Floating gardens in the Chicago River provide new habitat for wildlife:
via Zachary Damato
For many years, Chicago’s rivers have been used for transportation and commerce…
Damato: “…But now they should be used for habitat and interaction.”
That’s Zachary Damato of the nonprofit Urban Rivers. His group is installing man-made floating wetlands in the Chicago River.
They’re essentially rafts of plants attached to the river wall. In addition to adding a splash of color, the gardens provide habitat for wildlife and absorb pollutants from the water.
Damato: “The plants, they grow off all the nutrients that are existing in the water, so we add no fertilizer to any of the plants we put in.”
They’re helping transform a drab urban river into a cleaner, more beautiful waterway.
Get Schooled:
- Get the details about the Chicago project from Urban Rivers.
- Read a project update from Moss Design Studio.
- Check out more pictures of the project:
The Fine Print:
- This segment was produced with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.
