partners

The mission of the Alliance for the Great Lakes is to: "conserve and restore the world's largest freshwater resource using policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and clean water for generations of people and wildlife.BGCI is an international organization that exists to ensure the world-wide conservation of threatened plants, the continued existence of which are intrinsically linked to global issues including poverty, human well-being and climate change. The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the Brookfield Zoo, is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Since the opening of Brookfield Zoo in 1934, the Society has had an international reputation for taking a cutting-edge role in animal care and conservation of the natural world. The mission of the Chicago Botanic Garden is to promote the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants and the natural world. One of the treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, The Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens and four natural areas. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society, it offers a wide array of award-winning community, conservation, gardening and educational programs, a few of which include plant conservation research, children’s programs, horticultural therapy, community gardening programs and Windy City Harvest, an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture.Chicago Wilderness is a regional alliance that connects people and nature. We are more than 250 organizations that 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 Chicago Department of Environment develops environmental policies, initiatives and programs, enforces the City’s environmental code and regulations and works with other City departments, sister, state and federal agencies, businesses and not-for-profit organizations to protect and conserve our natural resources, prevent pollution, foster energy efficiency and engage Chicagoans in adopting environmentally-friendly behaviors.The aim of the DePaul Department of Environmental Science and Studies is to develop the environmental literacy of our students and increase their understanding of the broad context of environmental problems and solutions, in order to enable them to become informed participants and leaders in the current and future debates on the state of the environment. The Department seeks to provide a supportive environment which stimulates analytical and creative thinking about environmental issues, challenging students to get the maximum benefit from their talents and skills.The Institute for Nature and Culture has been created by DePaul University to foster collaboration among the disciplines and among researchers, conservation practitioners and the general public on behalf of our environmental future. Building on widely respected programs in Environmental Science, Urban Ecology and Public Policy, and reflecting the University's long-standing commitment to the Chicago community, the Institute is a response both to what we regard as a crisis of vision and leadership within environmentalism and to the opportunities represented by the emerging disciplines of urban ecology and environmental restoration pioneered in the Chicago metropolitan area.The Field Museum is an educational institution concerned with the diversity and relationships in nature and among cultures. It provides collection-based research and learning for greater public understanding and appreciation of the world in which we live. Its collections, public learning programs, and research are inseparably linked to serve a diverse public of varied ages, backgrounds and knowledge.Ryerson Woods is an oasis of 556 acres of magnificent woodlands in the heart of densely populated Lake County. Friends of Ryerson Woods uses the unique setting of Ryerson Woods to catalyze people's understanding, life-long appreciation, and behavior in support of nature. Friends of the Chicago River is the only organization solely dedicated to the Chicago River. Since 1979, Friends has been working to improve the health of the Chicago River for the benefit of people and wildlife and by doing so, has laid the foundation for the river to be a beautiful, continuous, easily accessible corridor of open space in the Chicago region. The Illinois State Beekeepers Association (ISBA)is your source for information on Honey Bees, Honey, Stinging Insects, Products of the Hive, Swarms, and Beekeeping in Illinois for both beginners and veterans. Illinois State Beekeepers Association was organized in 1891. Over the years the ISBA has developed a strong working relationship with local beekeeping associations throughout the state and with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the ISBA is to promote interest in Honey Bees and Beekeeping by encouraging good beekeeping practices in Illinois, the utilization of Honey Bees for the pollination of agricultural crops and the dissemination of information about Honey Bees and beekeeping.The Lake County Forest Preserves (LCFP) is devoted to preservation, restoration, education and recreation. The organization’s mission is to preserve a dynamic and unique system of natural and cultural resources and to develop innovative education, recreation and cultural opportunities of regional value, while exercising environmental and fiscal responsibility.
Lake Forest Open Lands Association is dedicated to conserving our natural environment through land acquisition, habitat restoration, environmental education and conservation advocacyThe Metropolitan Water Reclamation District will protect the health and safety of the public in its service area, protect the quality of the water supply source (Lake Michigan), improve the quality of water in watercourses in its service area, protect businesses and homes from flood damages, and manage water as a vital resource for its service area, 883.5 square miles of Cook County, Illinois. The Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University (ISEN) was established in 2008 by the Office of the President. ISEN's unique mission is to catalyze the development of new science, technology, education, and policy for sustainability and energy. ISEN meets this challenge through interdisciplinary and transformational training and research coupled with local and global outreach.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is dedicated to the conservation, protection and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats.The USDA Forest Services is dedicated to caring for the land and serving people. The USDA Forest Service is entrusted with 193 million acres of forests and grasslands. We are dedicated to restore and enhance landscapes, protect and enhance water resources, develop climate change resiliency and help create jobs that will sustain communities.The Wetlands Initiative is dedicated to restoring the wetland resources of the Midwest to improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and reduce flood damages. The Wetlands Initiative envisions the Illinois River Valley and other Midwest floodplain areas as ecological and economic models for wetland restoration nationwide.