Chicago River Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Action Plan

As part of the connectivity action planning process, we identified a list of some of our favorite, most at risk, and less understood river dependent species.

These fascinating creatures and the many others that call the river system home are facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change and that is why our continued habitat stewardship is important for protecting the often forgotten ecosystem that lives amongst us.

The Chicago River touches many diverse places, ranging from preserved conservation lands to low density suburban communities, industrial zones, and dense urban downtown neighborhoods. The types of habitat that remain today have, at some point in history, been altered or adapted for human use.

Throughout Friends’ history we have worked with our partners to restore these areas back to healthier ecosystems, and to reconcile human activities with the support for urban wildlife communities. 

With significant contributions from local wildlife experts, we were able to update strategies for further enhancing river habitat connectivity. Thank you to all the participants in our ideas generating workshops, including the following organizations:

• Audubon Great Lakes
• Chicago Audubon Society
• Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
• Chicago Department of Public Health
• Chicago Ornithological Society
• Chicago Park District
• Confluence
• Field Museum
• Forest Preserves District of Cook County
• IDNR Fisheries
• Living Habitats
• Loyola University Chicago
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
• National Park Service
• Openlands
• Shedd Aquarium
• Urban Wildlife Institute
• US. Fish & Wildlife Service

You can view the resulting example strategies, tasks, and actions from our wildlife workshops below:

The Wildlife Connectivity Corridors Opportunity Map highlights potential locations within the Chicago-Calumet River Watershed that could be transformed into habitat areas suitable for native species including ones highlighted in this plan. The opportunity data layers were compiled through conversations with Chicago area wildlife experts, researching existing habitat data, analyzing CMAP’s Land Use Inventory, and on the ground investigation.

After establishing a baseline of relevant land use parcels (golf courses, cemeteries, right of ways, open space, detention basins, and undeveloped vacant parcels), we further refined the results by selecting parcels that were within the Chicago-Calumet River Watershed and qualified as potential connectivity opportunities. Potential was established based on reviewing satellite imagery of the parcel and comparing to additional habitat and open space data layers.

To view map content, select the icon on the bottom right to expand the legend and use the +/- to zoom into an opportunity of interest.

To see the above layers and all other data layers highlighted in this StoryMap, click the button below.

We know that we can't achieve our vision alone, but with the tools and resources developed through the action planning process, we seek to build new partnerships to implement new strategically located habitat restoration, expansion, and protection projects.

We have also created tools to collaborate with our fellow advocacy organizations to promote innovative policies and regulations that support the investment in waterways ecological restoration and protection in our region. One example is the Developer Resource Guide described below.

Developer Resource Guide

The intent of the resource guide is to augment existing municipal standards by providing additional resources, examples, and real world strategies to aid in the implementation of cutting edge and nature-focused river edge design.  The full document can be viewed here.