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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act was | ||||||
| 3 | passed on August 28, 1963, establishing the Illinois Nature | ||||||
| 4 | Preserves System; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Illinois Nature Preserves contribute to the | ||||||
| 6 | public health and welfare and the environmental quality of the | ||||||
| 7 | State; and
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| 8 | WHEREAS, This visionary law protecting Illinois Natural | ||||||
| 9 | Areas was a model that many other states followed; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Nature Preserves System protects 618 | ||||||
| 11 | preserves, totaling 119,170 acres; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Illinois Nature Preserves are habitats for rare, | ||||||
| 13 | vanishing, threatened, and endangered species; and
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| 14 | WHEREAS, Illinois Nature Preserves are of value for | ||||||
| 15 | scientific research and teaching, and they are especially | ||||||
| 16 | valuable as reservoirs of gene pools that may not survive | ||||||
| 17 | anywhere else and of which not all potential uses are known; | ||||||
| 18 | and
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| 19 | WHEREAS, Illinois Nature Preserves are places of historic | ||||||
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| 1 | and natural interest and scenic beauty; they are living | ||||||
| 2 | museums of the native landscape wherein one may experience | ||||||
| 3 | primeval conditions in a wilderness-like environment; and
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| 4 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Nature Preserve System is an | ||||||
| 5 | enduring resource for people of present and future | ||||||
| 6 | generations; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Nature Preserve System will be | ||||||
| 8 | marking its 60th year in 2023; therefore, be it
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| 9 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 10 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 11 | we declare August of 2023 as Illinois Nature Preserve Month in | ||||||
| 12 | the State of Illinois; and be it further
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| 13 | RESOLVED, That we continue to value the protection and | ||||||
| 14 | ecological stewardship of Illinois Nature Preserves; and be it | ||||||
| 15 | further
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| 16 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 17 | presented to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and the | ||||||
| 18 | Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves as a symbol of our | ||||||
| 19 | respect and esteem.
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