Photo: The Morton Arboretum
Oak trees are considered keystone species in the Chicago Wilderness Region, underpinning the biological diversity of some of our most crucial ecosystems. Chicago Wilderness is leading a coordinated recovery effort to preserve, restore, and expand oak ecosystems across the region.
Progress thus far
- completed the regional oak ecosystem recovery plan (pdf)
- engaged new partners in Indiana and Wisconsin
- compiled foundational data sets to implement remnant oak mapping for Southeast Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, and Southwest Michigan
2020 Goals
- spatially-based regional framework
- health status & trends understood
- tracking: maintain, restore, reforest
- research underway-critical questions
- measurable progress initiated in priority opportunity areas
- relevant outreach tools in place
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Metrics (Examples)
- # of trees planted, acres burned, invasives removed
- oak recruitment
- basal area
- age, class distribution
visit our working group:
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