Post by Michael Davidson

Thank you to Block Club Chicago for featuring the O’Hare wetlands project on your excellent podcast. Led by Openlands and made possible through an intensive partnership of volunteers, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community leaders, this effort transformed a requirement of airport expansion into a once-in-a-generation conservation opportunity. When O’Hare Airport began its expansion in 2005, the City of Chicago committed $26 million to create five major new natural landscapes across the region to compensate for the wetlands lost to construction. Last year, after 20 years of planning, restoration, partnership, and perseverance, we officially closed out this landmark project. This was a massive civic effort involving thousands of people who believed that even as our region grows and changes, we can (and must) invest in nature. It’s a story of vision, collaboration, and what’s possible when government, nonprofits, and communities work together. It’s also a story that deserves to be told. Give it a listen. https://lnkd.in/gYQcFEAj