Above / In collaboration with many community groups, members of City of Naperville staff designed the first-ever Earth Week from Earth Day through Arbor Day and were recognized at the City Council meeting on April 18, 2017.
UPDATE April 22, 2017 / Click here for link to Earth Day ribbon cutting ceremony at the Pollinator Station alongside City Hall.
The City of Naperville will recognize its inaugural Earth Week April 22-29, 2017.
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the following proclamation was read by City Councilman John Krummen:
Whereas, the City of Naperville has recognized both Arbor Day and Earth Day for nearly 50 years.
Whereas, Cities have a civic responsibility to manage public resources and facilities in sustainable ways that promote the public interest; Naperville is an environmental leader marked by milestones such as becoming the first Illinois city to offer curbside recycling in 1986, implementing smart meters and Emerald Ash Borer treatments in 2012, opening a regional household hazardous waste facility in 2014, converting to LED streetlights in 2016, and much more.
Whereas, Naperville’s inaugural Earth Week is being established to recognize and promote environmental activities happening in Naperville from Earth Day to Arbor Day.
Whereas, this first-ever Earth Week is a collaborative effort with events hosted by the City of Naperville, the Naperville Park District, The Conservation Foundation, the Forest Preserve Districts of DuPage and Will Counties, the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation, the Naperville Convention & Visitors Bureau; School Districts 203 and 204; The Morton Arboretum and Three Fires Council, Boy Scouts of America; and
Whereas, Earth Week will engage and educate individuals, organizations and businesses through programs and projects to help create a cleaner, more sustainable environment for all who live, work and play in Naperville.
Now therefore, I, Steve Chirico, Mayor of the City of Naperville, Illinois, do hereby proclaim April 22-29, 2017 as and urge all citizens to support efforts to participate in Earth Week and to find new ways to make a positive difference in our community.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the City of Naperville, this eighteenth day of April, 2017.
Signed by Mayor Steve Chirico.
Above / An informative sign on the fence by the Naperville Municipal Center marks the location of the Pollination Station Garden. Plant milkweed, attract Monarchs.
Ribbon cutting will be held to dedicate Naperville Pollination Station
To officially kick off Earth Week with a celebration, a ribbon cutting at the recently planted Pollination Station Garden will be held at 12PM noon on Sat., April 22.
Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico as well as representatives from The Conservation Foundation, Naperville Garden Club and the Three Fires Council, Boy Scouts of America will participate in cutting the ribbon during a ceremony dedicating the City of Naperville’s first environmentally-friendly Native Planting Pollination Station Garden and officially kick-off the first-ever Earth Week Naperville event.
The garden is located on the east side of the Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street, above the east entrance (Webster Street) to the lower level of the Municipal Center parking deck.
Arbor Day Tree Sale is April 29
In addition, Naperville again will host its annual Arbor Day Tree sale when hundreds of container grown trees will be available. The sale will be from 8AM to noon on Sat., April 29, at the Public Works Service Center, 180 Fort Hill Drive at Jefferson Avenue.
Prices for individual trees range from $25 to $65. Payment accepted is by cash or checks payable to the City of Naperville. Click here for a PDF of the tree list.
Did you know? Naperville has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for 27 consecutive years thanks to its work to develop a thriving urban forest. This Tree City joins more than 3,400 communities that are recognized with the distinction throughout the nation.
Discover Knoch Knolls Park
The Naperville Park Distict has planned a special Earth Week opportunity at Knoch Knolls Park with a new eco-themed mobile tour that will be available April 22 at http://napervilleparks.toursphere.com. Additionally, visitors can explore the new segment of the DuPage River Trail, which leads to the confluence of the East and West Branches of the DuPage River at Knoch Knolls Park. The trail, called Segment 5, was installed in collaboration with the Forest Preserve District of Will County in fall 2016. Enjoy the beauty of the Virginia Bluebells now in bloom in the woodlands along the trail (south of the river) and in the Lower Grove picnic area (north of the river).
Most Earth Week activities take place between 8AM and 7PM the week of April 22-29. Times vary for each project or event.
Earth Week activities will take place in the Naperville area in a variety of locations including Naperville Park District parks, DuPage Forest Preserve District preserves, Will County Forest Preserve District preserves, The Conservation Foundation’s McDonald Farm, North Central College and the City of Naperville.
According the folks planning the events, “Earth Week is an opportunity for the entire community to work together to benefit our environment, learn more about what different organizations are doing, and be inspired to continue environmental stewardship for the rest of the year.”
Take the Riverwalk Amenities Survey before April 23, 2017
Also, as the community marks the 35th anniversary year of the Naperville Riverwalk, the Riverwalk Commission seeks public input via an online survey. The goal of this survey is to determine community preference of the Riverwalk’s current amenities in order to gauge needs for changes or improvements.
All Riverwalk visitors are welcome to take the survey with a click here, especially residents who live in zip codes 60540, 60563, 60564 and 60565.
Thanks for helping determine the future of the city’s natural treasure.
This online survey has been up and running since April 1. The final day to take the survey is Sun., April 23, 2017.
Enjoy the great outdoors, mindful to appreciate and support a healthy environment, and everything that nature offers every day! Just let the wildlife be wild.
