On Monday, August 30, and Tuesday, August 31, residents of the region will have the opportunity to make their voices heard and provide input on : A 21^st Century Agenda for Conservation and Reconnecting Americans with our Great Outdoors.  The planned events are part of series of public listening sessions occurring around the country, organized by the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

The first public listening session will take place Monday, August 30, at 5:30 p.m. at the Field Museum.  The focus will be on parks, open space, and nature.  This forum is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Chicago Wilderness, City of Chicago Department of the Environment, Openlands, and the Field Museum.  For more information, see the Chicago Wilderness announcement.  CMAP’s executive director Randy Blankenhorn will be speaking at this event on the importance of preserving open space and greenways. 

The following day, August 31, two listening sessions will take place at Northwestern University and Prentice Women’s Hospital – a general, adult session and a youth session, respectively.  The focus of these sessions will be health and the outdoors.

All listening sessions are free and open to the public.  If you cannot attend, you can also submit your ideas to the America’s Great Outdoors Ideas at http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/.