| | | | | | | | | | | During This Time of Crisis - We are Grateful for our Wilderness! Thank You for Your Commitment to Collective Impact - Together We Are Creating a Vision for a Greener Region!
Dear Partners, It has been a year of resilience, hope, and inspiration. Who could have imagined that the challenges faced with a global pandemic, would present us with such a significant and unique opportunity to lead our communities - to strengthen our economy - to address diversity, equity and inclusion barriers to nature - and to restore the health and resiliency of our region - for all people, plants and animals. Through the collaborative work of the Alliance, we have and continue to make a positive difference in our communities. We are engaging in new ways, bringing more organizations, voices, and diverse perspectives together to advance our important conservation work in the areas of preserved and restored habitat, regenerative agriculture, green infrastructure, climate resiliency, water, and access to nature. We as an Alliance, are once again, on the precipice of something momentous and impactful for our four-state region! We are thankful for the tireless and dedicated work of our Partners and the many passionate and knowledgeable individuals who have joined our efforts to elevate and promote a shared green vision for the future and to help shape our collective goals for the next five years. As we look to the year ahead and onward to 2025, we are wildly appreciative of your inspirational leadership and for taking the time to engage with us - we're listening. Through virtual meetings, cafes, listening sessions and connecting with working groups/teams on our Social Link Ap, we are having the necessary conversations to chart an important path. Together, with your input and by leveraging the organizational capacity of our Chicago Wilderness Partners, we will create a measurable work plan focussed on nature-based strategies that will positively impact our region today and for future generations to come. We are committed to tangible action and have an exciting year ahead! With Gratitude,
Elizabeth S. Kessler, Chair
McHenry County Conservation District Jim Jerozal, Vice Chair
Nicor Gas Mike Glester, Treasurer
Cardno Nathanael Pilla, Secretary
Orbis Environmental Consulting At-Large Members
Jerry Adelmann, Openlands
Jim Anderson, Lake County Forest Preserves
Michelle Carr, The Nature Conservancy
Leslie Dorworth, IL/IN Seagrant
Cathy Geraghty, Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Alison Paul, The Field Museum
John Rogner, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
David Shimberg, Riverwoods Preservation Council
Daniel Suarez, Audubon Great Lakes
Laura Reilly, CW Coordinator | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Partner Renewals Are Open. Renew Today to Be Part of the Full Green Vision for the Region. | | | | |
| | | | | We have big plans for the region and want you to be a part of it. Chicago Wilderness envisions a vibrant region where people and nature thrive together, promoting diverse and healthy communities, economic vitality, and well-being for all. The work of partners like you reflects our region's commitment to a new green vision. But getting there requires collaboration among all of us! We've provided Chicago Wilderness partners like you with new ways to stay informed and connected with your peers, including: - Developing new green vision collective goals for the region and developing metrics and mapping to help track our progress.
- Taking the presentations selected Congress 2020 online to provide free access to the latest thinking about the region's most pressing conservation issues. More than 400 people attended our summer virtual Congress sessions.
- Creating a new Chicago Wilderness Cafe series to serve up live forums and conversations on topics related to our Chicago Wilderness focus areas so that colleagues can share ideas, pose questions and find out what's happening around the region.
- Revamping our website and members-only group pages to better reflect our collaborative work, giving members the ability to join teams and get involved.
- Working with partner organizations on COVID-19 and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion resources related to conservation and the outdoors.
- Growing our social media presence on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and iNaturalist to boost awareness of the work that partners are doing.
Partners like you--and more than 120 organizations across Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan--make this work possible. Annual dues are an important way that Chicago Wilderness Partners contribute to the work and financial sustainability of the Chicago Wilderness Alliance. We know that many organizations are facing budget cuts and financial uncertainty due to COVID-19, so we revamped our recommended dues levels, which can be adjusted as necessary. You decide the level that works for you. Current Memberships Expire on December 31. Renew Today!
The green vision--a region with vibrant nature that promotes health, economic vitality, and well-being for all--means we all need to work together. It will only be achieved if we bring new voices to Chicago Wilderness to join us.
- Please send us the names/email addresses of staff members who might like to learn more about CW and participate in our teams and working groups.
- If you are working with other organizations, agencies, community groups or individuals that you think would like to be a part of this, please invite them to join us.
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| | | | | | P.S. Ready to renew? Please contact Laura Reilly if you have any questions or need assistance with your login or password reset. | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Chicago Wilderness Partners Are Invited to Attend: | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | CONVERSATION WITH DR. CAROLYN FINNEY ON FEBRUARY 17, 2021 FROM 2 PM - 3:30 PM CST Join the conversation as Dr. Carolyn Finney describes how to define a new vision of conservation that can carry us into the future and involve the participation of all people.
Dr. Finney seeks to develop greater cultural competency within environmental organizations and institutions, challenge media outlets on their representation of difference, and increase awareness of how privilege shapes who gets to speak to environmental issues and determine policy and action A storyteller, author, and cultural geographer, she is the author of the best-selling book Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors.
Dr. Finney will talk, then be interviewed by Dr. Kristen Voorhies of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, followed by questions and answers with participants. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | TEAM and WORKING GROUP UPDATES | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | We encourage all partner organizations and individual members to participate on committees that address topics such as: Members can login to the CW Partner portal to join and participate on the committees. Email Laura Reilly for password/login assistance. Watch this short training video for more information.Want to add members of your staff to the CW portal so that they can get involved? Send Laura their name and email address. | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Not a current Chicago Wilderness member? Join at the level that fits your budget. Partner renewals begin November 1. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | CW's climate goal team thanks you for your help! You sent 69 responses -- representing around 60 member organizations -- to our survey informing the design of a climate-related goal for Chicago Wilderness. We learned that a large majority of you are addressing some aspect of climate change as part of your alliance efforts, though not all (16% said 'none'). Most respondents identified their climate work as relating to engagement efforts (55%), followed by mitigation (51%) and adaptation (45%), with justice (30%) least prevalent.
In your responses, you encouraged us to incorporate elements of climate adaptation, mitigation, engagement, and justice in the goal we produce (see figure), but also to remain true to the alliance mission that focuses on natural areas, green space, and nature-based solutions.You suggested strategies for leaning in to more work on climate justice, inclusion, and equity, such as building partnerships with longstanding leaders. You overwhelmingly recommended that we reference and harmonize with other plans and goals for climate in our region (regional climate plan from Metropolitan Mayors' Caucus) and in CW's work over time (e.g., CW Climate Action Plan for Nature). And, finally, you shared the impressive and important work your member organization is doing on climate change and how it might relate to our collective goal.
We are grateful for your input, which is instrumental in developing a CW climate goal that advances awareness, adaptation, mitigation, and justice for our shared Wilderness region. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Join us to at the CWCC Meeting on November 12 at 1 PM CST discuss way that the Corporate Council can get involved with the next phase of the CW Green Vision and the role that the Corporate Council and others can play in increasing Green Infrastructure throughout the region. Invite a colleague to join us to learn more about Chicago Wilderness. Let us know if you would like to give a presentation on one of your initiatives in the region. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | Join the next Education Committee on November 11 at 1PM CST for a virtual meeting. Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, LVEJO, will lead us on their virtual Toxic Tour! LVEJO believes our community is an important classroom to learn about environmental justice and local solutions to climate change. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | Green Vision Collective Goals | | | | |
| | | | | Thank you to all who have participated in planning surveys, phone calls and virtual meetings to help shape and guide the development of our draft Green Vision Collective Goals. These will be updated and shared in the coming months as strategic actions are formed. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | Government Relations Community | | | | |
| | | | | The Government Relations Community held a CW Cafe on September 24- Cultivating an Advocacy Community to Move Forward. They appreciate everyones participation and insight. The GRC looks forward to connecting with members in the coming months to continue cultivating a regional platform for conservation advocacy. Contact Susan Donovan or Michelle Uting for more information. If you have members of your staff interesting in joining the GRC team please send their name and email address to Laura Reilly so that she can add them to the partner portal. | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Thank you to all who submitted nominations for the Steering Committee openings.The process to nominate our slate of 3 candidates to the Steering Committee for their consideration was comprehensive and multi-faceted. Many factors were used to assess the qualifications, leadership, interests, aspirations and geographical location of our nominees. Welcome to Dave Giordano, Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network, Amy Rosenthal, The Field Museum, and Maggie Soliz, Applied Ecological Services. The 2021 Steering Committee will be sworn in at the virtual Executive Council meeting on January 20. | | | | |
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Chicago Wilderness Brush Pile Burn Boss Training (Online)
Take the first step towards being certified as a Chicago Wilderness Brush Pile Burn Boss*. In this regionally accepted training, you’ll learn how to properly construct, safely ignite, monitor, and secure brush piles as part of restoration projects. Understand the pre- and post-burn communication requirements, become confident in utilizing weather data, supervising others around a burn pile, and making site observations that will inform decisions at workdays.
Participants in this workshop must meet the following requirements to be eligible to be a volunteer Brush Pile Burn Boss: - Minimum age of 18 years old.
- A current volunteer at an agency, non-profit, or other organization that manages or owns land and has the environmental permits, guidance, and policies in place to conduct brush burning. (This training is not intended for private individual landowners)
- If you're taking this course for a different organization than MCCD, 15+ hours of reported stewardship experience or the recommendation of agency staff or a site steward experienced with brush pile burning are required for enrollment.
- Must complete exam at the end of the second session.
- Two field observations and review of agency specific requirements with a representative of the agency you will burn with are required to complete your CW Brush Pile Burn Boss certification following the training.
This course will be offered online via Zoom in two evening sessions from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm on November 10th and 11th. Participants must be present at both live sessions to receive credit - this will NOT be recorded.
*This course does not certify you to manage prescription fire.
Dates: November 10 & 11
Time: 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Location: Online – Zoom invite & instructions will be sent 1-2 days beforehand
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Events, RFP's and Regional Opportunities | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Find and share job and career resources in the region. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | COVID-19 Resources to Help Navigate and Share | | | | |
| | | | | Send us the latest information from your organization so that we can keep this comprehensive list up-to-date. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Seek. Share. Learn. Share the CW iNaturalist page with your audiences to help them experience the natural wonders of the Chicago Wilderness Region in their backyard and beyond. | | | | |
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