News:

Techny, Illinois-The Society of the Divine Word has named the Rev. Sunny Francis, SVD, chairman of the Techny Land Committee, the body that oversees the use and potential development of 200 acres of land the Society owns surrounding its provincial headquarters along the border of Glenview and Northbrook.

A native of India, Father Francis is internationally recognized for his commitment to the environment. He served as one of the Society's representatives for the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change in Poznan, Poland in December 2008.

Father Francis has put his expertise in conservation to work already on the Society's lands north of Chicago. He and a team of priests and brothers have reforested 40 acres with more than 30,000 indigenous hardwood trees, restoring land cleared for farming over a century ago. He has also led efforts for wetland preservation and combating invasive plant species using nonchemical methods.

"Whether we are restoring forests and prairies or managing the commercial use of our land, the key for the Society is stewardship," said Father Francis. "We seek to create a balance so the land can endure as a resource in support of our service around the world and also as a thriving part of our local ecosystem."

Techny Land Committee has helped bring compatible and varied developments to their land such as the Willow Festival shopping center, as well as residential, recreational and commercial projects. They have also set aside significant acreage for open space, stormwater management and easements.

"This is a heavily populated area where there is heavy pressure for land to be economically productive," added Father Francis. "While making of our land productive is to the betterment of our community, we are also deeply committed to our role as stewards of this land since the beginning of the last century and we intend to remain its stewards far into the future."

Father Francis recognizes the need to work in collaboration with the broader community to ensure the Society's efforts bring maximum benefit to their neighbors. "We enjoy a very good partnership with the Village of Northbrook and we will continue to work together to enhance the quality of life in our community," he said.

The Society of the Divine Word is a Roman Catholic order of priests and brothers engaged in missionary and pastoral work in the United States and around the globe. The Society originally established a presence near what is now Northbrook, Illinois in the late 19th century.

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