HJ0062 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0062 LRB095 12203 GRL 36482 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy of Illinois is celebrating fifty years of outstanding conservation work in the State; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy of Illinois has acquired, restored, and preserved nearly 80,000 acres of natural lands at 120 sites throughout the entire State for the benefit of Illinois citizens; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization with more than 35,000 members in the State of Illinois and nearly one million members around the world working to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people; and

WHEREAS, The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive; and

WHEREAS, For the past fifty years, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois has been an effective, innovative partner in conservation with local, State, and federal public land management agencies, other conservation not for profit organizations, corporations, foundations, and individual private landowners to create science-based conservation solutions that benefit nature and enhance the well being of people who depend on vital natural resources for their lives and livelihoods; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy works to enhance river life, improve water quality, and restore aquatic ecosystems through projects along the Illinois River, including the preserves at Emiquon and Spunky Bottoms, the Cache River in southern Illinois and the Mackinaw River in central Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy, using the best available science, works to conserve our grasslands, prairies, and forests at places like Kankakee Sands, Indian Boundary Prairies in northeastern Illinois, Nachusa Grasslands in northwestern Illinois, Chinquapin in central Illinois, and the Illinois Ozarks in the far southern region of the State; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy is a founding member of Chicago Wilderness, a consortium of more than 200 public and private organizations working together to study, restore, protect, and manage the natural ecosystems of the Chicago region, contribute to the conservation of global biodiversity, and enrich local residents' quality of life; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy has spearheaded and supported various State policy initiatives that made meaningful contributions to Illinois natural resource management, including public funding initiatives; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy established the Volunteer Stewardship Network to help public and private landowners manage their lands by removing invasive species, collecting native seeds, conducting prescribed burns, reducing pollution, managing precious parcels of land and waterways, and assisting with environmental youth education programs; more than 6,000 volunteers amass 50,000 hours a year in caring for natural areas across Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy's Board of Trustees and staff use a non-confrontational and collaborative approach to their work with all sectors of society to achieve meaningful conservation results in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy is a leader in raising awareness of the benefits of nature, conservation and sound environmental practices among Illinois communities, elected officials, and the public at large; and

WHEREAS, The Nature Conservancy of Illinois has contributed to the quality of life for Illinois citizens, its landscape and its natural heritage; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize that these contributions have significantly improved Illinois' landscape and waterways and that the citizens of Illinois benefit from the work and resources of The Nature Conservancy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we congratulate The Nature Conservancy, Illinois Chapter, for its fifty years of conservation work in the State and applaud their efforts across the United States and around the globe to protect and conserve the biodiversity of the Earth.