(and front yard too). It has begun! Unlike the token golf course of “keeping up with the Jones’” suburban lots, the forestry revitalization plan is well underway. We’ve had a crazy rainy season, but over 33 dead/ invasive trees have been brought down to help my Oak Savannah and Shagbark Hickory native woodland begin to truly flourish. Weeds will be undone with the application of non-toxic means, and a Harley Rake (would be even cooler if pulled by a Davidson but you know) will finish the job by smoothing out the bumps for an easy to navigate grade of ‘gentle’ to the bonfire and beyond.
Imagine: New prairie seed will be planted next month followed by the introduction of wood chipped trails, a few more gathering spaces, lighted paths and illuminated trees... and perhaps a controlled burn next season to give way for a beautiful understory. Cat tails will be replaced with something to accommodate floating docks and a clearer view of the pond. Way stations will welcome dragonflies and butterflies and bees and all the biodiversity to allow our preferred habitat to thrive. All of these efforts will essentially equate to something beautiful my father would have been proud to see and experience. And, most importantly, he would have wanted this project shared and showcased- encouraging others to embrace opportunities that protect our native woodlands.
Conservation impact is often assumed to be the responsibility of Park Districts and Forest Preserves. It couldn’t be more to the contrary. Special thanks to our family’s long time landscape contractor spanning over 30 years, to the guidance of The Conservation Foundation, to the initiative drive by the The Morton Arboretum, to the inspiration of gathering space ideas from the Field Museum, and to our local landscape engineering design firm, Engineering Resource Associates, Inc.(ERA), for all the collaboration on a multi-year plan that will start taking root this fall.
More info on the Chicago Regional Tree Initiative Here: http://chicagorti.org/about-crti
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