Chicago Wilderness Alliance Welcomes New Member: DuPage County Stormwater Management Division
The Chicago Wilderness alliance is pleased to welcome a new member: the DuPage County Stormwater Management Division. This brings Chicago Wilderness' total membership to 260 organizations.
The DuPage County Stormwater Management Division's mission is closely aligned to that of Chicago Wilderness. The alliance works to conserve native biodiversity and to connect people and nature. The Stormwater Management Division is committed improving water quality, protecting natural resources, and reducing the potential for stormwater runoff damage to public health and property.
Stormwater runoff is caused principally by developed surfaces – conventional rooftops, parking lots, roads, alleys, and sidewalks – and causes a number of problems when it is not effectively managed. Excess stormwater causes basement and street flooding. Runoff that is routed directly to lakes, rivers, and streams degrades the water quality.
The DuPage County Stormwater Management implements best practices to address stormwater issues, by using the county's “green infrastructure”—its natural areas and water systems. They protect and restore wetland areas and encourage residents to use rain barrels, rain gardens, and native landscaping – strategies designed to let the natural ability of healthy nature absorb and filter rainfall and stormwater runoff.
"We are pleased to join Chicago Wilderness and partner with our surrounding communities and affiliated organizations to further improve the natural resources planning and management in DuPage County, and the greater Chicago region," said Jim Zay, Chairman, DuPage County Stormwater Management Planning Committee.
“We are delighted to welcome the DuPage County Stormwater Management Division to our regional alliance as a new partner in our collaborative efforts to protect and restore the interconnected lands and waters of our metropolitan landscape. This rich natural heritage supports our quality of life, contributes to economic vitality, and benefits all residents of the region, ” said Melinda Pruett-Jones, Executive Director of Chicago Wilderness.
The Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision identifies 1.8 million acres that can be protected and restored, or where thoughtful land development and management practices can be used to ensure the sustainability of our region well into the future.
The DuPage County Stormwater Management Division was accepted into the alliance by its Executive Council on January 18, 2012.
About Chicago Wilderness
Chicago Wilderness is a regional alliance that connects people and nature. More than 260 public, private and corporate organizations work together to restore local nature and improve the quality of life for all who live here, by protecting the lands and waters on which we all depend. The four key initiatives of Chicago Wilderness—to restore the health of local nature, promote green infrastructure, combat climate change, and leave no child inside—reflect our commitment to using science and emerging knowledge, as well as a collaborative approach to conservation, to benefit all the region's residents. For more information, visit www.chicagowilderness.org.
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