A Road Runs Through It

The Hegewisch Marsh, an oasis of nature on the Southeast side of Chicago, is home to endangered species, beavers, and a host of other flora and fauna. Since being identified in the Calumet Open Space Reserve Plan as an important natural area to preserve as well as the targeted home for the proposed Ford Calumet Environmental Center, the city has been working hard on its restoration. Much has been accomplished in the past few years in an effort to return this green gem to as natural a state as possible.  And much more remains to be done as  evidenced by Walmart's recent donation  of $100,00.00 (see video above) to help fund restoration work.

But now, due to the planned reconfiguration of nearby Torrence Ave and 130th Street, an access road will be built through the Marsh, parallel to Torrence Avenue, for the purpose of transferring Ford's new vehicles from their plant to their parking lot on the opposite side of the street. Acres of wetland, as well as newly established wildlife habitat, will be filled in and lost because of this construction.

In 2001, when the city recognized the value of the remenant natural areas scattered among the many abandoned brown fields on the Southeast side, it developed the Chicago Land Use Plan for the Calumet area, declaring that nature and industry could coexist side-by-side and that good business development benefited the environment. Perhaps that holds true in a more perfect world, but it has been our experience more often then not, that business trumps nature.

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Woo-hoo! Earnshaws Raise 425.50 for SETF

Because the Earnshaws completed the 13.1 course in the Walk Wisconsin walkathon, they were able to collect $425.50 in pleges for SETF. We appreciate all the time and effort they put in this fundraising campaign. We hope they will consider doing it again next year.

Walking for SETF

Jim and Julia Earnshaw, members of SETF, completed the 13 mile Walk for Wisconsin marathon last weekend in Stevens Point, Wisconsin - and they did it all for SETF! The Earnshaws generously donated weekends of their time, working hard to build up their stamina and to collect pledges.  They were determined to complete the course and they did.

It's not too late to support their efforts.  Please consider making a donation to SETF.

Click below to see them in action.

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Robert Kennedy Jr Speaks Out About Coal Industry

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SETF Takes Taylor Elementary on a Toxics to Treasures Tour

SETF's Tom Shepherd and Rod Sellers of the Southeast Chicago Historical Society took the 7th grade students of Douglas Taylor Elementary on a Toxics to Treasures Tour of their own neighborhood.  Students learned about the brownfields and the sources of pollution as well as the green initiatives that exist on the southeast side.  ABC7 was there to capture it on video for their Live Green series. 

Trees R Beautiful Awarded Mini Grant

Trees R Beautiful received a "mini-grant" from the  program sponsored by the Fuller Park Community Development and Openlands and that is funded by the USDA Forest Service.  The money will be used to purchase trees to plant throughout South Chicago, the Eastside and Hegewisch neighorhoods.  Trees can only be planted on public property or parkways.  The group has enthusiatically submitted their tree order and will be receiving them shortly.

If you would like to have a tree planted in your parkway or if you have questions about tree care, contact project manager Daniel Estrada at 773-375-5397.

Would you like to know more about Trees R Beautiful? Watch this short video produced by Zoe Jennings, a student from Northwestern.

10 Years: Trees In Chicago from Zoe Jennings on Vimeo.

First Eco-Tour of the Season

We had a great turn out for the first Eco-tour of the season.  They were all busy chatting and drinking coffee when the red trolley arrived.  Ruby, the trolley driver,  parked  on the side of the building and opened the doors in a welcoming gesture.  We rounded up everyone and had them board the wooden paneled trolley as quickly as possible as it wasn't going to be easy sticking to our 2 hour timeframe.  The trolley 's benches were a little tight, but what it lacked in comfort, it made up for in quaintness.  We waited five more minutes as one registered guest was  missing.  When he didn't show, Rod Sellers, our tour guide and local historian took his place at the front of the bus and  we headed out to our first destination - the O'Brien Lock and Dam.  Going down 130th,  we passed the Hegewisch Marsh, the expanded Ford Motor plant, LaFarge Cement and a number of other industries that dot the Calumet River. 

Because we were on a tight schedule, we quickly disembarked and gathered around as Rod explained the function of the locks and how the Calumet River was connected to the waterway system.

Time to get back on board and head for the site of the proposed CPD outdoor shooting range.



O'Brien Marsh seen through the window, was calm due to the time of the year and day.

Without being able to enter the site of the proposed gun range, it was impossible to see the nesting Blue Herons and Egrets. 

One can however, easily see the tall landfills in the background.

On our way to Harborside Golf Course, we passed the working end of  Lake Calumet.  Seen here is a freighter parked in one of the slips alongside the grain silos.

Who would believe this was once a landfill instead of the link style course it is today.  Harborside's  hilly terrain borders Lake Calumet, a lake that most Chicagoans aren't aware of.  While the golfers have access to the lake, the general public do not.

Two of our young tourists enjoying the tour and the weather.

The falls over which the water from the river is pumped so that it is aerated.

A view of the Ford Motor Company across the river from the SEPA station.

Indian Creek flowing out of Wolf Lake.

The proprietor of Club 81 Too tells us the history of his restaurant as we stand gathered in his backyard along Wolf Lake.

The ducks gathered around to listen too.

After a delicious lunch of fried chicken and fish, the tour ends with Board Member Tom Shepherd thanking everyone for coming out.