Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council Yellow Pages Directory is now available as a member resource. The directory is a compilation of company name, address, contacts, description of work, and a check list of services offered, which includes Design Services, Ecological Consulting &  Contracting, Energy, Engineering & Consulting, Environmental Law, Financial Services, Geospatial Data Management, Home Building, Nursery Stock, Parks & Recreation, Planning, Printing, Restoration, Tree Care and Water Resource Solutions.  The directory is available online at http://www.chicagowilderness.org/members/documents/CWCC_Member_Directory_-_July08.pdf.

 

Corporate Council members continually provide support to Chicago Wilderness initiatives. Please consider utilizing the services of members when planning your projects, and please forward the directory with a recommendation to others in need of such services.

(Posted 08/06/2008)

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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION

National Forum on Children and Nature

Here in Chicago on November 12, the National Forum on Children and Nature will partner with Chicago Wilderness to announce its national campaign to address the absence of nature in the lives of today's generation of children. The National Forum is comprised of leaders from public agencies, corporations, the media and health and environmental organizations committed to taking action to reconnect children with nature. Their campaign will promote 20 nationally significant demonstration projects in the areas of Health, Education, the Built Environment, and Media and Culture that, individually and collectively, will chart a new direction for the nation on the critical challenges of engaging children in nature experiences. We anticipate that Chicago Wilderness will be one of the recipients of this recognition, for both its Leave No Child Inside (LNCI) and its Green Infrastructure Vision (GIV) programs. These programs have evolved in a complementary fashion, enabling us to demonstrate the many ways in which CW members bring children to nature and bring nature to children. We want to use the November 12 event to bring heightened visibility to the work of CW and its members at a national scale, in an unparalleled opportunity to promote your vital work.

The Chicago Wilderness plan for protecting biodiversity and connecting people with nature in the region is the product of the leadership and technical capacity of the consortium’s membership. Through the collaborative engagement of our diverse members, the consortium will implement the Green Infrastructure Vision and bring nature to children at four geospatial scales:

1. Regional: By working with regional planning agencies to change mindsets about issues of regional sustainability and community health by integrating the GIV principles and map into regional land use and transportation plans.

2. Community: By incorporating principles of biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and child-friendly design into land use plans and ordinances.

3. Neighborhood: By promoting the preservation of natural spaces and conservation design into developing communities.

4. Site: By promoting native landscaping, rain gardens, learning landscapes and greening of schoolyards, and the use of rain barrels.

We have a terrific opportunity to highlight member programs at the November 12th event with the National Forum. Please tell us about the work you are doing that exemplifies how Chicago Wilderness members connect people to nature at one of these scales to be identified with the Chicago Wilderness GIV initiative on November 12 and beyond. Please contact Lucy Hutcherson, Director of Conservation & Communications, at lucy.hutcherson@chicagowilderness.org or 708-688-8253, by August 13.

The November 12 event presents a unique opportunity to garner publicity and lay the foundation to bring significant resources to the important work underway in this region. By linking to national efforts and engaging CW members, the corporate and civic community in the implementation of the Green Infrastructure Vision, we will help ensure that the GIV is the foundation for the Chicago metropolitan area as it develops into the future. 2009 marks the centennial of the Burnham Plan; in 2109 let them be celebrating our Chicago Wilderness Vision!

(Posted 08/06/2008)

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LEAVE NO CHILD INSIDE

CW Hires New LNCI Coordinator

Chicago Wilderness is pleased to welcome Emilian Geczi as the new LNCI Coordinator. Emilian is completing a doctoral degree in natural resources, with a focus on communication, from the University of Vermont, Burlington. During his tenure at the University of Vermont, Emilian collaborated with numerous stakeholder groups, including representatives of conservation organizations, federal agencies, local government, and academic institutions. Emilian is Co-Chair of the Evanston Climate Action Plan Communications Task Force and a volunteer with Altgeld Gardens. 

 

Emilian will be temporarily hosted by the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo with Lucy Hutcherson and Michelle Mohney until the new CW office is ready at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Volunteer Resource Center. We appreciate the support of both institutions!

 

Invitation to Join the National No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Coalition

The national No Child Left Inside Coalition is comprised of more than 400 educational, environmental, health and business organizations across the country representing more than 20 million people. The Coalition has extended an invitation to Chicago Wilderness members to join the effort to secure new support for environmental education and create new opportunities for young people to get outside to learn and explore. Current CW members involved in the NCLI Coalition include: The Lake County (IL) Forest Preserves, the Chicago Academy of Sciences/ Notebaert Nature Museum, and Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd.

 

The NCLI Coalition is deeply concerned about the elimination or scaling-back of environmental education and field investigations in schools nationwide and is working to pass the No Child Left Inside Act, which would:

§        Provide federal funding to states to train teachers in environmental education and to operate model environmental education programs, which include outdoor learning.

§        Provide funding to states that create environmental literacy plans to ensure that high school graduates are environmentally literate.

§        Provide funding through an environmental education grant program to build state and national capacity.

 

If your organization is interested in becoming a member of the coalition, please fill out the online form at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jRAyPWHwIlPEBTn_2f_2bnZlbw_3d_3d. If you would like more information about the NCLI Coalition please visit www.NCLICoalition.org or contact Lucas Johnson, grassroots coordinator, at ljohnson@cbf.org

 

FPDDC Pilots the First Chicago Area Earth Partnership for Schools Program

A partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the Chicago Botanic Garden, The Field Museum, and the Oakbrook Terrace Park District engaged 16 teachers and school administrators from six Chicago region schools in a week of training, July 28 through August 1, 2008.

 

The EPS program assists teachers in establishing restoration projects on school sites and provides the tools for building a curriculum that incorporates restoration into almost any subject area. The program goals closely mirror those of the Leave No Child Inside Initative:

• Address a growing nature deficit disorder in children
• Enhance learning across the curriculum
• Strengthen school, family and community relationships
• Provide the tools for restoring the land and enhancing our relationship to it

By the end of the training week, EPS participants planted two plots of native gardens at the Mayslake Peabody Estate site and presented Restoration Action Plans for their school sites. The educators gained skills in the study of native plant communities, mapping, and restoration through field trips to the plant collection at The Field Museum, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and two restored savannas in Lake County.

 

A grant from the EPA has afforded teachers coursework credit through Aurora University, native garden supply funds, field trip vouchers, interpretive materials and resources and the EPS curriculum. Congratulations to all involved and for the three lead trainers of EPS Restore: Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Director of Education, David Guritz, Debbi Gayon, Education Site Manager, and Treenen Sturman, Education Outreach Coordinator, Chicago Botanic Garden. 

 

Kids Dig Dirt! Green Paper

The Green Paper was commissioned by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) as part of its “Good to Grow!” initiative. CW members David Becker, Senior Manager of Learning Experiences, Chicago Zoological Society, and Christine Nye, Horticulture Manager, John G. Shedd Aquarium, participated in a day-long Visioning Charette in Washington DC to provide insight to the Green Paper. 

 

The Kids Dig Dirt! Green Paper provides a collection of facts, guidelines and language that museums and community organizations can draw on while developing their own outdoor spaces, proposals for funding or other materials. The paper argues that children’s museums—institutions dedicated to play and informal education of children and families—play a critical role in nurturing active, healthy children; connecting children to nature in their daily lives; and reconnecting adults to nature, by sharing children’s experiences. The paper is available to purchase or download at http://www.childrensmuseums.org/programs/health.htm#latestdevelopments.  

(Posted 08/06/2008)

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RESTORATION & MANAGEMENT

Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training, August 23 & 24, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Forest Preserve District of Cook County Salt Creek Resource Management Facility, Western Springs, IL

The Chicago Wilderness Natural Resources Management Team is pleased to offer the CW Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training. Based on the National Wildfire Coordinating Group's (NWCG) S-130 and S-190 courses, this training covers the basics of such topics as prescription burn techniques, fire behavior, and smoke management. The objective is to provide participants with the background necessary to safely participate on the crew of a prescribed burn. Please be advised that while many CW land-owning organizations accept this course as their standard minimum crew member training, it does NOT carry the official NWCG S-130/S-190 certification. The workshop is offered free of charge, but you must register to attend. The workshop is open to volunteers, professional natural resources management staff, and others interested in the restoration and management of natural areas. Space is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. To register, please use fill out the registration form at http://www.chicagowilderness.org/members/documents/Fall_2008_CW_Burn_Training_Registration_Form.doc or contact Chris Mulvaney at cmulvaney@chicagowilderness.org or 847-242-6424.