Chicago, IL

More than 250,000 acres of protected natural lands surround the nation’s third largest urban area. These lands, as well as interspersed unprotected lands, contain regionally, nationally, and globally significant habitat—right outside of Chicago’s back door.

The network of valuable, richly diverse habitat in the metropolitan area is known as the Chicago Wilderness. Its geographic area includes northeastern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, and southeastern Wisconsin. Ecosystems include tallgrass prairie remnants, as well as valuable forests, streams, and wetlands.

The Chicago Wilderness coalition was formed in 1996 when 34 institutions (including local, state, and federal agencies; centers of research and education; and conservation organizations) decided to work together to protect these ecosystems—those lands already officially protected as well as unprotected natural areas. Over 170 public and private organizations are now members of this coalition (as of 2004), and they are committed to the protection, restoration, and management of the Chicago region’s natural resources.

Members of the coalition work together on projects in the areas of science, land management, sustainability, education, and communication. Partners have collaborated on more than 160 projects, such as ecological monitoring, prairie restoration, prescribed burn training, natural landscaping, and technical assistance to local governments.

Other projects of the group include an atlas of biodiversity for the region, a magazine for the public, a journal for conservation professionals, a family activity guide, a local government guidebook, and a conservation design manual. A new project to choose and track indicators for the health of the biodiversity of the region started in 2004.

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