HR0251 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0251 LRB096 12212 GRL 24774 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Brookfield Zoo's role as a cultural, economic, and educational asset for the people of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year; the zoo has welcomed more than 133 million people and has cared for more than 110,000 animals since it opened on July 1, 1934; and

WHEREAS, While Brookfield Zoo is a 216-acre gem that is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and managed by the Chicago Zoological Society, it is also an award-winning educational institution that reaches thousands of students, teachers, and families each year; and

WHEREAS, At a 2008 White House ceremony, Brookfield Zoo was awarded the prestigious National Medal for Museum and Library Services for its outstanding social, environmental, economic, and educational contributions; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo focuses much of its educational programming in economically distressed, highly-urbanized areas while engaging and nurturing at-risk youth; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo is working to inspire the next generation of African-American and Latino conservation leaders; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo is an example of the critical role that accredited zoos play in utilizing managed breeding programs to restore species that are endangered or extinct in the wild; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo's conservationists are working to restore species, including Amur tigers, black rhinos, and Panama golden frogs, that have been decimated by poaching, habitat destruction, and other human behaviors; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo has led international research efforts on marine mammal life and coastal health through its Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, the longest running dolphin research program in the world; and

WHEREAS, A new field of study called conservation psychology was developed at Brookfield Zoo; conservation psychology is the scientific study of the reciprocal relationship between man and nature; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo has developed programs and exhibits around this field of study and around the need to mitigate nature-deficit disorder in children; and

WHEREAS, In March of 2009, Brookfield Zoo awarded Richard Louv, best-selling author of "Last Child in the Woods", its coveted George B. Rabb Conservation Medal; Louv's book has inspired Leave No Child Inside initiatives throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution 27 of the 96th General Assembly designates the month of June as "Leave No Child Inside Month" in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Brookfield Zoo is also a global leader in animal care and well-being, having set new standards in these areas; Brookfield Zoo's animals receive world-class care from passionate keepers, dieticians, and veterinarians; and

WHEREAS, Although Brookfield Zoo has had many famous animals over the years, there is one feathered resident who is the most celebrated; Cookie, a Leadbeater's cockatoo, is at least 75 years old and has been at the zoo since it opened in 1934; Cookie has been the subject of hundreds of news articles and stories and has been viewed by tens of millions of people; Cookie still has visitors who come to see him every week; some sing to him, while others carry on conversations with him; and

WHEREAS, With 2.1 million annual visitors and 90,000 member households, Brookfield Zoo is Illinois' most popular outdoor cultural attraction and the third most popular recreational destination for Chicago-area Latinos; guests from 35 countries and 250,000 schoolchildren from 48 Illinois counties visited the zoo in 2008; and

WHEREAS, In addition to being an educational institution, Brookfield Zoo is an economic engine that pumps more than $150 million a year into the Illinois economy while supporting 2,000 jobs; and

WHEREAS, As Brookfield Zoo turns 75, so too does much of its infrastructure; Brookfield Zoo is ready to move on worthy, well-planned, and much-needed infrastructure projects that will put people back to work and contribute to the economic recovery of our State; and

WHEREAS, With support from the General Assembly and the Governor, Brookfield Zoo can improve, upgrade, and modernize its 1930s-era infrastructure and, in doing so, continue to be an award-winning educational institution, top tourism attraction, and potent economic engine; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the date of July 1, 2009 as "Brookfield Zoo Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we celebrate the 75th anniversary of this world-famous Illinois zoo, its rich history, its unlimited future, and its contributions as an economic, tourism, conservation, and educational asset for the people of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Dr. George Rabb, Director Emeritus; Fred Krehbiel, Chairman of the Board; and Dr. Stuart Strahl, President and CEO.