DePaul University has been a member of Chicago Wilderness since 1998. In the past four years Liam Heneghan has been a co-chair of the science team for the coalition. Recently, he lead a project to develop a Natural Science Research Agenda and is currently working in partnership with Lake County, DuPage County and Cook Country Forest Preserves and with McHenry County Conservation District to develop a conservation research program for Chicago Wilderness. The reseach program is designed in response to perceived knowldge gaps that limit the CW coalition in achieving its vision of accessible, interconnected, restored and healthy ecosystems that contribute to regional biodiversity, and to the economic vitality and quality of life for all residents in the Chicago metropolitan area.
In tandem with this process, Dr Barbara Willard, an executive council member, of INC has helped develop a social science research agenda for the coalition.
The planning of both projects took several years during which ongoing research on topics of concern to Chicago Wilderness were pursued at DePaul University (especially on the impact of invasive species on ecosystem properties) while at the same time we surveyed a broad range of constituencies with the CW coalition to establish an research agenda (http://condor.depaul.edu/~lumek/CWRA.pdf).
In tandem with this process, Dr Barbara Willard, an executive council member, of INC has helped develop a social science research agenda for the coalition.
The planning of both projects took several years during which ongoing research on topics of concern to Chicago Wilderness were pursued at DePaul University (especially on the impact of invasive species on ecosystem properties) while at the same time we surveyed a broad range of constituencies with the CW coalition to establish an research agenda (http://condor.depaul.edu/~lumek/CWRA.pdf).
INC now has a vision of launching a similar project involving humanities issues and research.
This project would model itself on the natural science research agenda project though on a smaller scale initially, and with some different research methodologies. For example although we would begin by interviewing CW personnel to understand their concerns and needs, and may indeed interview other prominent individuals and institutions throughout the region, we would also conduct extensive secondary research to learn and consolidate information about cutting-edge environmental theories and practices in the humanities Some possible areas of research are as follows: the rhetoric of environmentally conscious advertising and PR, representations of environmental issues and environmental symbols in architecture and the fine arts, environmentalism and religion, the integration of environmental science and consciousness education at all levels of the curriculum, the environment and psychological health, and (of course) restoration as performance.
The ultimate vision here is to have a humanities and design arts program that would clear the intellectual path necessary for Chicago Wilderness to achieve its vision of its vision of accessible, interconnected, restored and healthy ecosystems that contribute to regional biodiversity, and to the economic vitality and quality of life for all residents in the Chicago metropolitan area.
This project would model itself on the natural science research agenda project though on a smaller scale initially, and with some different research methodologies. For example although we would begin by interviewing CW personnel to understand their concerns and needs, and may indeed interview other prominent individuals and institutions throughout the region, we would also conduct extensive secondary research to learn and consolidate information about cutting-edge environmental theories and practices in the humanities Some possible areas of research are as follows: the rhetoric of environmentally conscious advertising and PR, representations of environmental issues and environmental symbols in architecture and the fine arts, environmentalism and religion, the integration of environmental science and consciousness education at all levels of the curriculum, the environment and psychological health, and (of course) restoration as performance.
The ultimate vision here is to have a humanities and design arts program that would clear the intellectual path necessary for Chicago Wilderness to achieve its vision of its vision of accessible, interconnected, restored and healthy ecosystems that contribute to regional biodiversity, and to the economic vitality and quality of life for all residents in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Liam Heneghan, Environmental Science Program
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