OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
June 22, 2016
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Together with Alderman Smith, I transmit herewith a congratulatory resolution regarding the Lincoln Park Zoo Partners in Research Program.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute ("UWI") uses Chicago as a model to explore urban ecology and how people and animals interact in an urban setting; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, UWI established the Partners in Fieldwork Program ("UWI Program") to give Chicago-area high school students the opportunity to work as student field researchers, and to learn about urban ecology while helping UWI collect data vital to its mission; and
WHEREAS, The UWI Program engages Chicago youth in authentic wildlife research; increases students' knowledge of research methods; provides out-of-classroom experiences to augment life science curricula; and encourages high school students to explore nature; and
WHEREAS, Structured to work in a school setting, the UWI Program uses school campuses as field stations for ecological research. It also provides professional development courses to teachers; and
WHEREAS, UWI personnel visit Program participants throughout the school year to train them, to share the results of the students' data collection efforts, and to promote continued engagement and retention in the UWI Program; and
WHEREAS, Research opportunities for students include monitoring wildlife biodiversity; using non-invasive techniques to study bat species in the greater Chicago area; partnering with the Lake County Forest Preserve District to restore the meadow jumping mouse to northern Illinois; surveying bird populations; and teaching students how to use innovative research technologies, such as motion-sensitive cameras and sound-monitoring devices, to facilitate their research efforts; and
WHEREAS, Lincoln Park Zoo is especially committed to encouraging urban schools that serve underserved youth to participate in the UWI Program. All participants and their families are invited to visit the zoo to learn more about nature, animals, ecology, and how the data collected by students is being used to help scientists better understand the factors that contribute to ecosystem health in urban areas; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-second day of June, 2016, do hereby commend the Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute for extending its Partners in Fieldwork Program to Chicago area students; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Lincoln Park Zoo as a token of our appreciation and esteem.