Glenview's Natural Resources Manager Honored

Press release from Chicago Region Trees Initiative:

December 16, 2020

LISLE, Ill. (December, 15, 2020) - The Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) has honored Dr. Robyn Flakne with the Forester of the Year Golden Shovel Award, a CRTI Urban Forestry Award reserved for the most dedicated forestry professionals.

Dr. Flakne receives this award for her work as the Natural Resources Manager for the Village of Glenview and also as an instructor at Northeastern Illinois University. She has been co-chair of the CRTI Trees and Green Infrastructure Work Group for six years, is the staff liaison for the Village’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) and supports the Village Board in planning, managing and evaluating natural areas in Glenview.

Dr. Flakne was key, along with the NRC, in creating and implementing the Glenview Plan for Nature, a guide map for supporting nature and trees village-wide. She also was instrumental in creating the Village’s local Heritage Tree Program.

The Urban Forestry Awards, presented at CRTI’s seventh annual Partner Recognition Celebration, recognize people, public and private organizations, and communities that are leaders in protecting, expanding and enhancing the tree canopy in the Chicago Region. Learn more at chicagorti.org/UrbanForestryAwards

CRTI accepts award nominations year-round, honoring those effecting positive change for trees in the Chicago Region at its Partner Recognition Celebration each year. Categories include Private Natural Areas, Public Natural Areas, Community Stewardship, Partnerships for Success, Forestry Outreach, Youth Engagement, Forestry Advocate of the Year (golden shovel award), and Forester of the Year (golden shovel). Past awardees include the Calumet Stewardship Initiative, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Blacks in Green, Davey Tree Experts, the North Central College Tree Board, and the Land Conservancy of McHenry County.

Comprising more than 160 partner organizations, the Chicago Region Trees Initiative strives to make the Chicago region the greenest, most livable, and most resilient region in North America, and believes that trees are critical to achieving this vision.

“The mission of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative is to make a significant and measurable improvement to the Chicago region’s tree canopy, but we can’t accomplish this goal without partners like Robyn Flakne,” Lydia Scott, CRTI director, stated. “CRTI is proud to honor Robyn Flakne as a leader in protecting and caring for our region’s trees, enhancing the quality of life for our region’s residents.”

Village President Jim Patterson joined in congratulating Dr. Flakne for being honored. “I’d also like to point out Robyn’s role in helping preserve Glenview’s natural spaces and places, so that they can be enjoyed by all,” he stated. “In particular, the Village has done much to improve the water quality of the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River that flows through Glenview.”

“This honor is so well deserved,” Henrietta Saunders, chair of the Village of Glenview’s Natural Resources Commission, added. “It is even more special that this award comes from Dr. Flakne’s peers in the industry.”

About the Chicago Regional Trees Initiative
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) is a partnership for coordinated action on key issues facing trees. It is the largest such initiative in the country, with leading organizations and agencies from across the seven-county Chicago metropolitan region working together to leverage funding, knowledge, skills, and expertise to build a healthier and more diverse regional forest.

This press release was produced by Chicago Region Trees Initiative. The views expressed here are the author's own.