[BCNnet] FYI: FPDCC in Tribune's sports section

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ON THE OUTDOORS
Cook forest preserves calling all volunteers


 =20
BY LEW FREEDMAN
Published March 4, 2004

The Cook County Forest Preserve District is looking for a few good men. And=20
women. And maybe young people, too.

In a time of dwindling resources, when government agencies are trying to cut=
=20
budgets but still provide services, the forest preserve is attempting to do=20
more with less by reaching out to its constituency for assistance.

The district is seeking to expand its roster of active volunteers who can=20
help provide manpower in the maintenance of parks, streams and woods, and ma=
ybe=20
do more.

"There is a lengthy history of volunteerism," said Bill Koenig, volunteer=20
coordinator for the district. "About 5,000 people came out last year. But a=20=
lot=20
of people come out just one time. We want to develop a stewardship."

To that end, on Jan. 1 the district instituted a new program that Koenig=20
oversees, called "The Forest Preserve District of Cook County Preserve Keepe=
rs=20
Corps." A leaflet urging people to sign up reads, "You ride the trails, fish=
 the=20
lakes, canoe the streams and picnic with your friends. Perhaps, just driving=
=20
the roads through the woods is one of those quiet pleasures you enjoy. Help=20
keep the Preserves the way you like them for yourself, your children and=20
grandchildren."

Among the 68,000-acre district's assets are 200 miles of trails for hiking,=20
horseback riding and cross-country skiing, and 30 fishing ponds and lakes.

This is the first time the district has had a resource center and a voluntee=
r=20
coordinator to organize such a widespread program.

Before going to work for the district about four years ago, Koenig was=20
involved in the organization that runs the very successful annual Chicago Ri=
ver=20
cleanup day.

That effort, which results in thousands of volunteers hauling tons of trash=20
out of the river and away from its banks, illustrates the kind of difference=
=20
volunteers can make on public lands.

Government agencies welcome such commitment in most instances and there is a=
=20
long record of service groups that care about the environment participating=20=
in=20
cleanup and improvement projects.

There even have been volunteers who climbed on 29,035-foot Mt. Everest for=20
the sole purpose of removing used oxygen bottles and other remnants of=20
expeditions.

Cook County volunteer projects will be low-key, but Koenig said some=20
volunteers might be asked to spend time this summer on creel surveys. They w=
ill visit=20
forest preserve bodies of water and check on what anglers are catching.

"It helps us get a better picture of what's being taken out of the lake,"=20
Koenig said.

Also, Corps subgroups will adopt a grove, a trail, a stream or a lake, and=20
work on cleanups and restoration. Rather than a once-a-year cleanup day, Koe=
nig=20
said, the district is looking for litter removal more often. And while=20
cleanups are important, the district wants this effort to grow into somethin=
g more=20
than just trash pickup.

"I hope we get to a point where trash is not a big problem," Koenig said.

Chris Merenowicz, superintendent of conservation for the district, said the=20
new program is essentially an appeal to the masses.

"You can help us," he said. "It can be hands-on stuff. I picture retired guy=
s=20
who have the time getting involved. Some people are into trails. Some people=
=20
are into restoration. A big focus for us is with the high schools, with the=20
kids doing community service."

The Cook County Forest Preserve District started recruiting potential=20
volunteers at the winter outdoors shows. Koenig said he signed up 50 people=20=
at the=20
Chicagoland outdoors show in Rosemont in January and signed up 20 more at th=
e=20
Tinley Park show.

"What we're looking at is people doing this ongoing," Koenig said.

Expanding on Merenowicz's comment, Koenig said he would like to see high=20
schools that border Forest Preserve District property adopt a site in their=20
neighborhood and include community service projects as part of the regular=20
curriculum.

The effort to sign up more volunteers is continuing. Special Preserve Keeper=
s=20
Corps days are scheduled for April 24 at Busse Lake, April 25 at Pulaski=20
Woods, May 15 at Dan Ryan Woods and May 16 at Schubert's Woods, which is whe=
re=20
Sauk Trail Lake is located.

Koenig said prospective volunteers who can't attend any of the meetings,=20
which will try to incorporate a festive atmosphere with wiener roasts, etc.,=
 may=20
contact him via e-mail: wkoenig@cookcountygov.com.

"[It's] the leave-no-trace philosophy," Koenig said. "We want to have that=20
kind of educational program so people have a connection to nature. That woul=
d be=20
great."


Copyright =A9 2004, Chicago Tribune=20

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<BODY style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f">ON THE OUTDOORS<BR><FONT id=3Dheadline>Cook forest preserves calling all=20=
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 END RELATED CONTENT RAIL --><FONT id=3Dbyline>BY LEW FREEDMAN</FONT><BR><FO=
NT id=3Ddate>Published March 4, 2004</FONT><BR><BR><FONT id=3Dtext><!-- STAR=
T LEAD -->The Cook County Forest Preserve District is looking for a few good=
 men. And women. And maybe young people, too.<BR><BR>In a time of dwindling=20=
resources, when government agencies are trying to cut budgets but still prov=
ide services, the forest preserve is attempting to do more with less by reac=
hing out to its constituency for assistance.<BR><BR><!-- Ad Space: html.ng/s=
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EAD --><!-- START REST -->The district is seeking to expand its roster of ac=
tive volunteers who can help provide manpower in the maintenance of parks, s=
treams and woods, and maybe do more.<BR><BR>"There is a lengthy history of v=
olunteerism," said Bill Koenig, volunteer coordinator for the district. "Abo=
ut 5,000 people came out last year. But a lot of people come out just one ti=
me. We want to develop a stewardship."<BR><BR>To that end, on Jan. 1 the dis=
trict instituted a new program that Koenig oversees, called "The Forest Pres=
erve District of Cook County Preserve Keepers Corps." A leaflet urging peopl=
e to sign up reads, "You ride the trails, fish the lakes, canoe the streams=20=
and picnic with your friends. Perhaps, just driving the roads through the wo=
ods is one of those quiet pleasures you enjoy. Help keep the Preserves the w=
ay you like them for yourself, your children and grandchildren."<BR><BR>Amon=
g the 68,000-acre district's assets are 200 miles of trails for hiking, hors=
eback riding and cross-country skiing, and 30 fishing ponds and lakes.<BR><B=
R>This is the first time the district has had a resource center and a volunt=
eer coordinator to organize such a widespread program.<BR><BR>Before going t=
o work for the district about four years ago, Koenig was involved in the org=
anization that runs the very successful annual Chicago River cleanup day.<BR=
><BR>That effort, which results in thousands of volunteers hauling tons of t=
rash out of the river and away from its banks, illustrates the kind of diffe=
rence volunteers can make on public lands.<BR><BR>Government agencies welcom=
e such commitment in most instances and there is a long record of service gr=
oups that care about the environment participating in cleanup and improvemen=
t projects.<BR><BR>There even have been volunteers who climbed on 29,035-foo=
t Mt. Everest for the sole purpose of removing used oxygen bottles and other=
 remnants of expeditions.<BR><BR>Cook County volunteer projects will be low-=
key, but Koenig said some volunteers might be asked to spend time this summe=
r on creel surveys. They will visit forest preserve bodies of water and chec=
k on what anglers are catching.<BR><BR>"It helps us get a better picture of=20=
what's being taken out of the lake," Koenig said.<BR><BR>Also, Corps subgrou=
ps will adopt a grove, a trail, a stream or a lake, and work on cleanups and=
 restoration. Rather than a once-a-year cleanup day, Koenig said, the distri=
ct is looking for litter removal more often. And while cleanups are importan=
t, the district wants this effort to grow into something more than just tras=
h pickup.<BR><BR>"I hope we get to a point where trash is not a big problem,=
" Koenig said.<BR><BR>Chris Merenowicz, superintendent of conservation for t=
he district, said the new program is essentially an appeal to the masses.<BR=
><BR>"You can help us," he said. "It can be hands-on stuff. I picture retire=
d guys who have the time getting involved. Some people are into trails. Some=
 people are into restoration. A big focus for us is with the high schools, w=
ith the kids doing community service."<BR><BR>The Cook County Forest Preserv=
e District started recruiting potential volunteers at the winter outdoors sh=
ows. Koenig said he signed up 50 people at the Chicagoland outdoors show in=20=
Rosemont in January and signed up 20 more at the Tinley Park show.<BR><BR>"W=
hat we're looking at is people doing this ongoing," Koenig said.<BR><BR>Expa=
nding on Merenowicz's comment, Koenig said he would like to see high schools=
 that border Forest Preserve District property adopt a site in their neighbo=
rhood and include community service projects as part of the regular curricul=
um.<BR><BR>The effort to sign up more volunteers is continuing. Special Pres=
erve Keepers Corps days are scheduled for April 24 at Busse Lake, April 25 a=
t Pulaski Woods, May 15 at Dan Ryan Woods and May 16 at Schubert's Woods, wh=
ich is where Sauk Trail Lake is located.<BR><BR>Koenig said prospective volu=
nteers who can't attend any of the meetings, which will try to incorporate a=
 festive atmosphere with wiener roasts, etc., may contact him via e-mail: wk=
oenig@cookcountygov.com.<BR><BR>"[It's] the leave-no-trace philosophy," Koen=
ig said. "We want to have that kind of educational program so people have a=20=
connection to nature. That would be great."<BR><BR><!-- END REST --></FONT>
<P><FONT id=3Dcopyright>Copyright =A9 2004, <A href=3D"http://www.chicagotri=
bune.com/">Chicago Tribune</A></FONT> </P></BODY></HTML>

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