Page 5 - Impact Report 2017
P. 5
Q: Do you recall your own first feelings of leading, state-of-the-art technology (our Inside Our Zoo
Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative)
connection to nature? to predict future conservation issues.
And, as a world-renowned animal care
A: My brother and I were fortunate facility and training institution for the
next generation of educators and
to live in a town bordering the natural veterinarians, we use—and help 7 Number of years
areas of Long Island Sound and Pelham develop—state-of-the-art medical in a row as Illinois'
Bay Park in New York. We roamed out- technology and equipment. most popular
side for hours each day, catching tadpoles, ticketed outdoor
hiking through swamps, camping in the Finally, of particular importance attraction
woods, discovering owl roosts and dissect- to me, we are a zoo for everyone. From
ing pellets, fishing, and more. And just the diversity of our staff, to the care
20 minutes away was the Bronx Zoo. We we take in creating habitats and 8.5 Years
also spent summers at my grandparents’ environments suitable for each animal, hvAaaoaonmvfsluetoasrinudaemrgtnuveeelteetrd
farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. There to the delivery of thoughtful and
was simply no question whether I was inclusive programming, we are
connected to nature; I was immersed in it. committed to making people of all
These are the experiences that eventually abilities, backgrounds, and perspectives
led me to dedicating my life to conserva- feel welcome. And, we are taking that
tion movements—first in South American commitment further by sharing our 1,38WV$15oe29l,uL3.nV2o2vtoMe7eelOurHVsun!aortlueureesrs H1Mo1ue5sm,e2hb8oe8lrds
rain forests, then in Florida’s Everglades, expertise and serving as a national
and now here, in Brookfield, Illinois! model to show how that’s possible. (Up 22.051%6)
from
Q: The world is a constantly changing Q: Looking ahead, what do you
place. How has the Society evolved to address new envision the role of the Society to be?
realities and remain relevant in today's world?
A: Our mission is more than
A: While we remain a tremendously words on paper. It is a living thing,
woven into every activity, project,
popular destination, providing families endeavor, and innovation. We are G2u.e3sMts
and school groups an opportunity to here to inspire conservation leadership
connect with animals, we are much by connecting people with wildlife,
more. We know that not everyone can and that’s a constant—our North Star.
get to Brookfield, Illinois. Working with At the same time, we recognize that to
community leaders, we reach out to remain relevant, we’ll always need to
residents in Chicago’s underserved learn, adjust, course-correct, and evolve,
neighborhoods and provide them with as we have since we opened our doors
programming and activities in their own in 1934.
libraries, schools, and community centers. We work hard to establish and BROOKFIELD ZOO
We provide a continuum of educational maintain relationships in fields ranging irsephroemseenttoin4g,658549asnpiemciaelss.,
programming that follows children from animal care to early childhood
practically from the moment they are born development, to deepen connections
through college and into adulthood. here in our own Chicago-area
neighborhoods and with conservation
Many people don’t know that, in partners on every continent on Earth.
partnership with colleges and universities, By paying close attention, we have
we provide several certification, professional confidence that we will continue to
development, and degree programs along build a conservation organization
with veterinary residencies and a new that can train the next generation
fellowship program that you can read while inspiring and engaging
more about on page 4. children and families. █
Understanding that this generation of
young people are digital natives, we have
embraced social media, new platforms, and
technologies to reach, inform, and inspire
them. We’ve devised our own industry-
CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ANNUAL IMPACT REVIEW 3
