News

Chicago Wilderness Welcomes Three Members

Three new members joined the Chicago Wilderness consortium this spring.

Proving that age is no barrier to conservation, the School of Environmental Education at Riverside Brookfield High is the first high-school presence in the consortium. The school gets students out of the classroom and into the field, encouraging participation in the sciences. Projects include collecting water samples, analyzing the data using biology and algebra skills. The program also encourages creative writing for students inspired by their experiences. Students can achieve not only academic credit and meet state standards, but also are encouraged to become conservation leaders.

The Inverness Park District, with its 40 acres of parks, is taking its commitment to going green one step further by joining the consortium. Its wetlands-demonstration garden and a black-walnut woodland restoration already have garnered recognition and awards from the U.S. EPA and Chicago Wilderness. The park district provides informal outdoor classrooms for residents and emphasizes the importance of native landscaping.
Chicago Wilderness also welcomes the Riverwoods Preservation Council, an all-volunteer organization working hard to protect the woodlands that give this Lake County community its name. The council’s mission is to promote environmentally sound landscaping and forestry practices in the Village of Riverwoods. The council also offers educational lectures and has developed a stewardship manual for homeowners. Under consideration is a biodiversity study to measure the quantity and quality of local woodlands.