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| Forest district gets woodsy | |
| Jan 16, 2008 | |
| Kathy Cichon, Staff Writer kcichon@scn1.com | |
| Naperville Sun | |
| Pertains to DuPage County | |
| WHEATON -- President D. "Dewey" Pierotti said Tuesday that the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County isn't suffering from a revenue shortage. No scandal. No "juicy stuff." But last year was anything but tame for the district, which acquired new property, undertook multiple restoration projects and expanded educational programming. Sitting in front of the lit fireplace in the district's lobby Tuesday morning, Pierotti hosted a Fireside Chat with area media, outlining the district's accomplishments in 2007. "It's really a report card to the taxpayers and what we've done with their tax dollars throughout the year," Pierotti said. The district's mis- sion statement is "conservation, education and recreation," Pierotti said. "Unfortunately, most people just evaluate the forest preserve for its land acquisitions," he said. "It's just one small office in the corner of the building. The important thing is what we do with the land once we acquire it." Last year, the district spent almost $36 million adding more than 314 acres. Those purchases, he said, are "well in line with what we promised the residents we'd do with the bond issue." In 2006, voters approved a $68 million bond referendum for land acquisition. Other highlights of the year, he said, include restoration of the West Branch of the DuPage River and Kress Creek, the Springbrook Prairie meandering project, and surveying of the endangered Hines emerald dragonfly. Plans began taking shape for the opening of St. James Farm, which is being considered as a 2016 Olympics site. Educational opportunities also increased, with the district launching a "family expeditions" program and mastodon camp. The two-week camp is a joint project of the district and the Field Museum, and in its first year, earned an outstanding program award from the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. Further expansion and awareness of educational programming is the goal for 2008, Pierotti said. "I think more and more time is going to be spent in that area," Pierotti said. "I think a big thing to me is more and more people are aware of the opportunities that are available to them through the forest preserve. There's so many functions we do that people aren't really aware of." |
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