photo: Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Protecting the Wilderness

Protected natural areas and other undeveloped lands in the Chicago region provide refuge for a wide array of plants and animals. The diversity of life in the Chicago Wilderness region far exceeds that found in the Midwest's agricultural areas. Natural treasures remain within Chicago Wilderness, but these treasures are at risk.

Development, invasive species, pollution, and lack of proper land management threaten the health of the region's remaining natural communities. Many of these communities are declining and will not recover unless people work to protect and restore them.

photo: Lake Michigan Federation

The greatest risks are the result of human activity, yet the means of protection also lie in the resources of the region's population and its institutions. More and more, people are finding that it is possible to protect our natural heritage and, at the same time, improve our quality of life.

You can learn more about the diverse natural communities of the Chicago Wilderness region and efforts to protect them in the About Biodiversity section of this site. You also learn more about how you can get involved in protecting our natural heritage in the Get Involved section.

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