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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, One hundred and seventeen years ago, Riverdale,
3the "Best Little Village in Illinois," was formed; the village
4is located 23 miles south of the Chicago Loop; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Village of Riverdale is home to the State's
6largest butternut tree (Juglans cinerea), the official tree of
7Riverdale; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Notable and outstanding characteristics of
9Riverdale's urban forest are a unique diversity of Southern
10trees, which are common in the Chicago area, including Shumard
11Oaks (Quercus Shumardii), Sweet gums (Liquidambar Styracflua),
12Cumber Trees (Magnolia acuminata), Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus
13florida), and White Basswoods (Tilia hereophylla); the village
14also has outstanding fall color displayed on major streets by
15Sugar Maples (Acer saccharinum), Red Maples (Acer rubrum),
16White Ashes (Fraxinus Americana), and Sweet gums (Liquidamber
17styraciflua), as well as a rare bird migration through the
18urban forest of the east Ivanhoe section; all of this activity
19is packed into a village with a residential population of
2016,050; and
 
21    WHEREAS, The Village of Riverdale's Board of Trustees
22created a Riverdale Tree Commission in 2002, composed of

 

 

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

 

 

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1esteem and respect.