City and State Receive U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services Wetlands Award

On February 1, Mayor Richard M. Daley and Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn accepted $750,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Grant program. The grant will be used to conduct The Hegewisch Marsh Restoration Project, one of the first large-scale wetland restoration projects in the Calumet area.

"Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we can protect the Calumet area for many years to come," said Mayor Daley. "In addition to the generous funding, this award establishes Hegewisch Marsh as one of the top priorities for coastal wetland conservation in the country."

As part of the restoration project, the funds will be used to remove invasive species, install native plants, and execute other habitat changes to benefit coastal wetland-dependent plants and animals. Modifications to the marsh will also benefit an endangered colony of Yellow-headed Blackbirds that nest at the site.

The site will also be home to the Ford Calumet Environmental Center - a 24,000-square-foot environmentally friendly building that will focus on the harmony of nature, industry and community.

Five years ago, Mayor Daley presented a joint plan with the state for sustainable ecological and economical growth in the Calumet area. To date, significant advancements in the Calumet area include:

• Completion of the Calumet Area Land Use Plan, which designates 3,000 acres of industrial space and 4,800 acres of open space in the area;

• Creating partnerships to attract greener businesses to fortify the Calumet area’s long-standing role as a major Chicago industrial area;

• Completion of the Calumet Area Ecological Management Strategy, a guide for preservation and enhancement of the region’s critical coastal wetlands; and

• Finalizing the Calumet Ecotox Protocol, which outlines design sites to protect the plants and animals in the area.

"There really is no downside when it comes to protecting the environment," said Daley. "Preservation and conservation of our natural resources is a serious commitment, and one we must continue to make together."