This section of CLC Resources provides information on the relationship of your private property native garden/habitat with the surrounding area ecosystem and the entire Chicago Region ecosystem. Learn about stepping-stone corridors for fauna, green infrastructure, citizen science activities, volunteer stewardship opportunities, and the value of demonstration gardens.
- Chicago Region Ecosystem – Introduction. Included here is information about the Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision, county and community green infrastructure plans, and additional Chicago Region ecosystem mapping and data resources.
- Your property as part of the Chicago region ecosystem consisting of cores-hubs-corridors. [In the future CLC will provide interactive mapping for this.]
- Getting Involved After creating native habitat on your property, consider also activities that help the entire Chicago Region ecosystem. Included here are Citizen Science Activities, and public & private land restoration & maintenance — stewardship and volunteers welcome!
- Demonstration native habitats. Public properties with native habitats (Field Museum, Peggy Notebaert Museum, local park, local library, etc.) help to promote creating native plant gardens and habitats on private property.
- Coordinating organizations. There are a number of organizations promoting citizen participation in maintaining and improving the Chicago Region ecosystem. The list includes: Rights -of-Way As Habitat, Chicago Wilderness, Field Museum, Peggy Notebaert, Morton Arboretum, and Chicago Botanic Gardens.
- National groups that provide guidance include: National Wildlife Federation, Audubon, and Xerces Society.