What is the Riverwoods Preservation Council?
The Riverwoods Preservation Council was incorporated on July 6, 2006, as a tax-exempt, non-profit community organization. The RPC was formed because of our concern for the health and future of local woodlands. We want to protect what makes Riverwoods unique - woodlands that the state of Illinois considers endangered - its ancient trees and its plant and animal inhabitants. Our purpose is to attain and preserve an ecologically sound balance of animals, plants and development in Riverwoods, Illinois and nearby areas.
Who is the RPC?
RPC members are all Riverwoods residents who have joined the RPC. If you'd like to become a member, please Contact Us.
The RPC's directors are:
Laurie Breitkopf,
Mike Clayton, : [email protected]
Sheila Hollander,
Rick Jamerson, : [email protected]
Rich Koomjian, 405 DuBonnet: [email protected]
Louise Simonson,
What has the RPC been doing?
Our year-end letters provide an over-view of RPC activiies. See our 2014 Letter, our 2013 Letter, our 2012 Letter, our 2011 Letter, our 2010 Letter, and our 2009 Letter.)
In July 2015, the RPC received the Morton Arboretum's Partnership for Success Award, together with the Village of Riverwoods and the Riverwoods Residents Association Plant Committee. The award was presented at the Arboretum's Chicago Region Trees Initiative Annual Meeting and Celebration, "Growing Healthy Trees Grows Healthy Communities." The Morton Arboretum is a 1700 acre living museum of trees with an international reputation for research, education and advocacy relating to trees. Here are the RPC's application, the Arboretum's Award Invitation, the RPC's announcement, and a photo of the award ceremony attended by Village Mayor John Norris and RPC Director Rich Koomjian.
The RPC has regularly submitted articles to the Village Voice newsletter, on topics including tree health, proper mulching, environmentally-sensitive construction, and deer habitat and issues. Riverwoods presents a great opportunity to learn about our role in the natural environment, and to act on that knowledge to preserve our environment for future generations. For copies of the articles, Click Here.
The RPC's book, In Our Own Backyard, was distributed without charge to all homes in Riverwoods in late 2008. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, Click Here.
The RPC was very pleased when in 2008 its president at the time, Rich Koomjian, was honored with the 2008 Way Out Wilderness Local Hero Award by the Habitat Project of Audubon Chicago. The award was presented to Rich "for raising the bar for natural areas advocacy on the North Shore." Rich has continued to be very active in environmental matters as a village trustee and as head of the village's Environmental Committee.
Most recently, the RPC conducted the first phase of a scientific study of woodland health in the community. If you would like to see the report, Click Here. We anticipate additional work in the near future.
The RPC has been coordinating the annual Roadway Cleanup Day each spring in the Village, which is followed by a BBQ at the Village Hall sponsored by the Village and conducted by volunteers.
For the last several years the RPC has been attending all Village Board meetings, and distributing brief email summaries of the meetings to all interested residents. If you would like to be on the RPC's email list, please Contact Us.
What is the RPC's message?
The central theme in all our activities has been simple: habitat preservation. A healthy habitat is a complex network of interdependent species. Plants and wildlife in Riverwoods have a variety of habitat needs if they are to survive. Like the plants and animals, we rely on our habitat for our physical well-being as well as for our personal enjoyment. The question for all of us is: how do we relate to our environment? Is it something for us to exploit, or something for us to nurture and preserve? The RPC believes that only through careful preservation will our fragile habitat survive. If we can convey that message well enough to inspire you, we know we will achieve our goals.
What are the RPC's objectives?
The RPC has has established three primary goals for the next year or two: increasing recycling in the Village; increasing the number of households participating in the Village's generous native plant cost-sharing program; and implementing four demonstration projects for bioretention in the Village. Attached is more information on those objectives.
How does it affect me?
If you enjoy the secluded natural environment of Riverwoods, you are no doubt concerned about the future of our woodlands. There is also the economic factor. The value of Riverwoods properties arises in large measure from the uniqueness of our community - its wooded ambience.
How can I help?
For some ideas of what you can do with your own property, Click Here. If you would like to be added to the RPC's email list, would like to contribute, or would like to become involved in our work, please Contact Us.
A note about the photos on this web site.
Except for the photographs of invasives, all of the photos on the main pages of this web site, and many of the other photos, were taken in Riverwoods by Riverwoods residents. We have tried to credit photos whenever possible. We thank all who contributed for their kind permission to use their beautiful works.
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(Photograph of Red-Bellied Woodpecker by Ho Min Lim) |
