HR0179 LRB096 11990 GRL 23691 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, One hundred and seventeen years ago, Riverdale,
3 the "Best Little Village In Illinois", was formed; the village
4 is located 23 miles south of the Chicago Loop and is separated
5 by the Calumet River and the south side of Chicago; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Village of Riverdale is home to the State's
7 largest butternut tree (Juglans cinerea); the tree is
8 documented to be 360-plus years old by the Illinois Department
9 of Natural Resources Forestry Division; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Notable and outstanding characteristics of
11 Riverdale's urban forest is a unique diversity of Southern
12 trees, which are not common in the Chicago area, including
13 Shumard Oak (Quercus Shumardii), Sweet gum (Liquidambar
14 Slyraciflua), Cumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata), Flowering
15 Dogwood (Cornus flordia), and White Basswood (Tilia
16 hererophylla); the village also has outstanding fall color
17 displayed on major streets by Sugar Maple (Acer saccharin), Red
18 Maple (Acer rubrum), White Ash (Fraxinus americana) and Sweet
19 gum (Liquidamber styraciflua), as well as a rare bird migration
20 through the urban forest of the east Ivanhoe section; all of
21 this activity is packed into a village with a residential
22 population of 16,050; and
 

 

 

HR0179 - 2 - LRB096 11990 GRL 23691 r

1     WHEREAS, The Village of Riverdale Board of Trustees created
2 a Riverdale Tree Commission in 2002, composed of volunteer
3 residents and an arborist; the commission's purpose is to
4 design and implement the Village Tree Program and conduct
5 community-wide educational efforts to publicize the benefits
6 of trees; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The National Arbor Day Foundation recognizes the
8 Village of Riverdale as a "Tree City USA" Community, honoring
9 the commitment of the village to a comprehensive community
10 forestry program; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The majestic urban forest cools the air, provides
12 oxygen, shades homes and outdoor activities from the sun,
13 invites song birds into backyards and gardens, lines streets
14 where the trees reach a height of 100 feet and over three feet
15 in diameter, muffles noise, protects the soil, improves air
16 quality, provides beauty, and serves as a windbreak; therefore,
17 be it
 
18     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
19 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
20 support the Village of Riverdale Tree Commission's continued
21 active participation in shaping Riverdale, the "Best Little
22 Village In Illinois", into a "Green" community; and be it
23 further
 

 

 

HR0179 - 3 - LRB096 11990 GRL 23691 r

1     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2 presented to Riverdale Mayor Zenovia G. Evans as a symbol of
3 our esteem and respect.