The Shawnee Group of the Great Lakes Chapter of the Sierra Club was organized in late 1972 by Sierra Club members in Southern Illinois. The first meeting was November 28, 1972. It was officially recognized by the Executive Committee of the Great Lakes Chapter on February 27, 1973. The Shawnee Group has been especially concerned with the fate of the Shawnee National Forest and was instrumental in getting wilderness designation for several areas of the forest. Other projects include participation in the federal Research Natural Areas program (RNA) and the Shawnee Natural Areas Preservation (SNAP) Coalition; advocacy concerning projects on the Big Muddy River, the Cache River and Cedar Creek Lake, and in Giant City State Park; and response to plans for fluorspar prospecting and a river-to-river road in the Shawnee Forest. The group holds regular meetings which include talks by environmentalists and naturalists. It publishes a newsletter, "Shawnee Trails." It conducts frequent outings in the Shawnee Forest.
From the description of Sierra Club, Shawnee Group records, 1972-1987. (Southern Illinois University). WorldCat record id: 518298488
