BP Announces Environmental Leader Awards

Three Chicago Wilderness member organizations will receive Leader Awards from BP in the environment category, the company announced in early November. The Wetlands Initiative will receive $90,000 to assist in the restoration of 248 acres of rare wetland habitat at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Elgin High School will receive $30,000 to support its environmental science program in which high school students, under the tutelage of veteran teacher Deb Perryman, mentor 4th–6th graders in the Mighty Acorns program and manage the nature trail and outdoor classroom nearby. (CW profiled Elgin High School mentor student, Nestor Camarillo, in the Spring 2002 issue.) Friends of the Chicago River will also receive $30,000 to expand its Chicago River Schools Network to 260 teachers in 100 schools in Chicago, reaching 8,000 additional students.

This is the second year BP has recognized significant Chicago Wilderness conservation work through its Leader Awards. In 2001, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum received $100,000 to support research into captive breeding of rare butterflies and the reintroduction of rare species into prime habitat.

BP, with approximately 3,500 employees in the Chicago region, has also played a leading role in launching and promoting the Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council.