Chicago Park District begins work on Uptown Coastal Natural Area

The Chicago Park District has begun work on a new nature sanctuary in Uptown that will turn a piece of land on the North Side into a port of call for migratory birds.

Construction for the Uptown Coastal Natural Area project started Sept. 9, with crews from the park district fencing off the perimeter of the six-acre preserve between Lawrence and Wilson avenues.

Over the next year, they’ll remove invasive species from the area and plant native shrubs and seeds.

Once complete, the area will feature a mix of prairie and savanna plants, with turf surrounding the existing Dr. José Rizal monument and pathways.

The aim is for the result to offer a nod to landscape architect Alfred Caldwell, who worked as a landscape designer for the park district in the 1930s and believed in layering plants, shrubs and trees in a way that promotes a “natural effect” as they grow, according to the park district.

Brian Rich / Sun-Times

Judy Pollock, president of the Chicago Audubon Society, which aims to engage people with bird conservation, said the naturalistic planting will be well-received by migratory birds that will use its canopy, understory, shrub and ground layers for their habitat.

The location of the project also will be beneficial to bird populations, Pollock said. Montrose Point, located across DuSable Lake Shore Drive from the new natural area, is home to another bird sanctuary.

The area is among the most bustling destinations for birds stopping in the city due of its broad shoreline that sticks out into the lake. It generates “by far the most sightings, the most different types of birds sighted” in Illinois, Pollock said.

The more complex the habitat, the more attractive the space is for birds, said Alison Anastasio, a researcher and professor of environmental and urban studies at the University of Chicago. The new natural area will promote the growth of fungi, native flowers and insect populations — all generally lacking in lawns and grass parkways across the city.

“We’re always looking to increase biodiversity because we see that it is often correlated with the resilience of ecosystems,” Anastasio said.

The area will also benefit the city as a natural filtration system for stormwater, as the soil will be able to absorb a greater volume of water compared to the more compacted soil of lawns.