HJ0071 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0071 LRB097 20377 NHT 65845 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Bird watching and other nature activities provide citizens young and old with valuable opportunities to learn about the environment and the need to preserve the Earth; and

WHEREAS, Bird conservation efforts date back to 1869, when Michigan passed a law to protect the Passenger Pigeon; and

WHEREAS, In North America, 618 million acres of land, freshwater, and marine areas or approximately 9% of the continent has been dedicated as wildlife habitat; and

WHEREAS, Public awareness and concern are crucial components of conserving those areas and the birds and other wildlife that live in those areas; and

WHEREAS, Citizens who are enthusiastic about birds and nature, informed about threats to the natural world, and empowered to become involved in addressing those threats can make a tremendous contribution to maintaining healthy bird populations and protecting bird habitats; and

WHEREAS, Interest in stewardship and conservation can grow by modeling conservation activities and involving people young and old in those activities; and

WHEREAS, There are many educational materials available to school districts, parents, and citizens to foster public awareness about bird and nature conservation; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate May 1, 2012 as Bird Watching Day in the State of Illinois and encourage school districts and teachers in this State to participate in and host activities to teach students and citizens about bird and nature conservation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the superintendent of each school district in this State.