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Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards

The United States Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago and Chicago Wilderness developed the Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards to recognize outstanding efforts by corporations, park districts and municipalities to use native plants in the landscape or use conservation development practices within the Chicago Wilderness region.

The Chicago Wilderness region encompasses the crescent of land around southern Lake Michigan, including southeast Wisconsin, northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.

This awards program began in 2000. During the first two years of the awards program we focused on recognizing local government and park district efforts. In 2002, we expanded to include corporate efforts. In 2005, we are expanding the program to recognize development projects which bring life to the principles of conservation development.

Why Native Landscaping?

After European settlement, people planted gardens with plants brought from their home country. They were tiny, comfortable garden plots set in a huge wilderness. Today, however, the reverse is true. Agricultural and garden plants introduced from all over the world dominate the landscape, while native plants are managed in small preserves. In recent years, natural landscaping - using native plants and plant communities in landscaping - has become more common.

Native plants provide a beautiful, hardy, drought resistant, low maintenance landscape while benefiting the environment. Native plants, once established, save time and money by eliminating or significantly reducing the need for fertilizers, pesticides, water and lawn maintenance equipment.
 

How Does Landscaping Effect the Environment?

Maintenance practices for manicured turf landscapes negatively effects the environment.

Spending one hour mowing (gas) a lawn is equivalent to driving a car 20 miles. Based upon elimination of mowing, blowing and trimming for an acre of turf grass, there is a calculated emission reduction of about 100 lbs VOC/acre/year and 10 lbs NOx/acre/year. These emission estimates were based upon going from mowing, blowing and trimming 30 times per year to 0 times per year.

Pesticides and fertilizers applied to lawns run off and pollute surface and ground water.

Native plants have long roots which retain stormwater, reducing runoff. Planting natives increases biodiversity.


Who is Chicago Wilderness?

Chicago Wilderness is a regional nature reserve that includes more than 250,000 acres of protected natural lands. It stretches from southeastern Wisconsin, through northeastern Illinois and into northwestern Indiana. The protected lands in Chicago Wilderness are forest preserves, state parks, federal lands, county preserves, and privately owned lands. There are also many unprotected natural areas that offer refuge to native wildlife.

The Chicago Wilderness coalition is an alliance of more than 170 public and private organizations working together to protect, restore, study and manage the precious natural ecosystems of the Chicago region, enrich local residents’ quality of life, and contribute to the preservation of global biodiversity. More information is available at www.chicagowilderness.org exit EPA


And the winners are:

Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards 2008 Winners

View the descriptions for these awards

Exhibits and Visitor Centers

Lake County Forest Preserves
Ryerson Woods Welcome Center
 
Museum of Science and Industry
Native landscaping at the Smart Home:  Green + Wired Exhibit

Parks/Prairies/Woodlands

Chicago Park District
West Pullman Park
 
Nicor
Elgin Prairie
 
Keson Industries Corporate Campus
Aurora, IL
 
Ball Horticultural Corporate Campus
West Chicago, IL

Village of Sandwich
Harvey Creek Conservation Area
 
Town of Linn, WI
Town of Linn Nature Park

Naturalized Detention

Danada Woods Townhome Assoc.
Naperville, IL
 
Highland Lakes Homeowners Assoc.
Highland Park, IL
 
Village of Algonquin, IL 
Lake Drive South Naturalized Detention Basin
 
Nantucket Cove Homeowners Assoc.
Schaumburg, IL
 
Village of Bradley, IL
Pheasant Run  Naturalized Detention Basin
 
Village of South Holland, IL
Naturalized Stormwater Basin, Veterans Memorial Park

Sustainable Stormwater Management

Centex Homes
Crossings at Wolf Creek Community, Plainfield, IL
 
College of DuPage
Roadway, Parking Lot and Associated Landscape Improvements
 
Geneva School District
Geneva Middle School North

Wetland /Stream Corridor Restorations

Argonne National Laboratory
Wetland Restoration
 
Fermilab
Nepese Marsh Restoration
 
Erickson Retirement Communities
Monarch Landing
 
Chicago Premium Outlets
Stream Corridor, Wetland, Prairie Restoration

Certificate of Recognition

Peg and Bill Jensen
Deerwood Farm, Wayne, IL

2007 Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards

Winners
Arquilla Detention Naturalization
Village of Algonquin, Department of Public Works
Algonquin, IL
 
Valley Lakes Wildlife Restoration Project
Valley Lakes Homeowners Association
Round Lake, IL
 
Techny Basin
Village of Glenview, Illinois
Glenview, IL
 
Native Prairie Restorations in Skokie and Lemont
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Skokie and Lemont, IL
 
RiverPark of Geneva
Geneva, IL
 
Northerly Island
Chicago Park District
Chicago, IL
 
Tuthill Corporate Campus
Tuthill Corporation
Burr Ridge, IL
 
Grand Kankakee Marsh County Park Partnership
Lake County Parks and Recreation Department
Lake County, Indiana
 
Dunes Creek Stream Restoration
Indiana Dunes State Park
Porter County, IN
 
Settlers Ridge Conservation Development
Kimball Hill Homes
Sugar Grove, IL
 
Ingham Park Conservation Development
Kimball Hill Homes
Aurora, IL
 
HighGrove Conservation Development
Suzanne Casey
Minooka, IL
 
Certificate of Merit Winners
Chicago River "Fish Hotel"
Friends of the Chicago River
Chicago, IL
 
Renaissance Circle Native Plant Garden
Renaissance Station Homeowners Association
Willow Springs, IL
 
Certificate of Recognition
Restoration and Preservation of the 27215 Annie Glidden Road Property
Jack Pizzo
Clare, IL

 

2006 Winners Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards

Local Government Winners:

Beecher School District, Beecher, Illinois

Chicago Park District, Canal Origins Park, Chicago, Illinois

Inverness Park District South Park Wetlands Demonstration Garden,  Inverness, Illinois

South Milwaukee School District

South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Village of Lincolnshire, North Park, Lincolnshire, Illinois

Wildwood Nature Center, Park Ridge, Illinois

 
Corporate Winners:

Eco-Smart Building

Meadows of Birch Lake Homeowners Assoc., Lincolnshire, Illinois

Pizzo and Assoc. Corporate Campus, Leland, Illinois

Riverbank Neighbors, Chicago, Illinois

Tellabs, Naperville, Illinois


CERTIFICATE OF MERIT:

2005 Winners Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards
View the descriptions for these awards


2004 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award Winners
Park District and Municipal Winners
View the description of these awards


2003 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award
Park District and Municipal Winners
View the descriptions of these awards
View the Honorable Mention Award Description

2003 Corporate Winners


2002 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award
Park District and Municipal Winners
View the description of these awards


2002 Corporate Winners
(First year awards were expanded to include corporations.)


2001 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award
Park District and Municipal Winners
 View the description of these awards


2000 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award
Park District and Municipal Winners
View the description of these awards

 

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