GOOSE ISLAND OVERLOOK This property was once used as a coal storage yard and boat yard prior to its acquisition by the Site No 01 City of Chicago in 2003 thanks to a grant funded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The large crane and other structures on the prop- erty are in the process of being removed. The river bank will be graded and the concrete removed. The Chicago Park District will be the eventual owner of the property after the clean-up is completed. Designs are not completed, but improvement of natural habitat will be a strong component within the plan. There will also be a water access point for canoes and kayaks. The park will be used primarily for passive recreation. ARMITAGE C LY KENN B E O L U S RN EDY T O N NORTH DAMEN ASHLAND HALSTED DIVISION Chica go River CHICAGO M ILWA U K E GRAND E KINZIE 1200 NORTH / 1100 WEST OGDEN Goose Island Overlook O . 01 N ADDRESS 1200 N Elston Ave OWNER City of Chicago ACREAGE 1.65 HABITATS 1 Riparian/Water Edge Goose Island Overlook N BR DIRECTIONS Park at 1111 N. Elston; ANC the site is visible through EL S H the fence, or walk out TO CHICAGO onto the Division Street N bridge and view it from RIV the river side. ER Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 58 Page Page 58 100 Feet Riverdale Bend Woods goes for almost a mile The Major Taylor Trail goes through the western RIVERDALE BEND WOODS along the Little Calumet River, and in some places part of the site connecting the Forest Preserve is quite wide, making it a valuable green corridor. Dan Ryan Woods with Whistler Woods. On the Site No 02 Across the river is the Whistler Woods Forest west side of the trail is another small parcel 5 Preserve. Much of the site is relatively open and called the Eggleston Triangle that could be a free from the dense brush that mars the under- valuable addition; it could provide access to the story of so many woodlands in the Chicago region. river or bikeway. Purple loosestrife and other non-native invasive This site is part of the Calumet Open Space plants are prevalent in the wetlands, however. Reserve. The eastern part of Riverdale Woods 6 includes the open spaces surrounding the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's 127th Street SEPA station, where the water in the Little Calumet undergoes aeration to improve its oxygen content and quality. 119th MICHIGAN HALSTED 123rd STEWART STATE 127th (suburban area) Little Calu met River 12700 SOUTH / 100 WEST Riverdale Bend Woods O . 02 N ADDRESS 12700 S Stewart Ave OWNER Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Private ACREAGE 45.20 HABITATS STEWART WENTWORTH STATE 1 Forest/Woodland 2 3 Wetland 4 6 7 Riparian/Water Edge 5 Potential Habitat Riverdale Bend Woods Riverdale Bend Woods DIRECTIONS Can be viewed from 127th Street. A N INDIA MET RIVER ALU C TLE LIT Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 100 Feet 113 100 Feet 113 Page For an overview of the entire Cicero Wetlands, The site is part of the Greater Southwest CICERO WETLANDS walk on Cicero Avenue across the bridge north of Chicago Industrial Corridor. On the land south 72nd Street and the Bedford City Square shopping of the site is a remote parking lot for Midway Site No 03 center. The view to the east provides an impressive Airport. The wetland and its restoration could be panorama of dozens of parallel lines of train part of a stormwater management design if this tracks and the triangular shaped wetland on the land is developed. right. In the distance is the downtown skyline. Belt Railroad owns the property, though there Down on the ground are large stands of common are a number of encumbering easements on it, reed (Phragmites) and teasel, two invasive plants. including one from Com Ed for maintenance of The ecological quality of the native plant community utility lines. As of this writing, no plans are in place within the wetland is low quality, but a survey of for either the property's development or its sale. amphibians and reptiles would be worthwhile. Since the site is difficult to reach by foot or any other manner, wildlife suffers little disturbance from humans. 63rd CENTRAL CICERO KOSTNER PULASKI MARQUETTE (suburban area) 7100 SOUTH / 4700 WEST 79th Cicero Wetlands O . 03 N ADDRESS 7100 S Cicero Ave OWNER Private ACREAGE 1.66 HABITATS 1 Wetland Cicero Wetlands Cicero Wetlands DIRECTIONS Park in the Bedford City Square shopping center lot on the west side of Cicero at 71st Street; cross the street CICERO and walk slightly north for the view. Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 45 45 Page 100 Feet AUBURN PARK LAGOON Auburn Park is not the typical squared-off city park. It has a sinuous, river-like shape as it runs Site No 03 through the surrounding neighborhood. Before the neighborhood was developed, there was an exten- sive marsh and wetland system in this area. The Chicago Park District's plantings are formal arrangements along the bridges and water features. The lagoon edges are lined with stone. No specific planting for habitat enhancement has been done, but the shorelines of the lagoon in some places are natural and unmowed; other sections are mowed and maintained as lawn. 71st NES N E INC RACINE HALSTED STEWART V DAN RYAN STATE 75th 79th 83rd 7800 SOUTH / 400 WEST MICHIGAN 87TH DR MARTIN LUTHER KING Auburn Park Lagoon O . 03 N ADDRESS 406 W Winneconna Ave OWNER Chicago Park District ACREAGE 2.51 HABITATS DING 1 Aquatic FIEL NORMAL EGGLESTON STEWART Auburn Lagoon Park 78TH DIRECTIONS From 79th Street, turn north on Normal, and park along Winneconna on the south side of the lagoon. Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 WINNECONNA 32 Page Page 32 100 Feet In the picnic grounds near the parking lots are In the center of the preserve is Flat Foot BEAUBIEN WOODS large bur and white oaks that are over 100 years Lake1 , a 22-acre body of water. The lake is FOREST PRESERVE old. Beyond the picnic areas, Beaubien Woods is used for fishing, and is stocked with a variety of Site No 05 mostly second-growth woods with the occasional species. Beaubien Woods provides anglers with grassy opening amidst the trees. Though today the access to the Little Calumet River. A boat launch open areas are dominated by European grasses on the river provides access for motor boats as and weeds and little in the way of native grasses well as for canoes or kayaks. and wildflowers remain, in presettlement times, Beaubien Woods is part of the Calumet Open Beaubien Woods would have been a prairie and Space Reserve. The Kensington Bikeway, a potential open savanna community. regional trail, is proposed to run through Beaubien There are a few pockets of remnant prairie Woods; this would connect to O'Brien Lock & Dam that harbor big and little bluestem, cordgrass, and Burnham Prairie. prairie dock, Riddell's goldenrod, wild hyacinth, prairie phlox and other native species. BISH OP FO R D 134th Calumet Little R iv e 138th r (suburban area) 13400 SOUTH / 1200 EAST Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve O . 05 N ADDRESS 13400 S Doty Ave 130TH OWNER Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Private ACREAGE 135.50 HABITATS 1 Aquatic 2 8 10 12 Riparian/Water Edge BISH 3 7 Forest/Woodland OP 133RD F 4 5 Wetland ORD 6 Prairie/Grassland 9 11 13 Potential Habitat Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve Forest Beaubien Woods DIRECTIONS Off I-94 go west on 130th Street. Turn south (left) on Ellis Avenue and immedi- LITTLE CA ately left on 130th Place. To go to the western LUMET portion of the site, turn R right at the brown forest IV ER preserve sign. To go to Flat Foot Lake, continue Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 on 130th Place (it becomes south Carver Drive, then 138TH Doty Avenue) past Carver Military Academy to the red forest preserve sign and parking lots on the right. 33 33 Page 100 Feet BIG MARSH Big Marsh is the largest individual wetland in the Calumet Open Space Reserve with approximately Site No 06 90 acres of open water 1 . The water is shallow, with an average depth of two feet. Any time of day during the warmer months, herons and egrets are found feeding along the water's edge. Up until 1999, this was the site of the black- crowned night heron rookery. That year, a blocked culvert forced the water level to rise, and the herons relocated to Indian Ridge Marsh (site 42, p. 66). The wet portions of Big Marsh remain an important site for waterbirds. Hawks and kestrels are frequently seen in the upland area 2 . Hiking and biking trails and canoe launch are 107th ideas for this area in the future. As of this writing, the site is undeveloped. TORRENCE Lake Calumet 11400 SOUTH / 2100 EAST STONY ISLAND Calumet River Big Marsh O . 06 N ADDRESS 11400 S Stony Island Ave OWNER Private ACREAGE 295.92 HABITATS 1 Wetland 2 Potential Habitat Big Marsh DIRECTIONS For the uplands, park on the east side of Stony Island by the mound of dirt at what would be 116th Street; the dirt pile barricades vehicles ISLANDSTONY YATE S from entering an access road for the landfills to the south. For the Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 wetland and open water, park at what would be 114th Street. 34 Page Page 34 100 Feet 116TH LaBagh Woods 14 15 16 is characterized by large more open character.