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Rob Piorkowski

About Rob

About Rob
I remember the old library when it was on 143rd street and riding my bike to the “new” library when it was on Park Lane.  On Park Lane, I still remember the exact row and shelf where the sci-fi books were located.  Now I have trouble remembering what I had for lunch yesterday.  Our kids are growing up with the library on Ravinia, the pool complex and the intricate parks and bike trail system that we now have here in Orland.  

I attended Center School, Park school, High Point, OJ, Carl Sandburg and even colleges in the area.  I grew up with Orland as my friends and I saw the mall develop, RT45 widen and the population double and even triple in 20 years.  Married after college, moved away from Orland for a while, then moved back in 2000 to raise a family. 

For almost 15 years I have been doing freelance writing and publishing in different magazines and newspapers covering the outdoors, archery, fishing, hunting, travel, conservation issues and the environment.  Professionally my background is in chemical/geological sciences, environmental remediation and project management.  I’m very active locally with the YMCA Adventure Guide Program and Open Lands in Orland Park.  Free time finds me tinkering with boats, finding new places to go fishing and transitioning all my house chores to my kids as they get older. 

I like to remember the good old days in Orland, but I also like progress. See ya around town!
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I can be reached at robfishon2@yahoo.com, on facebook or at my outdoor blog called Outcasting (www.fourseasonangler.com/outcasting)

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Leave a note for your neighbor

Rob Piorkowski

1:51 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012

Looks like the date crept up on us...The day to bulldoze the forest preserve. Take a walk out on the orland grasslands and look at the burning piles of trees and cut branches. The 100 foot buffer that is supposed to provide cover looks paltry and more like a median on a highway. Cutting down huge trees to make room for grass has to have a significant impact on wildlife. At first it was announced that only non-native trees would be removed. Now it seems the old saying of the forest blocking the view of the woods is coming true.
Please help me understand how cutting down huge stands of trees to plant grass is beneficial to our area. Have you ever hiked out there? First horses were denied access, then bikes, and now dogs. I see the grassland becoming restricted so we won't even be able to walk out there. I thought they should have worked on the current grass population, and left the trees as a complement. My neighbors and friends, help me see the forest in the mess, which is now progress dressed as grass... On this first day of the national bird count i walked out to the grasslands and left doubting the management of this area. I'm all ears, help me see the benefit. :(