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2004
Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards Descriptions
Chicago Park District
Humboldt Prairie River
Chicago, Illinois
The restoration of Humboldt Prairie River began in June 2003 and
took 1 year to complete. Project goals included: 1) ecological
restoration Prairie River and surrounding buffer landscape; 2)
preservation of the historic Jensen landscape; and 3) accommodation
of contemporary visitor use patterns.
The project scope included the installation of solar panels and a
wind turbine. This natural power source re-circulates lagoon water
and increases dissolved oxygen by pumping it from the north end of
the Prairie River to the reconstructed waterfall at the south end,
ending the wasteful practice of constantly tapping the city’s water
to supply the lagoon. Wildlife benefits because the chlorine in the
city water supply is harmful to aquatic life and phosphorous in the
city water supply increases nutrient loads, creating algae blooms
and low dissolved oxygen. The project also included dredging the
filled-in portions of the Prairie River to reconnect it to the main
lagoon, redesigning pedestrian pathways, restoring stony brooks and
waterways, thinning of weedy trees, removing non-native invasive
plant species, and reintroducing native wetland, prairie grasses and
wildflowers to the area. Interpretive signage provides information
about native habitat and renewable energy. This restoration project
renews Jensen’s vision for the prairie river, restores the water
flow and improves biological diversity.
The Humboldt Prairie River restoration project was funded with
$300,000 from ComEd, an Exelon Company, and a state grant of
$1,200,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity/Illinois First.
Ecological management activities include controlled burn
management of prairie and wetland landscape, overseeding,
supplemental plug planting with native species, invasive species
control and removal, and water quality monitoring of the lagoon.
Management activities are carried out by both community volunteers
and natural area contractors.
Volunteer monitoring activities include plants (Junior Earth
Team/JETs), butterflies (The Butterfly Network and CPD), dragonflies
(Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum), and birds (Chicago Audubon Society
and the Bird Conservation Network).
Park District of Highland Park
City of Highland Park
Hidden Creek Aqua Park Detention Basin
Highland Park, Illinois
Prairie grasses and wildflowers bloom at the entryway to Highland
Park thanks to the vision and dedication of the City of Highland
Park, its citizen-led Environmental Commission and the Park District
of Highland Park.
In 1998, native plants replaced approximately ½ acre of turfgrass
in the dry detention basin in front of the Park District’s Hidden
Creek Aqua Park. This prairie planting, on City property, fronts the
thoroughfare into Highland Park (Central Avenue) and is seen by
hundreds of residents and visitors daily. It not only serves to
increase awareness of the prairie aesthetic, but also helps improve
the quality of stormwater runoff as it goes to the east fork of the
Chicago River’s north branch.
The highly visible location of the basin, as well as the
publicity it has received, have increased awareness of the "beauty
of biodiversity." The detention basin is a riot of color in summer.
The seedheads stand in winter to demonstrate that native plantings
are colorful, attractive and healthy, thus enriching the lives of
the region's citizens.
Village of Deer Park
Vehe Farm
Deer Park, Illinois
In 1999 the Village of Deer Park purchased the 14-acre Vehe Farm.
Funding was possible through an Illinois Open Space grant, a loan
from Corlands, and other funding. The Village established the Vehe
Farm Foundation to be its agent and to provide stewardship and
management of the property on its behalf. A key part of the vision
for the property is to restore approximately eight acres of original
prairie and recreate the pond/wetland area once present. There is a
prairie and wetland/pond nature trail that takes visitors around the
restored areas. The overall related goal is to enhance the quality
of life in the community, restore habitats for native flora and
fauna, educate the public on the natural history of the area and the
importance of restoring native habitat, and provide opportunities
for public awareness and student environmental educational programs.
Site management includes ongoing removal of invasive plants such
as buckthorn, wild rose, purple loosestrife (beetle introduction),
cattails, to name a few; overseeding of prairie; increasing species
variety; prescribed fire; and bluebird trail maintenance. A small
oak savanna using native oaks is planned.
Working with the community and Citizens for Conservation, the
Village envisions the farm to be a destination point for families,
students, seniors, and disabled persons where they can experience
the essence of the original prairie and wetland, and the natural
history of the area.
Village of Glenview
Gallery Park Native Landscaping
Glenview, Illinois
Gallery Park covers 140 acres of the former Glenview Naval Air
Station. The park includes numerous active–use facilities such as
athletic fields, tennis courts, picnic areas, Attea Middle School,
and Park Center (an indoor athletic facility). In addition, Gallery
Park includes the 45-acre Lake Glenview and 35 acres of newly
created natural areas intended for passive recreational use and
natural habitat. These areas have been seeded to native species
appropriate for site conditions and are actively managed to ensure
the establishment of these plants as well as the populations of
native animals that are attracted to the site. Prairie, meadow, wet
meadow, and wetland areas can all be found, and provide a variety of
habitat for both flora and fauna. Along with recreational facilities
and native habitats the park has educational uses and provides
stormwater detention. The lake design features trip berms for
erosion control, shallow shelves for wetland plantings, and a
naturalized shoreline. Seeding of wet meadow species began in 1999,
and submergent and emergent wetland plugs have been installed
annually since 2000. Construction of a nesting beach for aquatic
turtles was initiated in September of 2002 in order to provide safe
reproduction sites for these animals.
The submergent and emergent wetland plants, including such
species as white water lily, spatterdock, pickerelweed, arrow arum,
and river bulrush, provide habitat for insects, fish and birds.
Forage fish arrived as the lake filled, and stocked predator/sport
fish such as largemouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, and northern
pike support a recreational fishing program that draws visitors to
the shoreline. Wet meadow plantings support insects, reptiles and
amphibians, small mammals, and birds. A faunal survey in 2002
documented the presence of northern water snakes, garter snakes,
bullfrogs, muskrats, snapping turtles, and crayfish. Birds observed
near the lake include great blue herons, green herons, cormorants,
killdeer, barn swallows, savannah sparrows, mallards, red-winged
black birds and geese. As plantings mature follow-up faunal surveys
are planned. Lake Glenview’s progress is aggressively monitored,
with monthly water quality analysis (when water is open), erosion
observation, and invasive species control.
Village of Schaumburg
Yeargin Creek Improvements
Schaumburg, Illinois
In 1999, the Village approved a proposal to restore the natural
alignment of Tributary No. 5 to the West Branch of Salt Creek and
enhance the adjacent wetlands. The project included the restoration
of the natural alignment of portions of the creek, replacing storm
culverts with bridges, stabilization and regrading the stream bank,
tree preservation, native plantings, and a series of riffles in the
creek to promote aeration, to slow the water flow, and prevent
erosion.
The west Branch of Salt Creek runs east of the project location
through Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary, portions of Elk Grove, IL,
ultimately ending at Busse Forest Preserve. The stream portion
included in the project is 1,070 linear feet with native plantings
comprising approximately 1.5 acres. As a result of the work done
with this project, the village has seen a dramatic decrease in the
amount of erosion and sedimentation as well as an increase in the
amount of birds, butterflies, and frogs that frequent the area. The
new native plant community provides year round seasonal interest and
has been widely embraced by the community.
The management of this site supports the goals of the Chicago
Wilderness Biodiversity Plan, the Village of Schaumburg Biodiversity
Recovery Plan, and the recommendations developed by the Salt Creek
Watershed Network by involving citizens and our local government in
our efforts to ensure the conservation of biodiversity, restoring an
ecological process that supports sustainability, developing citizen
awareness of biodiversity, enriching the quality of life in
Schaumburg through improved water quality, reduced sedimentation,
increased water infiltration, decreased engine emissions, and by
creating an opportunity for citizens to experience the beauty and
restorative powers of nature.
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