Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration Program Project ...

ProjECt DESCriPtion
The project would restore approximately two miles of
protected shoreline that hosts thousands of migrating birds
each year and five endangered and threatened plant species:
buffalo berry, seaside spurge, sea rocket, beach grass, and
common juniper. Most of the habitat destruction at Fort
Sheridan resulted from use of the site for military housing and
base operations, which caused erosion along the lakeshore,
allowed infestation of invasive plant species, and created an
absence of stabilizing native plant species.
The project will conduct studies to determine the physical
and ecological processes influencing coastal conditions
along the Fort Sheridan preserves; it will remove excessive
infrastructure from the beach to reduce erosion, improve the
habitat for endangered coastal species and migrating birds,
stabilize the bluff and ravine communities to reduce erosion,
remove non-native and invasive species, and restore the
lakeshore habitats.
Restoration would lessen impacts to native fish populations
in Lake Michigan; increase the quality, size, and viability of
Funding
fort sheridan
Project Manager:
Kirston A. Buczak, LRC
(312) 846-5552
kirston.a.buczak@usace.army.mil
FORT SHERIDAn
Ecosystem Restoration
Lake County, IL
coastal habitat; restore two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline;
restore the lake’s beach, bluff, and ravine communities;
protect the coastal endangered and threatened species; reduce
erosional conditions and sedimentations into Lake Michigan;
allow more compatible public access to the shoreline; and
provide educational opportunities for freshwater coastal
systems.
nonfEDErAl PArtnErS
Lake County Forest Preserve
Openlands
Town of Fort Sheridan
City of Lake Forest
CongrESSionAl intErESt
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL)
Representative Robert Dold (R-IL-10)
CUrrEnt StAtUS
The project is currently in the feasibility phase; with continued
funding construction could begin in 2013.
Total Federal Nonfederal
current working estimate $6,605,000 $4,293,250 $2,311,750
funding to date $6,405,000 $4,093,250 $2,311,750
funds required to complete project $200,000 $200,000 $0
Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration (GLFER) Program
updated February 2011 www.glfer.org