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Projects that go native get kudos from EPA and Chicago Wilderness

Release Date: 12/11/2008
Contact Information: Karen Thompson, 312-353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov

For Immediate Release
No. 08-OPA180

(Chicago, Ill. - Dec. 11, 2008) Conservation and native landscaping honors were recently awarded to 22 Chicago region organizations for outstanding green projects. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Chicago Wilderness recognized park districts, local governments and corporations.

"Native plants provide a beautiful, hardy, low maintenance landscape while benefiting the environment," said Danielle Green, EPA's native landscaping coordinator. "Once established, native plants save time and money by eliminating or reducing the need for fertilizers, pesticides, water and lawn maintenance equipment. Natural landscaping also creates habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife." The 2008 winners are:

Exhibits/Visitor's Centers

• Lake County Forest Preserve-Ryerson Woods Welcome Center, Deerfield, Ill.
• Museum of Science and Industry-Native landscaping at the Smart Home: Green + Wired Exhibit, Chicago

Parks/Prairies/Woodlands

• Chicago Park District-West Pullman Park, Chicago, Ill.
• Nicor-Elgin Prairie, Elgin, Ill.
• Keson Industries Corporate Campus, Aurora. Ill.
• Ball Horticultural Corporate Campus,West Chicago, Ill.
• Harvey Creek Conservation Area, Sandwich, Ill.
• Linn Nature Park, Linn, Wis.

Naturalized Detention

• Danada Woods Townhome Association, Naperville, Ill
• Highland Lakes Homeowners Association, Highland Park, Ill.
• Lake Drive South Naturalized Detention Basin, Algonquin, Ill.
• Nantucket Cove Homeowners Association, Schaumburg, Ill.
• Pheasant Run Naturalized Detention Basin, Bradley, Ill.
• Veterans Memorial Park Naturalized Stormwater Basin, South Holland, Ill.

Sustainable Stormwater Management

• Centex Homes-Crossings at Wolf Creek Community, Plainfield, Ill.
• College of Dupage, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
• Geneva Middle School North, Geneva, Ill.

Wetland/Stream Corridor Restorations

• Argonne National Laboratory, DuPage County, Argonne, Ill.
• Fermilab Nepese Marsh, Batavia, Ill.
• Erickson Retirement Communities-Monarch Landing, Naperville, Ill.
• Chicago Premium Outlets, Aurora, Ill.

Chicago Wilderness is an alliance of more than 225 public and private organizations that work together to protect, restore, study and manage the natural ecosystems of the Chicago region, contribute to the conservation of global biodiversity and enrich local residents' quality of life. For more information on the awards program and the 2008 winners go to https://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/greenacres/2008awards.html.