Your June 19 editorial “Expose the earmarks” asks why restoring the South Pond in Lincoln Park merits federal support as proposed by U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.). The answer is that federal dollars frequently support public projects with far-reaching benefits to the community. In this case, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District and Lincoln Park Zoo are collaborating to restore an important natural area in Lincoln Park.
As a neighbor of the pond and an institution committed to conservation, Lincoln Park Zoo is taking a lead role in this project. The pond and wetland is a natural extension to our free and open zoo offering of a safe and educational environment and a home for many important animals.
In addition to repairing a dilapidated area of a public park, the fully restored South Pond will be a natural urban oasis and a national model of public space designed for both people and wildlife. The project will revitalize the pond and create eight new acres of restored prairie grasses and wetlands to serve as home for native wildlife, such as black-crowned night herons, swallows, frogs and dragonflies, in the heart of the city. The night herons are nesting in the area for the first time since records began in the 1800s, and recently 102 species of birds were identified in two days near the pond.
The South Pond will be an unparalleled urban environmental education resource for students, who can conduct bird counts, study water conservation and learn through hands-on experiences. Since 2004, the zoo has been using the site to work with dozens of Chicago public schools to increase our children’s awareness of the natural world and the importance of water.
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The sweeping benefits for Chicagoans from this project come from the three-to-one, private-to-public dollar match, which gives federal dollars a greater impact. We are grateful for Emanuel’s support to help make this community project a reality for our neighborhood, for our city and for wildlife.