What's New - Page 7 of 8 - North Shore Channel Habitat Project

Planting by canoe with Friends of the Chicago River

Working from the water

Friends of the Chicago River were out today planting water willow and lizard’s tail along a stretch of the North Shore Channel as it passes through the Ladd Arboretum. Water willow (Justicia americana) and lizard’s tail (Saurus cernuus) a...

7 years ago

Golden alexander in bloom in the Ladd Arboretum

Native plants, Planting

Golden moment in the arboretum

Golden alexander is now in bloom in the Ladd Arboretum, and we’ve been fortunate to receive even more of these plants from neighbors thinning out their own native gardens. Golden alexander (Zizia aurea) grows in full to partial sun, including o...

7 years ago

Turf removed in front of Civic Center, ready for planting

Invasive clearing, Planning, Planting

Turf grass removed to make way for native garden

City crews have prepared for installation of a demonstration garden in front of the Civic Center near the corner of Ridge and Leonard Place. A layered selection of native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers has been designed to support birds, butterf...

7 years ago

Planning

Getting to know the site

Heidi Natura of Living Habitats, architectural consultant for the North Shore Channel Habitat Project, took a closer look at soil along the channel banks today, with Matt Basile, forestry supervisor for the city. The channel is an artificial waterway...

7 years ago

Ladd Arboretum & Twiggs Park project area

Native plants, Planning

Ecological character and planning principles

The North Shore Channel banks are important to birds and wildlife, yet the vegetation and soils are degraded, with little or no original habitat. Our challenge will be to create an aesthetically pleasing yet low-maintenance habitat using native plant...

7 years ago

Landscape architect takes notes on work site

Planning

Laying the groundwork

The City’s North Shore Channel Habitat Project moved forward this week with team visits to several work sites. Living Habitats, a Chicago-based landscape architecture firm, is providing overall design direction—starting by taking stock of cur...

7 years ago

Planting a black oak tree at the Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary

Native plants, Planting

A new black oak for Clark Street Beach

Evanston city arborist Matt Basile helped volunteers plant a new black oak on one of the final work days for the season. Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary stewards have looked at some of the small remaining patches of black oak savanna for ideas abou...

7 years ago

History

Windmill comes down

The Ladd Arboretum’s windmill came down this week. The windmill was installed in 1980, but had fallen into disrepair. The Evanston Environmental Association’s Harold Benjamin was quoted in the Chicago Tribune that summer: “We’...

8 years ago

Volunteers help mulch shrubs at the Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary

Caring for plants, Community

At work in the Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary

The Northwestern University athletic department staff came out yesterday to help mulch young trees and shrubs in the city’s new lakefront bird sanctuary. Steward Julie Dorfman demonstrates on a young blackhaw viburnum. The sanctuary was offic...

8 years ago

Community, Native plants, Planting

Celebrating May Day in the Ladd Arboretum

Dozens of community members came to the Ladd Arboretum on May 1st to help plant saplings of native trees and shrubs—a gift from the National Wildlife Federation's Trees for Wildlife program. ...

8 years ago