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LAKESHORE LAWRENCE MONTROSE IRVING PARK ADDISON FOSTER CLARENDON SHERIDAN RACINE Chicago Habitat Directory 2005 Site No 96 Page 83 83 N O . 96 HABITATS DIRECTIONS LINCOLN PARK— MONTROSE BEACH DUNES At the far east end of Montrose Beach is a native dune ecosystem. The native plants began appearing in the late 1990s, and in response, the Chicago Park District stopped grooming this area. Over the years, two ridges have formed parallel to the shore, separated by swales populated by native wetland species. Further up the beach, a larger dune is developing, and it continues to grow each year. In 2001, the Chicago Park District installed a fence to protect the dune; now vehicles are prohibited, and the area is closed to recreation. (It remains open for nature observation.) Beginning in 2001, high quality native dune species were planted in the dune habitat, to increase diversity and improve bird and wildlife habitat. These complement the existing rare dune plants that colonized the area naturally. Additional management includes control of invasive species like common reed, cottonwood, sandbar willow, and cocklebur. Montrose Beach Dunes provides valuable habitat for migrating shorebirds. Kildeer and spotted sandpipers nest here. In early fall, thousands of purple martins flock here and stay for a while before heading south. (There are also purple martin houses to the west by the harbor.) You can see them flying high above of the park and harbor in the evenings. In the winter, snowy owls are likely to spend time here. From the point itself or when walking out on the artificial pier that extends even farther out into the lake, it's possible to observe water birds. In the winter, look for common goldeneye and oldsquaw floating next to sheets of ice. Volunteers have been active from the beginning in monitoring rare plants and birds; volunteers also remove invasive weeds and trash. In 2005, Montrose Beach Dunes was added to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' statewide list of high-quality natural areas, called the INAI (Illinois Natural Areas Inventory). Lincoln Park — Montrose Beach Dunes 4400 NORTH / 100 WEST Lincoln Park— Montrose Beach Dunes ADDRESS OWNER ACREAGE 4400 N Simonds Ave Chicago Park District 8.48 Dune Exit Lake Shore Drive at Montrose Avenue and head east. Follow the road to the point where it starts to curve to the right (south). Park along there, and walk to the beach. 1 100 Feet

Lincoln Park— Montrose Beach Dunes - City of Chicago · MONTROSE BEACH DUNES At the far east end of Montrose Beach is a ... and harbor in the evenings. In the winter, snowy owls

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Page 1: Lincoln Park— Montrose Beach Dunes - City of Chicago · MONTROSE BEACH DUNES At the far east end of Montrose Beach is a ... and harbor in the evenings. In the winter, snowy owls

LAK

ESH

OR

E

LAWRENCE

MONTROSE

IRVING PARK

ADDISON

FOSTER

CLA

REN

DO

N

SH

ERID

AN

RAC

INE

Chi

cago

Hab

itat

Dire

ctor

y 2005

Site

No

96

Page

83

83

NO .

96

HABITATS

DIRECTIONS

LINCOLN PARK—

MONTROSE BEACH DUNES

At the far east end of Montrose Beach is a

native dune ecosystem. The native plants began

appearing in the late 1990s, and in response, the

Chicago Park District stopped grooming this area.

Over the years, two ridges have formed parallel

to the shore, separated by swales populated by

native wetland species. Further up the beach,

a larger dune is developing, and it continues to

grow each year.

In 2001, the Chicago Park District installed

a fence to protect the dune; now vehicles are

prohibited, and the area is closed to recreation.

(It remains open for nature observation.)

Beginning in 2001, high quality native dune

species were planted in the dune habitat, to

increase diversity and improve bird and wildlife

habitat. These complement the existing rare

dune plants that colonized the area naturally.

Additional management includes control of

invasive species like common reed, cottonwood,

sandbar willow, and cocklebur.

Montrose Beach Dunes provides valuable

habitat for migrating shorebirds. Kildeer and

spotted sandpipers nest here. In early fall,

thousands of purple martins flock here and stay

for a while before heading south. (There are also

purple martin houses to the west by the harbor.)

You can see them flying high above of the park

and harbor in the evenings. In the winter, snowy

owls are likely to spend time here. From the point

itself or when walking out on the artificial pier

that extends even farther out into the lake, it's

possible to observe water birds. In the winter,

look for common goldeneye and oldsquaw floating

next to sheets of ice.

Volunteers have been active from the beginning

in monitoring rare plants and birds; volunteers

also remove invasive weeds and trash.

In 2005, Montrose Beach Dunes was added

to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources'

statewide list of high-quality natural areas, called

the INAI (Illinois Natural Areas Inventory).

Linc

oln

Park

—M

ontr

ose

Bea

ch D

unes

4400 N

OR

TH

/ 1

00 W

EST

Lincoln Park—Montrose Beach Dunes

ADDRESS

OWNER

ACREAGE

4400 N Simonds AveChicago Park District8.48

Dune

Exit Lake Shore Drive at Montrose Avenueand head east. Followthe road to the pointwhere it starts to curveto the right (south).Park along there, andwalk to the beach.

1

100 Feet