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Chicago Illinois Field Office
1250 South Grove, Suite 103
Barrington, Illinois 60010
Phone: 847/381-2253
FAX: 847/381-2285

CHICAGO WILDERNESS:

People and Nature in the Urban Environment

What is Chicago Wilderness?
Chicago Wilderness refers to the region’s rich diversity of nature that makes the Chicago region unique among major metropolitan areas, and which contributes to its livability.  Over 250,000 acres of protected land are located within the metropolitan area, stretching from Indiana Dunes through the City of Chicago and its suburbs and into southeast Wisconsin.  These areas harbor some of the best remnants of  Midwestern “wilderness” -- the native plant and animal communities, including tallgrass prairies and oak woodlands -- remaining on earth.  Chicago Wilderness is also an unprecedented partnership of over 200 public and private organizations that have joined forces to protect, restore, and manage these areas, and to reconnect the citizens of the region with their unique midwestern natural heritage.

Background
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was one of 34 organizations that launched Chicago Wilderness in 1996.  Members include federal, state, and local units of government, cultural and research organizations, and not-for-profits.  Collectively, they comprise the Chicago Region Biodiversity Council, currently chaired by the Service.  Conservation priorities were established by four teams focused on education and outreach, science, land management, and policy and strategy.  The partnership initiated projects in each of these four areas, partially supported with federal, state, and private grants.  The Service has provided challenge grant funding to Chicago Wilderness annually since 1997.  

Program Accomplishments
Since 1997, the Service has allocated up to $600,000 annually to support the work of this partnership.  These funds have been leveraged with other federal, state and local dollars, including significant in-kind match,  to support projects and staff.  Over 200 collaborative projects that address priorities set by the teams have been funded.  These projects include native prairie gardens in the urban center, large wetland restorations in suburban forest preserves, development of education and outreach materials, green infrastructure planning, and ecological research and monitoring.  In addition to funded projects, many more projects have been launched by members who came together through the partnership.  The projects and biodiversity messages have received extensive media coverage over the past eight years.  The partnership has completed a regional Biodiversity Recovery Plan, which guides project development and which has been adopted by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission as a regional planning document.   

Status
Chicago Wilderness continues to expand in membership and scope of activities.  It has recently linked with other regional planning efforts, including the Clean Air Counts campaign and Metropolis 2020. It has gained national and international attention as a model for conservation in metropolitan areas, which is vitally important as we move further toward an urban and suburban society.  Member organizations have welcomed the Service’s role as a leader in this project.  The Chicago Field Office has advocated support for urban partnerships as a way to reach large audiences in major metropolitan areas.

Contact
John D. Rogner
Field Supervisor
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Chicago Illinois Field Office
1250 S. Grove St. 103
Barrington, IL 60010
847/381-2253.

Or visit the Chicago Wilderness web site at: www.chicagowilderness.org

Last updated: July 8, 2008