HR0497 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0497 LRB095 12323 KXB 37266 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, 2007 is the 35th anniversary of the Chicago Botanic Garden; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Botanic Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, and is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Horticultural Society was founded in 1890; the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Chicago Horticultural Society partnered in 1963; groundbreaking ceremonies for the Chicago Botanic Garden took place in 1965, and the Chicago Botanic Garden opened to the public in 1972; and

WHEREAS, The 385-acre Chicago Botanic Garden has grown to include 23 display gardens with almost 2.4 million plants and three native habitats, uniquely situated on nine islands surrounded by lakes; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Botanic Garden has developed into a preeminent center for learning and scientific research that offers more than 500 courses, including graduate and undergraduate level classes in plant sciences in collaboration with some of the region's foremost universities; courses are taught by leading scientists and teachers in the fields of plant biology, conservation and horticulture; these learning opportunities combined with the Garden's extensive outreach programming, tell the important story of plants to children, college students, educators, professionals, gardeners, land managers, policymakers and the civic, corporate, and philanthropic community; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Botanic Garden welcomed 760,000 visitors in 2006, the second most-visited garden in the United States, and membership reached 47,000, the largest membership of any botanical garden in the nation; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the many staff members and volunteers involved in the operations of the Chicago Botanic Garden for celebrating 35 years of fulfilling its mission, in collections, beauty, education, research, and conservation; the Garden, as a center for teaching and research, dedicates its collections and professional expertise to serving the needs of the world-wide community and contributing to the understanding of the plant world; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to William J. Hagenah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Horticultural Society, and Barbara Whitney Carr, President and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden.