Imagine a region ' ' '

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Imagine a region . . .

• Filled with life . . .
• Where the evening air is rich with bird calls and
  the scent of flowers . . . 
• Where children splash and play in clean creeks,
  and peer below the surface of the water at fish
  and other aquatic creatures . . .
• Where people learn to gently and respectfully
  enter back into a positive relationship with the
  nature that surrounds them.. 
• And where rare plants, animals and natural
  communities are nurtured back to health and
  offered a permanent home next to our own . . .
• To the benefit of our health and our economy . .
  .
• In preserves large enough to sustain them
  forever.
• - Chicago Wilderness, Biodiversity
  Recovery Plan

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Protecting Nature in Your Community
Preserving and Enhancing Biodiversity
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Our Natural Landscapes

• Woodlands

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prairies and wetlands
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lakes and streams
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Our Natural Landscapes Constitute A Regional
Nature Reserve

• The 200,000 acres of protected natural landscapes
  around the southwestern end of Lake Michigan are
  collectively known as the Chicago Wilderness.

Lake Michigan
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Our Natural Landscapes are Unique

• Created by thousands of years of glacial activity
• Resulting in exceptional diversity and
  significance
• 25 percent of Illinois healthy natural lands are
  in our region
• 1500 species of native plants
• Over 95 percent of the original species are still
  present

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Ongoing Threats

• Habitat destruction
• Invasive and problem species
• Elimination of fire
• Disruption of natural water flow

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• More than 115 organizations dedicated to
  protecting nature and enriching our quality of
  life
• federal, state, county, and local agencies
• research and educational institutions
• conservation organizations

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Chicago Wilderness Publications
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NIPC Chicago Wilderness Publication
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Why Protect Nature?

• To improve our quality of life

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To increase economic value

• Recreation and tourism
• Property values
• Less flood damage

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To protect the environment

• Wildlife habitat
• Water and air quality
• Moderated climate extremes

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To provide a sense of place
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To provide amenities sought by the public

• Four county land acquisition referenda totaling
  250 million
• State allocation of public funds
• Public surveys

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Land Acquisition Referenda
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The Role of Local Governments

• Local governments are essential because
• They own and manage natural areas
• Their planning and zoning decisions affect the
  environmental quality of other properties

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Local Opportunities

• Public facilities and parks
• Tree-lined parkways
• Waterways and lakes
• Business and industrial parks

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Recommended Tools and Techniques

• Comprehensive land use planning
• Compatible zoning and subdivision regulations
• Improved stormwater management
• Stream, lake and wetland protection
• Natural landscaping
• Improved wastewater management
• Open space preservation
• Natural area management and restoration
• Education

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• For more information contact the Northeastern
  Illinois Planning Commission at 312.454.0400 or
  e-mail Dennis Dreher (dreher_at_nipc.org) or Jason
  Navota (jnavota_at_nipc.org).
• To order copies of the guidebook contact NIPCs
  Publications Department.