Return to Jackson Park home for links to more the Jackson Park Natural Areas, including Wooded Island and the Lagoons.
Editors' note. The text below cannot of course tell the full story of the Meadow and Woods, even since they were set aside in 1982 and (at least the Meadow and part of the Woods) recreated several times in accord with changing missions and visions. Both the Park District and the Council are dedicated to a recreated suite of habitats and flora typical of this region in ancient times. The "heavy use" referred to in the third sign includes as a Nike Missile Base--in fact, still remaining are drains and other infrastructure some of which reach the surface. The creation of the Meadow was in part an attempt to make up for the years the area was so heavily used and sequestered from park users and use the return to park space to create new opportunities for wildlife and visitors. The choice of a "meadow" for the south part especially was in par forced by the heavy compaction of the area (including the adjacent Golf Driving Range) during especially removal of the Nike Base. Parts of the base itself were built on filled in lagoon.
Bobolink Meadow. A protected place for wildlife and people Welcome to
Bobolink Meadow It was named after an Illinois grassland bird
that once nested here. This land was created when part of a large lakeshore
marsh was filled in to create Jackson Park for the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
Later the area was used for athletic fields and, from 1958 to 1971, as
a U.S. Army missile base. When the base closed, only weeds grew in this
hardened soil. Bobolink Meadow was set aside as a nature sanctuary in
1982 and was seeded with native grasses and wildflowers, creating more
habitat for wildlife. Over the years, the ground is becoming less compacted
as plant roots, worms and microbes enrich the soil. |
Prairie
Takes Root. from tarmac to tall grass. |
| Lagoon Life.
Residents of an urban lagoon At the water’s edge, watch for turtles and crayfish. The presence of crayfish indicates good water quality. Bluegills and catfish swim beneath the dark water. Look closer and you might find swarms of aquatic insects gliding across the surface or swimming beneath, and snails creeping on the bottom .Swallows glide by catching insects in mid-air and dragonflies skim above the water searching for food and mates. Canada geese, wood ducks, and great blue herons retreat to the islands for safety. Shoreline plants provide habitat for muskrats, beaver and red-winged blackbirds. The plants also stabilize the banks and prevent soil from washing into the water. [Pics: painted turtle, water strider, wood ducks, red-winged blackbird] |
Controlled burns. Fire keeps the prairie healthy. Occasional controlled burns in Bobolink Meadow keep the prairie healthy in several ways. Fire burns off old vegetation, allowing the sunlight to warm the soil and help seeds germinate. It also controls the growth of invasive trees and shrubs that would shade out prairie plants.Fire does not harm prairie plants, because below the ground their root systems survive. Animals stay safe by retreating to burrows, flying away, or fleeing to other areas.The Chicago Park District uses controlled burns to manage its prairie habitats. These burns are carefully planned and carried out by qualified crews. [Expert conducting burn] |
| The Woods
at Bobolink Meadow. A habitat restored Soil conditions in this 2-acre area favor the growth of woody plants. Before the 1990s, many of the trees were weedy, fast-growing, self-seeded “volunteers” such as white mulberry, white poplar and box elder. To restore the woods, oaks, hawthorn and other trees and shrubs that are native to moist Illinois woodlands were introduced. These include species that are valuable to birds and other wildlife as sources of food and habitat. Habitat restoration recreates the colors, textures and layers of natural woods—with shorter ground plants, mid-level branching shrubs, small trees and taller trees forming a high canopy. [Pics: Hawthorn, European Buckthorn, Bur Oak] |