3 Acres On The Lake
Proposed 2001

Urban Prairie Project, DuSable Park Illinois

From the proposal:

I propose that DuSable Park be cleared of all non-native, non-prairie invasive plants and recreated as three acres of prairie. Periodic burns would be all the maintenance necessary to maintain the park as prairie – no sprinkler system, no chemicals or fertilizers, no mowing, and at a minimum cost to the city. There would be unrestricted access by the public to DuSable Park, both from Water Street and from the Lake Shore Drive pathway.

When Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable came to “Chicago,” he would have been familiar with the prairie. Now, it is estimated that only about .02% of prairie still exists in the United States. This neglected park already supports a flourishing community of flora and fauna, including rabbits and red-tailed hawks. While this small area can never be returned to a virgin state, DuSable Park could provide, for many people, a unique opportunity in a very visible, easily accessible location, to sample what once was the primary Illinois and midwestern biome.