Historic Commitment (if we follow through)

Forest Preserves President Tony Preckwinkle Proposes Major Initiatives

January 24th, 2014 may go down in history - beside the launching of the Burnham Plan and the founding of the Forest Preserve District - as a day that changed the future. 

Under the plan announced by Preckwinkle, Cook County Forest Preserves would spend $40 million dollars a year to restore 30,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, and wetlands to Natural Areas Inventory quality. The plan envisions 400 expert volunteer stewards playing a key role alongside staff and partner organizations. 

The "Next Century Conservation Plan" is filled with photos of people
using and appreciating the woods and prairies. This plan is for the generations.

The photo below from Somme Prairie Grove is the main cover graphic. This photo of successful restoration seems to say, "Biodiversity is a treasure to cherish. We can do this." Underneath the nature photo are five photos of diverse people enjoying compatible recreation. Yes, public involvement, appreciation, and support are key. Check out the full plan at nextcenturyconservationplan.org  

Restoring this quality at Somme took three decades. The plan proposes
restoring 30,000 acres to "Natural Areas Inventory quality" in 25 years. 

The Technical Report of the plan cites the 2007 study 
designed by scientists from the Illinois Natural History Survey, the FPD, and Audubon -
which was carried out largely by expert Habitat Project volunteers: 

"According to this most recent land audit, only 25% of high-opriority conservation areas (approximately 3,500 of 14,000 high-priority acres, or about 5% of the Forest Preserve' total holdings) were found to be in good or excellent condition. Given the ongoing deterioration of the Preserves' biodiversity, the restoration and maintenance of the natural areas is a matter of the utmost urgency."   

A bur oak woodland - its understory and reproduction gradually being choked out by buckthorn

The plan (which in February will go to the FPD board for approval, with President Preckwinkle's support) calls for the training and empowerment of 400 expert volunteer stewards. Recognizing that such a goal will take many years, the plan also credits the existing stewards with much of the best restoration work done to date.

The plan also proposes jobs. In addition to beefing up the Forest Preserve professional staff, the plan proposes a "permanent" force of "at least 500 conservation corps members - built on partnerships that provide supportive workforce training for at-risk youth and young adults." 

This oak woodland was as choked with brush as the one shown previously. After thirty years of restoration
it has attained good quality - but still has a way to go to achieve high quality. Staff and stewards are rapidly learning the more effective and efficient approaches that make the plan's 10- and 25-year goals achievable.

Students from Evanston Township High School exult in victory over brush, as a bonfire burns behind them.

From the plan:

"Decades of neglect have allowed our diverse woodlands and grasslands 

to lose their wildflowers and become impenetrable thorn thickets. 

Eroding soil silts our streams, ponds and wetlands. 

With the loss of natural systems comes the loss of public benefits. 

Without a healthy restored landscape, our metropolitan region

 will be dirtier, hotter, less safe and less attractive."

Processing rare seeds for woodland restoration. It will take tens of thousands of people many decades to accomplish the plan's goals. Those diverse people, if you believe this photo, include one with an orange jacket and no head. 

The vision statement of the Next Century Conservation Plan:

VISION

The people of Cook County will celebrate and nurture 

our thriving woodlands, prairies, and waters as world-class treasures 

that sustain our great metropolis. 

There's a lot to consider in the actual plan. Check out
nextcenturyconservationplan.org 

Stewards may find the "Technical report" (under the first tab, "The Plan") 

to be especially worth some thought.

Comments on this blog can also help the discussion.

Much education, listening, and support will be needed if this plan is to achieve its wise goals.