Chicago Botanic Garden 

Shoreline Gardens and Restoration

Key Points

 

  • Purposes of shoreline restoration:
    • control erosion of fragile lakeshore soils
    • establish ecologically diverse communities of native shoreline plants
    • enhance wildlife habitat, especially for water fowl
    • demonstrate the importance of healthy lake ecosystems and landscapes for visitors
  • The project will begin with draining of the North Lake in August of 2011 with expected completion in June 2012.
  • The current project is approximately 8,000 feet of shoreline along the North Lake.  The project area includes the perimeter of the Fruit and Vegetable Garden island, as well as areas along the North Lake’s western and northern shorelines. 
  • The Chicago Botanic Garden has a 60-acre system of interconnected lakes.  Beginning in 1999, the Garden engaged in a systematic rejuvenation of 5.7 miles of lake shoreline using innovative “bioengineering” techniques.  To date, 3.1 miles (54%) of the Garden’s lakeshore has been rejuvenated.
  • Causes and symptoms of shoreline degradation include
    • steep shoreline slopes, weakly rooted nearshore plants (often turf grass)
    • poor soil conditions dominating the lakeshores
    • excessive nutrient loading
    • rough fish activity (primarily carp) and invasive submerged plants (especially
      Eurasian watermilfoil) contributing to degraded water quality and aquatic habitat
    • major flooding in 2008
  • Our planting palette, representing over 150 native taxa, focuses on resilient native "workhorse" species that are carefully chosen for their ability to anchor shoreline soils and withstand environmental stresses inherent to urban waterways.   
  • The restored shorelines in the North Lake will demonstrate to public and professional audiences innovative and effective approaches for restoring and protecting urban lake ecosystems – while serving as a living laboratory for Garden scientists and their colleagues studying urban water resource conservation.  The new plantings will help protect the shoreline from future major flooding events.
  • The project is being accomplished through a matching grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Ecosystem Restoration Program.  The total cost of the project is $5,750,000.