Ecosystem Protection and Restoration Efforts in our Region

Conservation biologists estimate that between 20 and 30 percent of land cover should be protected as habitat to maintain adequate numbers of plants species (Shore, 2005). Although the region is not there yet, the Chicago Wilderness Region is nationally recognized for ecosystem restoration and preservation. The Chicago Wilderness Region has more than 225,000 acres of protected conservation land with some of the best surviving woodlands, wetlands, and prairies in the Midwest (Chicago Wilderness). The majority of the protected land lies within the region's seven forest preserves and conservation districts. The map below shows protected land as well as restoration sites. These achievements are a result of many partnerships in the region as well as at the state and federal level. The following sections focus on the major players in ecosystem restoration.