Bill Friedman
Urban
Prairie Project
3 Acres on the Lake
I propose
that DuSable Park be cleared of all non-native, non-prairie invasive plants
and recreated as three acres of prairie. Periodic burns would be all the
maintenance necessary to maintain the park as prairie – no sprinkler
system, no chemicals or fertilizers, no mowing, and at a minimum cost
to the city. There would be unrestricted access by the public to DuSable
Park, both from Water Street and from the Lake Shore Drive pathway.
When Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable came to “Chicago,” he would have been familiar with the prairie. Now, it is estimated that only about .02% of prairie still exists in the United States. This neglected park already supports a flourishing community of flora and fauna, including rabbits and red-tailed hawks. While this small area can never be returned to a virgin state, DuSable Park could provide, for many people, a unique opportunity in a very visible, easily accessible location, to sample what once was the primary Illinois and midwestern biome.
Bill
Friedman
Evanston, IL
bfriedman@popmail.colum.edu