Included below is a photographic sampling of recent activities performed by CSI Member Organizations who work at cleaning up, restoring and maintaining Calumet Region environmental treasures, preserving, recording and transmitting the culture of the region, and developing its economy in environmentally responsible ways.

Conserving Calumet--Teaching Green: A conference for K-12 Educators, sponsored by the Calumet Stewardship Initiative, was conducted August 6 and 7, 2008, at Chicago State University.  The third in a series of teacher conferences, this year's program included a keynote address, Bringing Green to the City, by Michael Howard, Executive Director of Eden Place Nature Center, followed by field trips to an artists studio where artists work extensively with recycled materials (Recycled Treasures Tour) and to a number of Calumet Region industrial sites of environmental importance (Hot Spots Tour), the morning of the first day, followed by a lunch, coupled with an opportunity to visit displays of various environmental organizations, and a Teacher Networking Session in the afternoon.

   The second day of the conference began with field trips to the Hegewisch Marsh (Reclaiming Nature), and to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Sand Ridge Nature Center (Getting Closer to Nature), with a lunch at CSU, followed by a choice of afternoon workshops: Bringing Composting to the Classroom, presented by Kate Weinans of the University of Illinois Extension,  or Teaching and Assessing Left Brain Subjects the Right (Brain)Way, by Gary Patterson of Columbia College.

Eden Place Executive Director Michael Howard discusses with teachers ways to “Bring Green” to urban schools.

Video by Kevin P. Murphy.

At Sand Ridge Nature Center, FPDCC Representative, Rebecca Moss, orients teachers and students to available Forest Preserve services, and discusses biodiversity before accompanying them on a nature walk.

Video by Kevin P. Murphy.

Columbia College’s Gary Patterson conducts a workshop with teachers to demonstrate how to engage students’ “right brain” capabilities with seemingly “left brain” material.

Video by Kevin P. Murphy.

Chicago Department of Environment’s Jerry Attere prepares group of teachers and students for tour of Hegewisch Marsh as part of the “Reclaiming Nature” tour.

Photo by Kevin P. Murphy.

Artist Roman Villarreal welcomes group to studio in Hammond, Indiana, as fellow artist, Christopher Rodriguez, stands ready to help with the “Recycled Treasures” tour.

Photo by Joann M. Podkul

Calumet Higher Education Consortium Intern, Nick Heflin, prepares group for exploration of woods at Sand Ridge Nature Center as part of “Getting Closer to Nature Tour.”

Photo by Kevin P. Murphy.

Kate Weinans, of the University of Illinois Extension, instructs teachers about “Bringing Composting into the Classroom” in the Sun Room at Chicago State University’s new library.

Photo by Joann M. Podkul.

Calumet Stewardship Initiative Secretary, Kevin Murphy, discusses outcome of teachers’ group activity in “Teacher Networking Session,” in auditorium at CSU Library.

Photo by Joann M. Podkul.

Teachers work on “Right Brain” team project in Gary Patterson’s “Teaching and Assessing Left Brain Subjects the Right (Brain) Way” workshop in CSU Library’s auditorium.

Photo by Kevin P. Murphy.