ECOLOGY
By protecting critical habitat that provides shelter and food for migratory birds, the Chicago lakefront achieves international significance. These creatures travel astounding distances each spring from as far as South America to points north in Canada and even the Arctic, and then back again each fall. Over 160 species of birds have been identified at North Pond.

Other animals call this area home: turtles, rabbits, frogs, opossums, squirrels, herons, ducks, muskrats and even an occasional deer.Willow, elm, hackberry, cottonwood, and green ash trees grace the shoreline. Aquatic plants such as arrowhead, wild iris, and bulrushes emerge from the shoreline providing quality habitat for marsh birds where none existed before.

Bordering the pond is a diverse mixture of upland prairie and woodland savanna plants. Poetic names add to their charm: wild columbine, prairie smoke, aster, leadplant, coneflower, blazing star, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild bergamot, and joe pyeweed. A variety of prairie grasses also surround the pond including wild rye, switchgrass, Indian grass, and little bluestem.

HISTORY
The original landscape of Lincoln Park's North Pond was that of dunes, marshes, scrub oak and other vegetation native to the shores of Lake Michigan. The original shoreline of ancient lake beaches is identified today by markers on both sides of the pond.

In 1881, although the south part of Lincoln Park between North Avenue and Fullerton had been developed as park, the area north of Fullerton was still being used as a dump, drained by a stagnant canal known as the "Ten Mile Ditch." But influential citizens from the town of Lake View succeeded in having Olaf Benson develop landscape plans for this area that included lawns and a "lake."

By 1884, excavation of the North Pond was completed and the dredging was used to construct "Mount Prospect," the hill just northeast of the pond. The rich soil of the Ten Mile Ditch was used to create the lawns on either side of the pond.

In 1947, a concrete pier was erected at the south end of the pond for the sport of casting. This is one of the finest casting piers in the United States and is enjoyed by bird watchers and nature lovers in addition to those who participate in the sport of casting.

In 1999, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum opened on the southeast corner of the pond. It is an indoor/outdoor space that encourages visitors to explore the environment and ecology of our region and beyond.

On March 25, 2000, Mayor Richard M. Daley co-signed an Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds with Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at The North Pond Nature Sanctuary. This treaty commits the city to important conservation measures for migratory birds.

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
In 1999, the Chicago Park District completed a major $1.2 million ecological restoration of the North Pond. The goals were to improve the water quality, restore the eroded shoreline, and create a native landscape with both aquatic and upland prairie plantings to increase biodiversity.

To correct problems of water quality and erosion, they:

• Rebuilt water inlet and outlet mechanisms.
• Dug a well to provide non-chlorinated water.
• Created new shoreline edges to curb erosion, especially on the north end.

To create a balanced ecosystem that provides food and shelter for resident and migratory birds and animals, they:

• Removed diseased or hazardous trees (leaving some fallen trees for wildlife habitat).
• Planted native upland prairie and woodland savanna vegetation, wildflowers and grasses.

To provide "people friendly" features, they:

• Installed new paths, both decomposed granite and mulch.
• Constructed seven new stone overlooks along the pond edge, three of which have concrete paths for accessibility.
• Built a viewing plaza in front of the North Pond Café.