The Zion Park Board was recently presented an IPRS award based on this story.

Eight years ago when Chuck Paxton became Director of the Zion Park District, he had little thought of becoming an outstanding example of conservational expertise.

Large boulder as left centuries ago by early day glaciers.

Zion has never grown large, populationwise, but it's 17,000 residents can trace city history farther than most Illinois communities. Bordering on Lake Michigan, Zion evidences ice age deposits that have created something of a geological curiosity within its park district.

Beulah Park has ravines and streams and original trails that hosted the American Indian before the white population influx. In its wisdom, the Zion Park District maintained these areas for their natural worth in basic beauty and for the edification of today's population ... so we may know how our environment appeared prior to man's demolition for progress motivated by population explosion.

Beulah Park's eighty acres are dedicated to natural preservation. At one point, nineteen species of trees

Bill Radke is an outdoor writer, conservationist and is also director of the Berwyn Recreation Commission.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 10 January/February 1971

can be observed—as they were—are—and will be! The rare Blue Heron and a dozen other bird species have found this their home. Deer, Coon, Squirrels and other animals thrive within Beulah's border . . . charmed by the glacial erratica—they survive along with more than thirty varieties of disappearing plant life that now enjoy legislated protection to lengthen their survival.

What brought about the change in Chuck Paxton? Well, the metamorphosis occurred early last year, in fact it was exactly Thursday afternoon on the nineteenth of February! Chuck was busy at work in his office when a personable gentleman came in and introduced himself as a North Shore Sanitary District engineer. He asked about surveying Beulah's mid-section with the idea of cutting a fifty foot swath through this creation of centuries!! Why?

"Because", he explained, "We're going to put a sewer line through your park!"

Well, Chuck couldn't believe his ears. It was a totally fantastic thought to a park man. It was the first he had heard of such a project and Chuck objected with marked sincerity. The visitor was equally confounded that the Park District and its Director had no information about their seventy million dollar waste disposal project. He assured Chuck that all clearances had been given, and even produced a plat on which 4500 feet of thirty inch sewer line dramatically bisected Beulah's nature area.

Superintendent of parks. Bob Pushee, points to mark of destruction, to Zion park board president, Fred C. Ray. Tree was one of several this size scheduled for destruction.

"I can't give you permission to do one, single thing until our Board is fully apprized of this situation", Chuck informed his visitor, "and meanwhile . . . nothing must be done in Beulah Park! . . . understand?"

Director Paxton started the wheels in motion by calling a special Park Board meeting, and then he surveyed the proposed swath area. Imagine his concern as he counted over five thousand trees of various sizes that would yield to the reapers. Contour changes would destroy the glacial errats, as well as the primeval bog area—unchanged for centuries. What would become of the birds and wildlife that would be disturbed and driven from the area—probably succumb to environmental nuance. In fact, the whole complexion of Beulah Park would switch from that of a nature preserve to a mundane, partially wooded park. Chuck's rapid survey cried out for action . . . immediate, preventative action!

A poll of the Park Board led to a Sunday morning meeting . . . not exactly Church, yet it was God's work! Fred Ray, Board President, has dedicated nearly a decade of his life to the Zion Park District and quickly motivated action. The Board attorney was directed to file an injunction which would stop all action until the (Continued on page 12)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 11 January/February 1971

Charles Ashlon, vice-president of Zion park board, examines path already cleared by engineers before injunction was issued. ("Judicious" pruning is in evidence)

facts could be studied and determinations made. Board members were appalled to learn that engineering crews had gone ahead and done some "judicious pruning", as they termed it, which resulted in the loss of about 25 smaller trees and marked three huge Sugar Maples for future demolition—this done either before or after the initial contact by the engineer.

Two weeks of waiting and planning followed. Pressures were brought against Park Board members, individually and collectively. Responsible citizens accused them of impeding progress and committing the area to a less than adequate sewage disposal facility. This, they said, would effect the health, safety and welfare of the entire northeast portion of Illinois . . . Chuck and the Board were really under fire from many sources—individual, geographical and political.

Then a meeting was arranged between representatives of the Park Board and the North Shore Sanitary District. A walking tour of the area only indicated that the Sanitary District was not interested in the protection of natural resources—its aim was to cut their swath and lay the line. The Park Board recommended an alternate route that would shorten the line by some two thousand feet and do the same job without destroying these last remnants of prehistoric nature.

Despite discussion and reasoning, each group remained adamant and decisions were postponed to a March 26 meeting for finalization.

Preceding the March 26th meeting, news stories were circulated explaining the anticipated loss if the sewer system followed its original plan. This information sparked a hue of public sentiment that jingled the telephones off their hooks at both the park and Sanitary District offices. How does one legislate a destroyed tree or a displaced deer back into a ravaged park? They wanted to know!

To the Sanitary District they voiced their objection ... to the Park District, they offered support. Hundreds of such phone calls and letters flowed in both directions, pro and con.

The Zion-Benton High School student body pledged that if needed, five hundred students would circulate petitions to save Beulah from desecration. Science and Biology instructors offered to testify in behalf of the need to preserve the park—as did other citizens whose interest was less academic but equally sincere.

The meeting time had arrived. Park Board members waited tensely with their Director for the delayed Sanitary District representatives. Individuals and groups were at hand and on call, should their testimony be needed to save the park. Suddenly the park office doors swung open and Board attorney, Lawrence Inglis, entered with a message. All eyes were on him as he spelled out a message of victory . . . "The Sanitary District wishes to cancel the meeting . . . they have decided upon the alternate route—along the lines we suggested!"

It was a message warmly welcomed by all concerned. Tensions eased and smiles replaced the grim facial lines of the combatants.

Walter Johnson (L) presents award to Fred Ray, president. Seated are L. to R. Paul Larsen, Don Ower, Charles Ashton and Ralph Burgess, Zion Park Board Commissioners.

So Beulah Park still carries the mysteries of the past for the present to see, and the health, safety and welfare of Northeastern Illinois has not been endangered . . . just rerouted!

Chuck Paxton exudes a glow of satisfaction, as do the officers and commissioners of the Zion Park District. Was it conservational expertise? Yes . . . because they cared and because they had a knowledge of the need to preserve nature. But it also was, and continues to be ... a lesson to all of us. It points out that properly directed determination in the hands of the capable can sometimes accomplish the impossible.

At the recent annual meeting of the Illinois Park and Recreation Society held in Chicago, the Zion Park Board was honored by a citation from the Society. Recognition for outstanding services and dedication —professionally and voluntarily—to the proposition of conserving nature's wonders for the good and benefit of humanity, or any small portion of it, that may enjoy and profit from their efforts.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 12 January/February 1971