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Proposed Site

Site location and pictures

        We propose to create this model prairie in the vacant lot at 6550 S. Kimbark Ave, a city owned lot about one block from Woodlawn Community School. Map

The lot's city pin number is 2023211046.  It is controlled by the Department of Planning and Development, contact number (312) 744-4190. 

The school and site on Google Earth:

Several photos of the site as it currently exists:

Our site (6550 S. Kimbark)

Looking back at 6550 S. Kimbark from across the additional vacant lots to the North (see below)

The Northernmost lot (see below)

Site choice and logistics

        We chose to conduct this project on a vacant lot near the school for a variety of reasons.  First, the school's existing land is already occupied by a GreenCorps garden (shown below) and playlots.  Rather than detract from existing play areas or green space, we decided that it would better serve students to claim additional unused city land for our education and environmental purposes.  By creating the prairie on currently vacant space, we will be both beautifying the community, and creating a space that is more open to neighborhood participation.  Rather than existing as an isolated school project, a model prairie developed in a public lot can serve as community green space, available to serve both students and neighbors, and in tern benefit from the cultivation and interest of not only classes and school personnel, but also interested community members. 

        But although it is important to us that the prairie be off school property, there are obvious advantages to a site within very easy walking distance of the school.  6550 S. Kimbark is slightly over a block away, which is not perfectly ideal, but close enough that it should not present a major logistical barrier or a safety hazard for classes approaching it for work.  We should be able to store all tools and materials in the school without difficutly, easily transporting them for each work day.  Water is also available from the fire hydrant located at the corner of Marquette and Kimbark, which we should be able to access by petitioning the alderman for a key.  Temporary hoses can be used to water the model prairie after each planting session and at other necessary intervals.  It may be necessary to fence off this site to protect young garderners from bordering Kimbark Ave.  This however would infringe on the open community atmosphere of the model prairie, so fencing should first be discussed with teachers, after school program leaders, and other community adults involved in the project.

        Although we are currently focusing only on the 6550 S. Kimbark lot, this site has the advantage of being bordered to the North by several other continuous lots.  These in the short term will provide space to facitate gardening and educational activities.  The additional space will make it easier to organize supplies and student gardeners without being confined to the restoration site itself--a very helpful feature in a plot otherwise bordered by streets.  In the long term, the additional lots provide the opportunity for possible expansion.  If the 6550 S. Kimbark project is successful, we will be able to expand to the North, not only creating additional prairie, but also allowing future generations of students to participate in the restoration and planting process after the initial plot has stabilized. 

Site ecology

This site has a greater percentage shade than is typical of prairie, because it is bordered to the South by a house, and to the North by a row of cottonwoods and a large mulberry.  No part of it, however, is full shade (all receives sunlight at least in the morning or night), so we consider it to be feasible despite this characteristic.  The possible expansion site to the north has fuller sun, which would provide the opportunity for experimentation with different plant varieties in a range of sun and shade conditions.  Soil quality and lead presence assessment is included in our project timeline, but empirical observation suggests that the soil is  sandy clay (see picture below).  The site currently contains a mix of grass, clover, and ?, as shown below. 

Soil:

Current vegetation: