124 Fox River.6 In a 1984 news article about the restoration of the Fox River from the Chicago Tribune an organizer said the following, “A lot of it was just getting people aware of the river and what it could become. It’s an asset now- not just a dumping ground.”7 Much of the restoration that was happening during this time included organized group clean-up of physical pollution.8 The community started to get involved because they realized that the river was an important resource for them to drink and for recreation practices as well. As land development and suburban sprawl occurred in the 80’s and 90’s, pollution increased from sources like construction runoff.9 This decline in the quality of the river caused community members to realize that their small-scale action was not enough to protect the river.10 People who lived on the watershed were invested in protecting the river because they relied on it for recreation and drinking water; they also valued the biodiversity and presence the river had in their environment.11 In an attempt to take action and protect their resource, an organization called Friends of the Fox River formed in 1990.12 It was the first of three major groups dedicated to conserving and restoring the Fox River to form in the decade to come. The other two organizations include the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership which formed in 199613 and the Fox River Study Group which formed in 2001.14 These local groups were invested in restoring the river because of the vital role it played in their lives. They have a particularly powerful role as beneficiaries of the river to protect and advocate for its advancement. 6 Nelson, Eleanor. "The Fox--a Cinderella River: From Pollution to Recreation Fox River." Chicago Tribune, (1984), 7. 7 Nelson, Eleanor. "The Fox--a Cinderella River: From Pollution to Recreation Fox River," 7. 8 Nelson, Eleanor. "The Fox--a Cinderella River: From Pollution to Recreation Fox River," 7. 9 Van Matre, Lynn. “Sprawl Puts Fox River on Endangered List.” Chicago Tribune, (1999). 10 “State of the Fox River Report 2003.” Friends of the Fox River, 1. 11 “About the Fox River Study Group.” Fox River Study Group. (2022). 12 “About Us: Friends of the Fox River Mission, History and Work.” Friends of the Fox River. 13 “About the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership.” Fox River Ecosystem Partnership. (2022). 14 “About the Fox River Study Group.” Fox River Study Group.
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