Park District Green Initiatives

Join the Park District of Oak Park to help with the greening of our parks. We're looking for community volunteers who would like to help care for a local park under the guidance of a park steward. Duties may include planting, plant care, tree monitoring, educational activities, special events or general maintenance. Interested Steward candidates should have a working knowledge of or interest in horticultural practices which might include gardening, prairie restoration and perennial plant and tree care.

Green Team summer work days schedule.

Please complete a Green Team Volunteer Application and return it to Henrietta Yardley, Park District of Oak Park, 218 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. For more information please call 708.725.2450 or email Henrietta Yardley.

The Park District’s Greening Advisory Committee partnered with the Oak Park Youth Baseball/Softball Association in spring 2009 to pilot a program at the Holmes School t-ball site to reduce trash, keep our parks cleaner and increase environmental awareness and stewardship. We simply asked participants and spectators to take out whatever trash they brought into the park. We moved trash receptacles away from the field and posted signs at the site. The program was so successful it has been expanded to four t-ball locations in the spring 2010.  The Carry In/Carry Out Program will be implemented at Hatch School, Carroll Park, and Julian Middle School t-ball fields as well as Holmes School. (more details)

Additionally, biodegradable blue bags have been placed in ALL baseball equipment boxes and distributed to our other sports affiliate organizations. We are asking the snack parent or other designated volunteer to collect recyclables in these bags and take them home to place in their residential recycling containers.

With our kids leading the way we can all be environmentally responsible. Please do your part to keep our parks clean.

Project Update: The Lindberg Park Prescribed Burn was successfully completed on Thursday, March 18. The introduction of prescribed fire into the Prarie Gardens is the first step in improving the health and beauty of this prarie reconstruction. As spring continues, the prairie plants that were established in the trial gardens will return. Sections that do not return will be replanted with new native material.

Click here to view more photos

Project Update: The Lindberg Park Prescribed Burn will take place at approximately 1pm on Thursday, March 18. The forecast calls for west winds 10-20 which are the perfect conditions to proceed.

Project Update: A tentative date of Thursday, March 18 at 1pm has been set for the Lindberg Park Prescribed Burn. The final decision to go ahead with this burn will be made on March 18 and is dependent on the appropriate weather conditions.

In March 2010, weather permitting, the Park District of Oak Park will conduct a prescribed burn of the prairie trial gardens at Lindberg Park for the purpose of improving the health of the plantings. (Prescribed Burn Fact Sheet) A community information meeting was held on Wednesday, January 20 at Mann School to provide information about this project and the role fire plays in maintaining the health of native plant communities such as prairie, savanna, and woodland. (Community Meeting Powerpoint presentation)

This project is a Greening Initiative developed by the Park District's Greening Advisory Committee.

For more details about the prescribed burn or the Greening Advirsory Committee, please contact Henrietta Yardley at 708.725.2450 or henriettay@oakparkparks.com.

The Park District is pleased to announce the establishment of the Greening Advisory Committee (GAC). Originally this volunteer citizens committee was organized in fall 2007 as the Greening Task Force to discuss the environmental issues the Park District was facing and explore measures to be taken to meet citizens' greening interests and maintain the health of the parks. This Task Force developed the Park District’s first comprehensive environmental policy accepted by the Park Board in August 2008.

The Greening Task Force, now known as the Greening Advisory Committee will:

• Implement PDOP environmental policy, passed August 2008
• Act as the liaison between the Park District and the community
• Assist the Park Board in identifying and considering sustainability issues and exploring environmental initiatives for biodiversity, tree and park maintenance and green operations
• Help the Park District to determine annual projects
• Establish and maintain the park stewardship program

Greening Advisory Committee members serve staggered 3 year terms with new terms beginning in January. If you are interested in serving on the GAC, please send a letter of interest in November or December addressed to Park Board President Mark Gartland, Park District of Oak Park, 218 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 or c/o dianes@oakparkparks.com.

Recent Sustainability Efforts at the Park District of Oak Park

• The Greening Task Force developed a comprehensive environmental policy focusing on tree management, sustainability/green initiatives, and biodiversity throughout the park system.

• The Park District implemented a new online job application system, Applitrack, to eliminate paper applications.

• The Park District purchased two alternative fuel vehicles.

• Bio-diverse areas in the parks were included during the development of park site plans.

• The Park Board adopted a revised procurement policy which addresses the purchase of environmentally perferable products and services.

• Cheney Mansion was host to Green Sunday on April 19, 2009 featuring environmentally friendly activities and demonstrations presented by a variety of community organizations.

• Two Park District employees passed the exam to become Certified Arborists.

• A system for recycling at the Annual Frank Lloyd Wright Races has been established. This is the largest Park District special event enjoyed by over 2,000 runners, walkers and volunteers.

• Canvas tote bags, made of recycled materials, were distributed to all Park District staff to encourage the use of reusable bags when shopping.

• A Green Team of volunteers, organized by the Greening Advisory Committee, has been estabilshed to help in the care and maintenance of Field Park.

• In fall 2009 a cooperative program between the Oak Park Youth Baseball Softball Association and the Park District was implemented to reduce waste in our parks and encourage recycling. This "Carry In Carry Out" program focused on all t-ball games at Holmes School. All participants and spectators were encouraged to take out any trash brought into the park. Biodegradable bags were provided by the Park District to carry out all recyclables. This program is being expanded to Carroll Park, Hatch School, Holmes School and Julian Junior High in spring 2010.

Green Initiatives

In the management of the park system, the Park District of Oak Park strives to set a high standard of leadership and competency in the promotion of sound environmental practices and lifestyles. With the development of the Park District’s first comprehensive environmental policy in 2008, specific guidelines and goals, and practices and procedures have been established to secure the Park District’s contribution to a healthier environment.

A few of the initiatives outlined in the environmental policy include:

• Encourage diversity of life within each park's ecosystem and diversity of ecosystems within the Park District, with an emphasis on promoting native species.

• Strive for the introduction and maintenance of naturalized areas within the parks for their many benefits to all forms of life.

• Establish a park stewardship program to monitor and maintain biodiverse areas

• Initiate a tree stewardship program to monitor newly planted trees, provide timely watering and scout for insect and disease problems.

• Maintain a 5-year cyclic tree pruning program

• Utilize the current tree inventory completed in 2005 to manage trees and update the inventory every 5 years,

• Expand the Memorial Tree program

• Provide environmental education and interpretation to gain community support for conservation issues, help protect natural resources and open space and promote community environmental responsibility.

• Purchase environmentally safe and sensitive products

• Actively seek and implement ways to conserve energy resources

• Work with other community agencies and organizations to develop and enhance a strong environmental ethic.

For more information on "Going Green" at the Park District of Oak Park, please contact Henrietta Yardley at henriettay@oakparkparks.com.