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Telephone (847) 448-8256 (847) 448-4405 fax |
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| Click here to contact us, or click the links below for specific information about the Ladd Arboretum, the Evanston Ecology Center or the Evanston Environmental Association. | |||||||||||||||
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Edward R. Ladd Arboretum |
Staff Profiles |
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The Ladd Arboretum is a living memorial to Evanston's past and present leaders. It is also a perpetual tribute to the individual initiative, community concern, civic cooperation and even world wide involvement that have brought it into existence. It stretches along a three-quarter mile segment of McCormick Boulevard on a narrow, 23 acre strip of reclaimed land. It follows the diagonal course of the North Shore Channel from Greenbay Road to the northeast, to Emerson and Golf Road in the southwest. The North Shore Channel was created as a "drainage channel". It was designed to divert wastes from entering the lake and extends from Wilmette Harbor, through Evanston and Chicago, and empties into the Chicago River at West River Park just south of Foster. As a result the entire right-of-way of the channel is owned by the Metropolitan Sanitary District of greater Chicago, with the peripheral land, including the Ladd Arboretum, leased to local communities. Evanstonians decided to use the land and the artificial waterway as areas of natural beauty and recreation for all. The Ladd Arboretum is an expression of this desire. In 1959, the first tree, a ginkgo, was planted by the Evanston Review in the memory of Edward Rixon Ladd (1883-1956). Mr. Ladd was a highly respected founder, publisher, and editor of the Evanston Review. On June 10, 1960, after many other trees were planted, the Arboretum was formally dedicated as an enduring place of peace, beauty, and educational value. Today the Ladd Arboretum remains a magnificent place to visit year-round. Self-Guided Tour: Click here for plant information and a map of the Ladd Arboretum. Back to top.
The Evanston Ecology Center was built in 1974 and serves as the educational nucleus of the Ladd Arboretum. It was funded by the same fundraising and voluntary efforts of Evanston citizens as with the Ladd Arboretum. The Ecology Center strives to foster a greater appreciation, awareness and knowledge of the natural environment and our interdependence with it. Today it houses an office, classroom/lecture room, a nature/gift store, a small resource library, and curriculum resource materials. Programs, classes, and services of the Ecology Center range from introductory natural history classes covering areas such as plant identification and animal study to sensory awareness programs for children and beginning naturalists. The center's staff lead canoe trips in Spring and Fall highlighting the natural history aspects of the North Shore Channel. Back to top.
Evanston
Environmental Association With the giving of the Ecology Center to the City of Evanston, these citizens founded the Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) as an independent yet dedicated organization that would continue the financial support and advocacy for environmental and ecological issues of importance to the Evanston community. The EEA is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization which continues to support the Ecology Center and other facilities staffed by the City of Evanston’s Ecology Center personnel:
In the 21st Century, the EEA is committed to sustaining and promoting the health and growth of these facilities and the programs offered by the Ecology Center. Evanston
Environmental Association Board Click here for membership information and here for our most recent annual report. Back to top.
Staff Profiles Linda Lutz has been the Evanston Ecology Center Coordinator since 1988. She directs operations for the center and the community garden program, and acts as staff liaison to the Evanston Environmental Association. She also sits on the Ladd Arboretum Committee and the Evanston Environment Board. Linda got her BS in Anthropology/Sociology from Kalamazoo College and her MS in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan. She taught and directed residential environmental education facilities in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire for five years, and was Manager of Education at the Chicago Botanic Garden for four years. She also taught Junior High science for two years.
Linda is a member of the Traveler’s Garden Club, the current president of the Evanston Garden Council, the State Treasurer of Garden Clubs of Illinois (District IX). She is also a member of the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA), Rotary Club of Evanston and the American Canoeing Association. Back to top. Karen Taira is one of two full-time Environmental Educators on our staff. She is responsible for creating, planning and running programs for schools, scout groups, children, adults, families, and summer camps as well as cooperative programs within the Parks/Forestry & Recreation Department. She participated in the 2002-2003 Leadership Evanston class sponsored by the Evanston Community Foundation.
Karen in our new Evanston Ecology Center fireplace... Born and raised in Evanston, Karen got her BS in Biology with a Spanish minor from Loyola University of Chicago. She worked as a naturalist in an area nature center before coming to the Ecology Center in 1996. Karen is certified as a canoe instructor by the American Canoe Association. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Gaia Theater Company, an environmental education theater company that worked with schools in the Chicagoland area. Outside of work Karen loves birds and bird-watching and canoeing. She practices and teaches yoga and has studied traditional martial arts. She got her black belt in 2001. Karen’s favorite part of working at the Ecology Center? "The people I work with and the people I get to meet." Back to top. Ellen Fierer is another of our Environmental Educators, hired in 1996. In addition to her educational responsibilities, she also hires, trains and directs staff. Ellen received her BS in Biology from Illinois State University, with a concentration in entomology, anatomy, ecology, animal sciences and zoology. She worked as a veterinarian technician and in animal care at The Grove in Glenview. In addition to her animal and educational work, Ellen has also had theater and choir experience, and worked as a food service manager. Ellen is certified as a flatwater canoe instructor by the American Canoe Association. She is a member of the National Association of Interpretation and has studied Red Cross Community First Aid and CPR.
When not at work, Ellen likes to spend time with her husband, Jason and their children, Samuel (6) and Talia (2 1/2). "We like to get outside as much as possible and plan to go camping next year. We are looking forward to getting acquainted with the abundant trees and wildlife around our new house." Ellen’s favorite part of being an Environmental Educator is motivating people to learn more about the natural world and enjoying it! Back to top. Beth Cullen has been our Office Manager since 2001, but she’s been involved with our programs since her children were little. Her sons Danny (14) and Brian (12) have attended Ecology Center Camps for many years. Danny volunteers at EcoQuest and Kinglet camps, and helps out the Access to Fishing program.
After working as a picture framer for many years, Beth went back to school and in 2001, graduated from Northwestern University with a major in Environmental Science and a Business minor. For Beth, "every day is different and challenges abound. I especially enjoy working with dedicated EcoQueens, Linda, Ellen and Karen and working in the Arboretum." Back to top. Becky Kass is our Community Garden Coordinator. Her goal is to organize the system as well as possible to help keep guidelines for gardeners consistent from year to year. She is looking for ways to improve the community gardens each year, building on what what done the previous year. Gardening has been a favorite pastime for Becky since childhood. Just about everywhere she has lived, she has found a place to garden.
Becky, standing in front of a picture of the original sign for the Ladd Arboretum. After receiving her BA in history from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Becky worked in various art supply stores and art galleries. She eventually became an office manager for a Chicago architectural firm which she managed for ten years. Becky took time off to care for her young children full-time after she had her second child. When she decided to begin working part-time, she was delighted to find the position of Garden Coordinator available. What does Becky like about her job? "I've enjoyed meeting the many gardeners and working with them at the various garden sites over the season." Make a difference - make a donation Interested in making some kind of a donation? We'd love it! Your donation to the Evanston Environmental Association will help sustain and promote the health and growth of all of our facilities and the programs offered by the Ecology Center - and our new addition! Cash, Securities and In-Kind Donations: We welcome any donation, no matter what size. As a not-for-profit corporation, we rely heavily on the generosity of individuals and corporations. We're currently fundraising for our general fund, specifically for the recent addition to the Ecology Center. You can also make a directed donation, if you so desire. Sponsor a critter: Another way to make a difference is to sponsor one of our Critters, a bunch of lovable creatures - bunnies, a hedgehog, fish, turtles, a Madagascar Hissing Roach and others - who live in the Ecology Center. Our Critters help teach people all about small mammals and reptiles, including how to take care of them. Click here for an application form to sponsor one of our Critters. Click here for more information about our Critter Crews if you'd like to become personally involved. Memorial trees: A wonderful way to memorialize a special person is to have us plant a tree in their memory for you. Click here for more information and an application. How to make a donation: Give us a call at (847) 448-8256 for more information, or email us and we'll send you forms and a brochure. |
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