Project Leaders
Openlands Project
Openlands Project (OLP) is a 40-year old non-profit organization that protects, expands and enhances open space to provide a healthy natural environment and a more livable place for people to live. OLP carries out its mission through three program divisions and its land acquisition affiliate:
- Policy development and advocacy;
- Urban greening and neighborhood open space planning; and
- Greenways planning, watershed protection, and stream restoration.
Openlands is recognized as the leading voice for natural resource protection in northeastern Illinois in the ongoing dialogue on regional growth. Its Strategic Open Lands at Risk (SOLAR) mapping project made the case for more aggressive land preservation efforts throughout the region. The Northeastern Illinois Greenways Plan is regarded as one of the nation’s most ambitious, and the Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trails is the first plan of its kind for a large metropolitan area.
Center for Neighborhood Technology
The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) is a 25-year old organization that develops tools and methods for sustainable economic development. It carries out three types of programs:
- Public policy research, advocacy and coalition building;
- Economic development programs; and
- Research and mapping.
CNT is a national leader in transportation planning and anti-sprawl initiatives. It has a national reputation for developing cutting edge economic development programs that promote sustainable regions and communities, including the Location Efficient MortgageSM (a partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Fannie Mae), Car Sharing, and the Community Energy Cooperative (a partnership with Commonwealth Edison).
