[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14874]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


               HONORING DR. GEORGE RABB ON HIS RETIREMENT

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                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2002

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a 
remarkable man, the longtime director of Brookfield Zoo, Dr. George B. 
Rabb.
  Dr. Rabb joined Brookfield Zoo in 1956 as curator of research, and in 
1976 he became the Director of the Zoo and President of the Chicago 
Zoological Society. Soon Dr. Rabb will pass the title he has held with 
distinction for 26 years on to a successor.
  If proof is ever needed to verify the fact that one individual can 
make a difference, it can be found in the work of George Rabb. He has 
dedicated his life to conservation research and education, and his 
legacy reflects his love of nurturing harmony between people and 
nature. Dr. Rabb created Brookfield's Education Department and was 
instrumental in expanding the use of naturalistic exhibits to provide 
visitors with environmental immersion experiences throughout the zoo. 
Under his leadership, nine exhibits--including Tropic World, Seven Seas 
Panorama, and the Living Coast--have been built in this manner. The 
Zoo's most recent undertaking, the Hamill Family Play Zoo is an 
expression of Dr. Rabb's vision of the zoo as a conservation center and 
encourages children to develop a caring relationship with the natural 
world. Dr. Rabb is also responsible for the creation of the Department 
of Conservation Biology that supports many of the Zoo's world-renowned 
conservation-related research and field projects.
  One measure of this remarkable conservationist can be found in the 
boards and commissions on which he serves and the awards he has 
received.
  He has served as the Chairman of the Species Survival Commission 
(SSC), the largest species conservation network in the world and is one 
of six commissions of IUCN, the World Conservation Union. In 
recognition of his continuing role as mentor for young scientists and 
other colleagues, IUCN established a graduate student internship 
program named in his honor. Dr. Rabb also serves as Vice-Chair of the 
Chicago Council on Biodiversity, President of Chicago Wilderness 
Magazine Board, and Board Chair of the Illinois State Museum.
  Among the many awards given to Dr. Rabb are the Peter Scott Award 
from the Species Survival Commission, the R. Marlin Perkins Award from 
the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the Silver Medal of the 
Royal Zoological Society of London, the Conservation Medal from the 
Zoological Society of San Diego, and the Distinguished Achievement 
Award from the Society for Conservation Biology.
  My wife and I have spent many a weekend at the Zoo with our 
grandchildren, and I can tell you that I am proud to have Brookfield 
Zoo located in my district and to have had the honor of working with 
George Rabb over the years. I invite my colleagues to join me in 
sending best wishes to the good doctor as he ventures forward on his 
exciting new journey.

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