[BCNnet] BCNnet: Action Alert to Save Illinois' Only Nesting Osprey from Development

Thu, 30 Jan 2003 00:10:15 EST

From: Christine Williamson
chicago/cook
birdchris@aol.com

Protect Nesting Endangered Ospreys: 
Tell Your Cook County Commissioner to Buy the St. Coletta's School Property 

Call your Cook County Commissioner today and ask him or her to buy the 54 
acre property known as St. Coletta's School in the Palos section of the Cook 
County Forest Preserve District system to protect nesting Osprey and a 
recovering prairie slough eco-system.

Find out what district you live in by checking the back of your voter 
registration card or call the Cook County Board of Elections for assistance. 
Contact details for Cook Commissioners for all 18 districts are provided at 
the end of this message.

Illinois' Only Nesting Pair of Osprey Need Protection from Nearby Development

Bergman Slough in the Palos section of the Cook County Forest Preserve 
District is the home of Illinois' first nesting Osprey in more than 100 
years. The Osprey is a federally endangered species that has made a slow 
recovery from the ravages of DDT use in the 1960s. This beautiful fish-eating 
eagle is a symbol of returning biodiversity in the Chicagoland area and their 
nesting site must be preserved and protected from too much development and 
human disturbance.

The Osprey nest site is threatened by the potential sale of a 54 acre parcel 
immediately adjacent to Bergman Slough. The property is known as The Joseph 
P. Kennedy Jr. School/St. Coletta's and was a school for special education 
students for the last 50 years. A developer is trying to buy the property and 
put a housing development on it and this is BAD NEWS for the future of the 
Osprey and their young. 

The school buildings now are clustered on about two acres on the east side of 
the property, but the presence of a housing development will put human 
activity much too close to the nesting Osprey, which have a low tolerance for 
human disturbance. Environmentalists and birders also fear that lawn 
chemicals and pesticides from the proposed subdivision will pollute Bergman 
Slough and other surrounding forest preserves (Cap Sauers Holdings and John 
Duffy). 

A restoration project is currently being conducted on the forest preserve 
land surrounding Bergman Slough and The Army Corp of Engineers has been 
removing drain tiles to restore the original hydrology. This wonderful 
restoration of a prairie slough to its original water levels and plantings is 
exciting, but all may be in vain if the proposed subdivision is built.

The Friends of Bergman Slough propose that the Cook County Forest Preserve 
District (CCFPD) purchase the 54 acre property known as St. Coletta's, 
consisting of a wooded area, grassy fields and the school buildings. The 
buildings, access roads and parking facilities could easily be transformed 
into a Forest Preserve District Nature Center or could be torn down.  The 
acquisition of Berman Slough is a perfect "completer" project for the CCFPD, 
as it is surrounded on three sides by other Forest Preserves - Cap Sauers on 
the north and east, and John Duffy on the west. Preserving St. Coletta's from 
development also protects these other preserves from the disturbance caused 
by nearby development.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners is interested in purchasing the 
property and has listed it with their Real Estate Committee, but 
Commissioners need urging from constituents to find the money and buy the 
land! 

What You Can Do TODAY!
Please call or fax your Cook County Commissioner and urge him or her to buy 
the St. Coletta's property as soon as possible to protect nesting Osprey and 
the rest of a recovering eco-system. 

Calls are also needed to Roberto Maldonado, 8th District,   Commissioner and 
Chairman of the Real Estate Committee, and Elizabeth Ann Doody Gorman, 17th 
District Commissioner, which is where St. Coletta's is located.

Feel free to call Cook County Commissioners even if you are not a Cook County 
resident, but care about the environment and the fate of endangered birds, 
animals and plants. 

Time is critical.  The next CCFPD meeting is being held on Wednesday Feb. 5, 
2003 at 10am at the County Building at 118 N. Clark St., Room 567 in Chicago. 
Calls should be made before the meeting date. If the commissioner is 
unavailable, leave your message with the staff member.  

Note: The developer is preparing to go before the Palos Park Plan Commission 
on Monday February 3, 2003 at 7:30 pm to seek approval of his plans.  The 
meeting will take place at the Palos Park Village Hall (Rosemary Kaptur 
Center), 8999 W. 123rd St., Palos Park, IL  60464.  The Village Hall is 
approximately 6 blocks east of LaGrange Rd, (U.S. 45) on the south side of 
123rd St.  Parking and entrances are in the rear of the building.  Call the 
village hall at 708-448-2700 on the day of the meeting to verify that it is 
still scheduled.  The public is welcome and is allowed to ask questions and 
make comments.  Please attend if possible.  Letters stating your concern may 
be sent to the      Ralph Jones, Palos Park Plan Commission Chairman, and 
Attn: Kathy Stanek, at the Village Hall address given above. 

Cook County Board - General Information #:  Cook County Board - General Fax #
                                          312-603-6398                          
            312-603-4678

 Commissioner's Name    District                     County Bldg. Phone No.
                                  District Off.  Phone No.

 Earlean Collins        1       312-603-4566
                    773-626-2184

Bobbie L. Steele        2        312-603-3019                                 
   General  Mailing
                     773-722-0140
                                <name of commissioner>
 Jerry Butler       3       312-603-6391        Cook County Board of 
Commissioners
                    No District Off.        County Building
                                118 N. Clark St.,  5th Floor  Room  567
 John H. Stroger, Jr.   4       312-603-6400        Chicago,  IL   60602-1304
  (Pres: of the CC Board)           773-224-1705

Deborah Sims        5        312-603-6381
                    708-371-4251

Joan P. Murphy      6       312-603-4216

Joseph Mario Moreno      7       312-603-5443
                     773-927-7154

Roberto Maldonado   8       312-603-6386
                     773-395-0143

Peter N. Silvestri  9       312-603-4393
                    773-774-8554

 Mike Quigley       10      312-603-4209
                    773-935-1010

John P. Daley       11      312-603-4400
 (Finance Chairman)          No District Off

Forrest Claypool    12      312-603-6380

Larry Suffredin     13      312-603-6383

Gregg Goslin        14      312-603-4932
                     847-729-9300

 Carl R. Hansen     15      312-603-6388
                    847-818-1515

Anthony J. Peraica  16      312-603-6384

 Elizabeth Ann Doody-   17      312-603-4215
          Gorman                                                     

Please direct any questions to: 
Friends of Bergman Slough
c/o Emil J. & Gail J. Biedron
Phone: 708/448-3607  Email: ebiedron@mindspring.com