Chapter 16 - The North Pacific Coast

One of the most striking physical aspects of the North Pacific Coast is the woodlands.  In a comparison with the area of Chicago, the Pacific Coast is no comparison at all.  But the area around Chicago and down the Chicago River have a unique mixture of its own beauty.

"Woodlands: A Forest by Many Names

Although a forest most readily comes to mind when thinking of trees, several types of wooded communities comprise the unique heritage of Chicago Wilderness.

In savannas, trees stand as lone sentinels among grassland. The bur oak is the most iconic tree of the Midwestern savanna, although white and red oaks are also common. Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Lake County, is a defining example of a savanna in Chicago Wilderness. The 500 acre savanna is located on the middle fork of the Chicago River’s North Branch.

Sun-dappled open woodlands of the Chicago region are one of the most distinctive and diverse in the native landscape. Trees in woodlands grow closer together than those in savannas and are transitional areas between savannas and forests. Open woodlands are home to spectacular concentrations of wildlife, thanks to the many native nut bearing trees — oaks, hickories and walnuts.

Flatwoods develop on land that is flat or gently sloping and are globally endangered habitats, according to The Nature Conservancy. A layer of clay below the surface restricts the movement of water into the ground. During the spring and early summer, water may stand on the surface in puddles and shallow ponds. Flatwoods are crucial amphibian breeding grounds. Salamanders, frogs and toads lay eggs in the ponds, safe from fish. Flatwoods also provide habitat for endangered and threatened plant species such as the purple-fringed orchid and dog violet.

Forests are dense with trees; the treetop canopy covers 80 — 100% of the habitat. Birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles all depend on forests, as do many of the 50 native mammals of the region, including the beaver, river otter, bats, star-nosed mole and white-footed mouse."

-Chicago Wilderness

Chicago Wilderness is a non-profit organization thats aim is to restore the natural and elegant beauty down the length of the Chicago river and the surrounding prairie area.