Indian Boundary Park - Ecological Education Presentation Assembled by Francis Sohn

Indian Boundary Park The Chicago Park District Established in 1915 on the lands once serving as a boundary between the local Potowattomie Indians and the United States, Indian Boundary Park and Cultural Center is an asset to its community. Today, it is home to a public zoo and features programs of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. I believe that this small park, scarcely over 13 acres, can serve the community even more by harnassing its natural resources in such a way to transform itself into an resource for hands-on ecological learning as well. The following contain some preliminary ideas on how to do this.

Indian Boundary Park The Chicago Park District Identifying the potential These two maps are from the Chicago Public Schools‘ School Locator. As is shown on the top map, where the scale bar indicates about half a mile, there are about six grade schools within walking distance. The bottom map has a scale bar of about one mile, and, as is evident, there are well over a dozen grade schools within potential driving range, even for a field trip of only a few class periods. I believe that this close proximity to grade schools situates Indian Boundary Park to be used as an ecological resource. By being in such a central location, any work done here could serve as an educational touchstone not just for the Rogers Park communities, but also for the entire North East Side of Chicago.

Indian Boundary Park The Chicago Park District The Goals My vision for the park as an resource for ecological education is twofold. To accomplish both, I need your volunteer and financial backing, as well as your sway in the community. The first goal is to develop educational materials based on the natural lagoon/prairie area at Indian Boundary Park. This would include a naturalist guide, with a fill-in-the-blank companion to be used as worksheet material, as well as a basic prairie/wetland information sheet and vocabulary guide, from which worksheet could be developed. This would incorporate my own photography and research, and is already underway. New signage, incorporating information from the naturalist guide, would be created in consultation with a graphic designer. The second goal is to develop the area further. This would include enhanced, more realistic signage that would help not only student but also local visiters to be able to identify and appreciate the wildlife in the area. It would also include expanding the extent of the natural area by students from local schools. This would require the hiring of a guide to aide students, preferably an experienced ecologist, though this job could also be performed by a reliable volunteer or volunteers.

Indian Boundary Park The Chicago Park District The Area The area boxed in red represents the area currently dedicated to the natural area and related signage. Would propose to expand it to the south east, with a small buffer before the street frontage, as well as to the west as to the north. The concrete fountain could easily be converted to another lagoon. This plan leaves the buffer to the east, so as not to interfere with private lawns, and leaves most the entire western end of the park for more traditional park uses, such as the playground, picnic lawns, and the zoo. Blue-boxed areas would be expansion zones and contain plots for individual schools and community groups.

Indian Boundary Park The Chicago Park District Requirements Volunteer labour to produce educational materials Part-time ecological advisor (paid or volunteer) to advise school groups in restoration Sponsor and graphic desinger for new signage Park cooperation in expanding the natural area and in placing new signage Benefits Community involvement Increase interest in ecological stewardship Local-based, hands-on science learning for grade schools Increased bird and wildlife at the park The benefits devour the requirements!

Indian Boundary Park The Chicago Park District Addendum More information on this plan is available at my website, including materials already developed for this project, located at +General+Page Please check this site for further updates as materials are added.