The Campaign for North Pond

The North Pond Nature Sanctuary comprises 36 acres of central Lincoln Park – 9 acres of the pond itself and 27 acres of surrounding natural areas and parkland. The site is situated on the Lake Michigan migratory flyway and is used as a habitat for nearly 220 stop-over and resident bird species. The site is also home to over a dozen endangered or threatened Illinois avian, amphibian, and reptile species. The pond and its surroundings are at a tipping point and need significant ecological restoration. The shoreline is degraded and continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Shallow water depth and warming temperatures are shrinking habitat for fish, amphibians, and wading birds. Algal blooms starve out aquatic organisms. Eroding, compacted shorelines allow runoff pollution and litter to enter the pond. Large resident flocks of Canada Geese are attracted to the bare shoreline and exacerbate the pond’s nutrient problems. The pond has a negative water balance and requires annual replenishment to maintain consistent levels, with municipal water serving as the primary source.

The Plan

The restoration and long-term stewardship of North Pond involves five key components:

Sedge

Increase amount and quality of natural areas surrounding the pond to foster greater habitat and species diversity, model natural infrastructure techniques, and provide public engagement/education opportunities with nature. This includes doubling the size of the current West Prairie, planting hundreds of new native trees, and constructing a sedge meadow on the pond’s north end to capture and filter storm water from nearby parkland. This will provide an additional water source to the pond to reduce or eliminate its reliance on municipal water.

CONTRIBUTE
Commit your financial support of North Pond’s restoration today. Immediate funding is needed to finish the Knowledge phase in early 2020 and begin the Dredge in mid-2020. All donations are vital at any level and multi-year pledges ensure the timeline progresses as planned. Don’t forget corporate matching and retirement plan minimum distribution requirements that can extend your gift while providing potential tax benefits to you.