Wander & Tour the Chicago Botanic Garden

Description:

Join Chicago Botanic Garden staff as they provide a tour of the gardens and facilities, describing the restoration of the on-campus woods, shoreline, and prairie, as well as an overview of the LEED education and science buildings with innovative learning and green infrastructure facilities. Natural areas comprise more than half of the Garden’s 385 acres and are recognized as models for excellence in restoration and habitat re-creation. They support hundreds of native plant and wildlife species; improve water, air, and soil quality; and provide a natural laboratory for conservation science programs.

The award-winning Plant Conservation Science Center features science laboratories and two notable garden areas: the Rainwater Glen and the Green Roof Garden. The Rainwater Glen functions like a river’s floodplain. Though beautiful, it is above all practical: designed to hold back stormwater runoff, it allows deep-rooted native plants to facilitate absorption and help filter impurities. The native plants in the Rainwater Glen have reduced the need for irrigation by half, and no potable water is used for irrigation. The glen contributes to improved water quality at the Chicago Botanic Garden and to the health of each of the ecosystems it flows through.

The Green Roof Garden serves as a 16,000-square-foot living laboratory and functions as an outdoor classroom to thousands of visitors annually. Two areas serve special functions: the south section features regional and national native plants, many of which are not currently used as rooftop plants, and the north section features a mix of plants known as good green roof plants, plus native and exotic plants that have potential for green roof use. Generally, the plants are sun loving, drought tolerant, have a shallow root system, and can withstand windy conditions.

Time:

Monday
12:30pm - 4:00pm

Notes:

Partially accessible – woodchip path through the woods.

Leader:

Greg Hitzroth,
Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant

Dive into Local Foods & Culture with a Sustainable Focus

Description:

Get a taste of Chicago’s sustainable food and culture scene in this tour of the Loyola University’s Sustainability Center, the Garfield Park Conservatory, Farm on Ogden’s Windy City Harvest program at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the First Nations Garden & Outdoor Gallery.

Participants will see sustainable food systems at Loyola – including aquaponics, hydroponics, and mushroom production – followed by a picnic and tour of one of the largest and most stunning botanical gardens in the nation, the Garfield Park Conservatory. Next, a Windy City Harvest urban agriculture guide will provide a walkthrough of the Farm on Ogden, a multi-use facility located in Chicago's Lawndale neighborhood that supports and sustains a healthy urban community by bringing food, health, and jobs together in one location.

At the final stop of the day, First Nations Garden & Outdoor Gallery (Wiinso, Wiikonge Otishinikaaso), participants will get a tour of independent plots, hinged hoop house raised beds (HHHRBs), circular raised beds, and planting mounds that grow food and traditional medicines that emphasize the importance of direct and ancestral relationship to the land, both human and non-human. The walls of the garden are adorned with murals featuring the work of local Native artists. The space is used to provide more access to traditional medicines to the local Native Community, and is also used as a teaching aid to help revitalize Indigenous cultivation.

Time:

Wednesday
11:00am - 4:30pm

Notes:

Partially accessible – some rough surfaces.

Leader:

Amy Shambach,
Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant

Investigate Coastal Lake Michigan Shorelines & Beaches: Reefs, Ravines, Restoration & Resilience

Description:

Visit and discover the “North Shore” region of Chicago. Join us on this exploration of the coast and hear place-based stories and examples of “Living with the Lakes.” Participants will see places like Evanston Beach, Rosewood Beach, Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, and McCormick Ravine.

The first stop will be in Evanston to learn about erosion projects and site specific shoreline treatment issues. Participants will meet City of Evanston public works agency team members who managed challenges of various shore issues, most recently through the 2019-2021 high water years.

Then, participants will move to Rosewood Beach in Highland Park to hear from the local Natural Areas Manager about beach erosion during the high waters period and associated issues and solutions. Box lunches will be provided for a picnic at the beach (canopy available if it’s raining).

At Fort Sheridan, where a 75-foot bluff allows a fantastic vantage to view Lake Michigan and its shoreline, participants will meet a local Lake County Forest Preserve restoration ecologist who has championed both shoreline treatments and offshore fishery habitat reef projects. History also abounds at Fort Sheridan — plans for this one-acre army base began in 1889, and it ran until the early 1990s. Now a 230-acre historic district and a 250-acre forest preserve exists onsite, allowing one of the few places in Lake County for free public access to Lake Michigan.

The final stop will be at the coastal McCormick Ravine in Lake Forest, which is being restored with leadership of Lake Forest Open Lands. Participants will learn about dam removal and hydrological reconnection to Lake Michigan, trails, and the construction of a 120-foot long suspension bridge. Natural communities and rare state listed species exist here.

Time:

Wednesday
11:00am - 4:30pm

Notes:

Partially accessible – walking on some uneven beach and land surfaces required, though most of the trip is on developed trails. Low/medium walking required with extra walking optional in some areas. The field trip will be outdoors, so dress for the weather and consider wearing sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes and bring rain gear as necessary.

Leader:

Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant

Explore Evanston Coastal Connections: Lighthouse History, Water Safety &
Marine Debris

Description:

Participants will immerse themselves in a portion of Evanston’s coastline by exploring Lighthouse Beach. Just two miles north of downtown Evanston (19 miles north of Chicago), Lighthouse Beach features the historic Grosse Point Lighthouse and human-constructed dunes with naturalized habitat.

Participants will start with a picnic by the beach while learning about Sea Grant funded water safety efforts in the region. Next, the group will work together in stewardship to complete a beach cleanup, followed by hands-on exploration of Sea Grant marine debris educational resources.

The field trip will end with a tour of the Grosse Point Lighthouse and museum. The lighthouse was built by the government in 1873 as the lead lighthouse marking the approach to Chicago. The bluff on which it stands was named Grosse Point (Great Point) by early French explorers and traders in the 17th century. Famous explorer and cartographer Louis Jolliet had recognized the strategic importance of the Chicago River at Lake Michigan for trade and military purposes, and he was the first to envision an inland trade network from the East Coast through the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and south to the Gulf of Mexico.

As lake traffic increased over the years, so did the size and importance of Chicago. During the late 1800s, Chicago had more arrivals and departures in a typical shipping season than ocean ports of New York City and San Francisco. Mariners had to be careful when following the shoreline into Chicago's harbor as there were shallow water areas (shoals) off Grosse Point responsible for sinking or stranding vessels, including the famous Lady Elgin in 1860, which caused 400 deaths. The citizens of Evanston petitioned Congress for a lighthouse on Grosse Point, but the Civil War delayed the project until 1871 when Congress formally authorized construction of the lighthouse.

Time:

Wednesday
11:30am - 4:00pm

Notes:

Partially accessible – moderate level of activity including beach cleanup, museum exploration, and an optional climb of 141 stairs to the top of the lighthouse tower. Some of the field trip will be outdoors, so dress for the weather and consider wearing sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes as we will be moving around Lighthouse Beach and grounds.

Leader:

Janice Milanovich
and Kristin TePas,
Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant

Become a Community Scientist through Marine Debris Stewardship: Lake Michigan Beach Cleanup

Description:

Be a good environmental steward (and get some fresh air and sun!) by dedicating an afternoon to picking up trash while hanging on the beach.

Participants will start with a short ride to Loyola beach, followed by a lakeside picnic and short presentation on marine debris research and clean-up efforts in the region. The group will then participate in the stewardship beach cleanup activity.

Participants will become community scientists by collecting litter, recording data of what they find, and contributing to a larger cause through the Adopt-a-Beach program. Collecting data influences decisions about public spaces, drinking water, and the environment. By recording exactly what types and how much litter is found on the beach, the group will help scientists study sources of pollution and help policy makers develop new programs and policies.

While scientists have been studying plastic pollution in the ocean for decades, there is a lot less research about plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Adopt-a-Beach data collection is one way the Great Lakes community is beginning to fill that gap, with nearly 20 years of data from cleanups in all eight Great Lakes states.

Time:

Wednesday
12:00pm - 3:15pm

Notes:

Partially accessible – moderate level of activity. The field trip will be outdoors, so dress for the weather and consider wearing sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes as we will be moving around Loyola Beach.

Leader:

Sarah Zack,
Steph Mueller, and
Haider Mehdi,
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant