The Earth Day celebration at Deer Grove will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include ecological demonstrations, activities, educational tours and free lunch for participants - bring your family! Cook County and Forest Preserve District President Toni Preckwinkle will speak at noon at the Forest Preserve.

Deer Grove's wetlands are just one of eight wetlands projects in the Chicago area on which the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) has been partnering with a number of organizations to restore and expand as part of the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP). The CDA is supporting Openlands, and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County in restoring 181 acres of native landscape at Deer Grove East Preserve by re-establishing the site's natural water flow; restoring diverse wetlands, woodland and prairie eco-systems; and providing opportunities for public recreation including walking trails.

You can volunteer to make Earth an even better place on Saturday by taking part in some spring cleaning -- wear outdoors-appropriate comfy clothes, including long pants and sturdy shoes, and head out to the Forest Preserve's Grove. Meet at Deer Grove East Forest Preserve, Grove 2, in Palatine (the entrance is on the north side of Dundee road between Quentin and Hicks roads). 

The more volunteers who show up, the more that can be accomplished for our planet. For more information, go to http://illiois.sierraclub.org/NWCook or email Gary.Salavitch@Hoffmanestates.org.

Can't make it this Saturday? Check out the Chicago Department of Aviation's educational wetlands exhibit beginning on Monday, April 23, at O'Hare International Airport, Terminal 2, near the Kids OnThe Fly play area. Look for an announcement in the next couple of days with details on this exciting exhibit! To learn more about Chicago's sustainability efforts, check out our 2011 Sustainability Report at www.flychicago.com.