During our 2022 Parks as Democracy? Luncheon and Conference, we celebrated individuals and groups who do so much for Chicago's parks and park users. Click here to return to the full list of VIP (Volunteers-in-Parks) Awardees.
Stewardship
Susannah Ribstein, South Shore Nature Sanctuary
Susannah Ribstein is a key figure in the fight to safeguard the South Shore nature ecosystem and increase environmental equity at the South Shore Cultural Center. A member of the Park Advisory Council, she convinced the Chicago Park District of the need for organized, volunteer stewardship efforts at the South Shore Nature Sanctuary which led to the first full year of organized monthly workdays in 2018. She has continued in this labor of love despite pushback from politicians who have labeled the sanctuary as “dead” and in the face of its potential demise due to the proposed PGA Golf Course related to the Obama Presidential Center.
The South Shore Nature Sanctuary is a 6-acre natural area, open year-round, located on Lake Michigan behind the South Shore Cultural Center within the Chicago Park District. Established in 2002, the South Shore Nature Sanctuary was at the time only the second lakefront Chicago Park District Natural Area. The peninsula on which the Sanctuary is now located was previously a part of the grounds of the South Shore Country Club and had been neglected for decades as an overgrown dumping ground. The South Shore community expressed their desire for a lakefront natural area during the development of the Chicago Park District's 1999 South Lakefront Framework Plan, and it came to fruition with the support and input of South Shore neighbors, Park Advisory Councils, and birding groups. Construction began in 2001 and included the removal of invasive plant growth, installation of a recycled plastic boardwalk and two Jens Jensen-inspired council rings, along with the planting of numerous native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. As one of the earliest natural area installations in the city, it is now well-established and mature and contains dunes, prairie and woodlands and the creatures that inhabit them.
Susannah played a strong role this year in the 20th anniversary celebration of the South Shore Nature Sanctuary, including leading tours for the 80-plus people who came out that day. She is always happy to show people that the sanctuary is alive and well and worthy of being preserved.
She is quoted in the Sun-Times as saying, “‘‘I love spending time at the Nature Sanctuary myself because it’s beautiful, peaceful and a special way to feel connected to the Earth right here in the city. I also know that natural spaces like this one are crucial to the mental, physical and social well-being of my community, especially since South Shore and the rest of the South Side of Chicago has been so disinvested over the past decades.
‘‘I wanted to start a community stewardship program at the Nature Sanctuary because I saw that not enough people knew that this resource was there for them to take advantage of, and I wanted to do what I could to change that and make sure that the space remained protected and beautiful for everyone to use.’’
‘‘For example, people would tell me they thought that the space was abandoned because the landscaping wasn’t as manicured as the rest of the park. So there was an opportunity to help educate community members about the philosophies of natural areas management and also to provide a voice for the community back to the Park District — expressing those concerns and needs to the people who manage the space.’’
By increasing the usage and appreciation of this vital lakefront ecosystem, Susannah is fighting not just for the future of the sanctuary but also the future of our lakefront, ensuring that this vital guard against lakefront erosion is protected for years to come. Thank you, Susannah!
Susannah Ribstein, South Shore Nature Sanctuary
Susannah Ribstein is a key figure in the fight to safeguard the South Shore nature ecosystem and increase environmental equity at the South Shore Cultural Center. A member of the Park Advisory Council, she convinced the Chicago Park District of the need for organized, volunteer stewardship efforts at the South Shore Nature Sanctuary which led to the first full year of organized monthly workdays in 2018. She has continued in this labor of love despite pushback from politicians who have labeled the sanctuary as “dead” and in the face of its potential demise due to the proposed PGA Golf Course related to the Obama Presidential Center.
The South Shore Nature Sanctuary is a 6-acre natural area, open year-round, located on Lake Michigan behind the South Shore Cultural Center within the Chicago Park District. Established in 2002, the South Shore Nature Sanctuary was at the time only the second lakefront Chicago Park District Natural Area. The peninsula on which the Sanctuary is now located was previously a part of the grounds of the South Shore Country Club and had been neglected for decades as an overgrown dumping ground. The South Shore community expressed their desire for a lakefront natural area during the development of the Chicago Park District's 1999 South Lakefront Framework Plan, and it came to fruition with the support and input of South Shore neighbors, Park Advisory Councils, and birding groups. Construction began in 2001 and included the removal of invasive plant growth, installation of a recycled plastic boardwalk and two Jens Jensen-inspired council rings, along with the planting of numerous native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. As one of the earliest natural area installations in the city, it is now well-established and mature and contains dunes, prairie and woodlands and the creatures that inhabit them.
Susannah played a strong role this year in the 20th anniversary celebration of the South Shore Nature Sanctuary, including leading tours for the 80-plus people who came out that day. She is always happy to show people that the sanctuary is alive and well and worthy of being preserved.
She is quoted in the Sun-Times as saying, “‘‘I love spending time at the Nature Sanctuary myself because it’s beautiful, peaceful and a special way to feel connected to the Earth right here in the city. I also know that natural spaces like this one are crucial to the mental, physical and social well-being of my community, especially since South Shore and the rest of the South Side of Chicago has been so disinvested over the past decades.
‘‘I wanted to start a community stewardship program at the Nature Sanctuary because I saw that not enough people knew that this resource was there for them to take advantage of, and I wanted to do what I could to change that and make sure that the space remained protected and beautiful for everyone to use.’’
‘‘For example, people would tell me they thought that the space was abandoned because the landscaping wasn’t as manicured as the rest of the park. So there was an opportunity to help educate community members about the philosophies of natural areas management and also to provide a voice for the community back to the Park District — expressing those concerns and needs to the people who manage the space.’’
By increasing the usage and appreciation of this vital lakefront ecosystem, Susannah is fighting not just for the future of the sanctuary but also the future of our lakefront, ensuring that this vital guard against lakefront erosion is protected for years to come. Thank you, Susannah!
