openlands

1. www.openlands.org

2. Openlands Lakeshore Preserve

3. Where is the Preserve? • http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112872498228388660766.00046788a10d29c8c5faf&t=p&source=embed&ll=42.215042,-87.795353&spn=0.044498,0.072956&z=13

4. Lakeshore Preserve Overview • 77 acres in size • 3 ravines – Bartlett, Schenck, • and Van Horne • A mile of lakeshore bluff/beach • Home to state endangered and • threatened plant species • Part of the Lake Michigan • migratory bird flyway • Rare and unique ecosystems Wild geranium blooming in Bartlett Ravine

5. Map of the Preserve 77 acres in size Over a mile of shoreline and bluff 3 ravines

6. Map of the Preserve and Neighbors Two nature preserves together = one macrosite 336 acres in size Over 2 miles of shoreline and bluff 5 ravines

7. Lakeshore Preserve History Fort Sheridan Barracks c. 1910

9. Why Restore This Landscape? • Six state-listed endangered and threatened plant species are found here • Much of Bartlett Ravine and the northern lake bluff is considered to be of significant ecological value • Remnants of shrubby prairie that once • typified this area of the Lake Michigan • shore can still be found on the bluffs • Restoring the land provides habitat for birds as they migrate along Lake Michigan Cerulean warbler Common Juniper (T) Buffalo Berry (E) Sea Rocket (T) Seaside Spurge (E)

10. Restoration Objectives • Manage erosion and storm water • Remove invasive plant species • Expose the ground plane to sunlight, to encourage native plant growth • Reintroduce fire as a management tool • Implement adaptive management • Influence adjacent development (e.g. help neighbors manage storm water on their properties)

12. Restoration Plans & Implementation • Completed a study of ground and storm water systems • Investigated soils and slope stability • Completed a shoreline analysis • Developed restoration plans for the lakeshore, bluffs and Bartlett Ravine • Initial restoration of the bluffs and Bartlett Ravine is now completed • Restoration of the upland areas is now underway • Van Horne and Schenck Ravines are planned for restoration in the future • Kept homeowners and elected officials informed during the process

16. Autumn Walk

18. Ravine Ecology Overview • Only about 30-35 ravines in Illinois • Occur perpendicular to lake from • Winnetka to Waukegan • Not much is known about their • ecology • Most are badly degraded • Moist and cool microclimate  • habitat for northern species like • paper birch Human-caused erosion problems in Bartlett Ravine

19. Red: Mean C > 5.0; Yellow: 4.5 to 4.9; Green: 4.0 to 4.4; Blue: < 4.0

23. Why Is the Preserve Important? • It is one of the last remaining ravine and bluff ecosystems in the greater Chicago region • We don’t know much about these ecosystems, so here we can learn about how they work and how they can be restored • It helps protect habitat for endangered and threatened plant species • It provides habitat for many species of birds, mammals, and insects • It is open to the public and is free for everyone to enjoy

24. Birds at the Preserve Red-headed Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Cooper’s Hawk Red-breasted Merganser Common Tern Swainson’s Thrush