Green Infrastructure Model and Strategy

Woodland/forest communities include landscapes dominated by trees with an average canopy cover of greater than 50 percent. These ecosystems once dominated much of Lake County. Within this class there are four community types: upland forest, floodplain forest, flatwoods, and woodlands. Of the forested communities, woodlands are of the highest conservation concern. Regionally, 17 percent of the original oak ecosystems remain, and these communities are highly variable across the region.

There are an estimated 25,000 acres that could be restored to woodland/forest in Lake County.

Prairies and grasslands are both communities dominated by grasses on organic or mineral soils. Prairies once dominated the southern part of Lake County but now exist in small, isolated remnants. Some prairie types are considered globally imperiled. Savannas are wooded communities with a grassy ground cover and an average tree canopy of 10–50 percent. Savannas contain distinct plants and animals. Due to their degraded condition and global conservation significance, savannas are one of the highest priorities for conservation in the region.

There are an estimated 23,000 acres that could be restored to prairie/savanna/grassland in Lake County.

The Chicago region has one of the most diverse collections of wetlands in North America, including a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance that contains Spring Bluff Forest Preserve (Winthrop Harbor). Wetlands are communities that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater for a large part of the year and support vegetation that is adapted to life in wet soil. Their vegetation, the amount of water they hold, and the chemistry of their soil and water define the different wetland types and functions.

There are an estimated 59,000 acres that could be restored to wetland habitat in Lake County.