title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING LAURA RERICHA-ANCHOR ON THE PUBLICATION OF FLORA OF THE CHICAGO REGION: A FLORISTIC AND ECOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS
WHEREAS, the Preserves' nearly 70,000 acres of natural lands are home to some of the nation's most biologically diverse flora and fauna, inspiring a wide array of scientists and students to better understand the natural world; and
WHEREAS, Laura Rericha-Anchor is a wildlife biologist with the Forest Preserves of Cook County's Resource Management Department, where she has worked since 1997 to protect and preserve the plants and animals of the forest preserves; and
WHEREAS, in the course of her duties Laura explores, researches, and documents the plants and animals of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, significantly contributing to the Preserves' restoration efforts, and the health of the region's plant and animal communities; and
WHEREAS, Laura's observations of the natural world have advanced - and continue to advance - our understanding of how to better preserve and protect the Preserves; and
WHEREAS, Laura has worked in partnership with co-author Dr. Gerould Wilhelm, Director of Research at The Conservation Institute to produce the Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis, a groundbreaking book that celebrates our region's biodiversity. The publication details 3,149 plant species and documents the delicate, yet powerful world of plants, their pollinators, and their environment; and
WHEREAS, this publication was inspired by a book originally published in 1969 by Floyd Swink, a renowned taxonomist and beloved naturalist who delighted in sharing his knowledge of the Midwest's remarkable flora and fauna, and mentored both Laura and Dr. Wilhelm; and
WHEREAS, during the course of their fieldwork Laura and Dr. Wilhelm discovered a new plant species which they named Hypericum swinkianum (or Swink's St. John's Wort) in honor of Floyd Swink; and
WHEREAS, Flora of the Chicago Region is sig...
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