Chicago Ecotones

A subject that is important to me is the relationship of the urban environment and the natural world. Living in Chicago, we are surrounded by a vibrant and diverse cityscape that coexists with pockets of relatively untouched or semi-natural environments. Along the lakefront and the Forest Preserves of Cook County there exists a range of ecosystems that once defined ecological diversity of the area. A term in ecology, ecotone, describes how ecosystems blend together in a patchwork pattern. It is within these ecotones, especially where the urban and the wild converge, the past and the present converge, that I find a rich tapestry of life, resilience, and unexpected beauty.

This is a work in progress. Feel free to leave comments and stay tuned for updates..........