Forest Preserves of Cook County (12/6/23)

Forest Preserves of Cook County: The Environment, Public Access, and Equity

Every CBA member is familiar with government entities, but most of us do not think often about Special Districts and their unique function in our everyday lives. Ask any CBA member and they will tell you that the Special District with which they interact most is their local library or park district. However, there is a hidden gem all around us and that is the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The CBA’s DICE Committee is pleased to announce a program that will focus on the beauty and importance of the Forest Preserves of Cook County (the “Preserves”) and the diverse communities that surround them. As a Special District, the Preserves is a non-home rule entity, organized to maximize the effectiveness of its mission. Its mission serves to address the challenges of climate change and the environment, but some of the limitations of its function are posing new questions for the Preserves and its operations and sustainability. The program will address the mission and goals of the district, how it plans to meet sustainability challenges and the sustainability policy initiatives it will develop. 

As it is undeniable that the Preserves are critical to our community. Panelists will discuss how the new concerns about climate change are motivating the Preserves’ leadership to develop new partnerships and retool its Next Century Conservation Plan. As these matters are under consideration, an overarching theme is how public access and equity in the Preserves is maintained. Key parts of that planning are local, state legislative and government initiatives, the development of effective board priorities, the ability to navigate the complexities of intergovernmental affairs, the considerations regarding necessary land acquisition initiatives, and programming to teach residents, especially a new generation of users, why the Preserves is of vital importance to the community and its future. In addition to learning about the legal implications of these matters, we will learn what an attorney for the Preserves does and the legal challenges of representing such a unique client. 

Speakers:
Delio Calzolari, Attorney/Director, Legislative and Government Affairs, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Tony Fioretti, Deputy Chief Attorney, Legal Department, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Raquel Garcia-Alvarez, Manager, Policy & Sustainability, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Natalie Sanchez, Senior Attorney, Legal Department, Forest Preserves of Cook County & Vice Chair, DICE Environmental Justice Subcommittee

Moderator: 
E. Lynn Grayson, CBA Past President & Partner-Franzetti Nijman LLP, Co-Chair, DICE Environmental Justice Subcommittee

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Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.