ParkTalk Podcast S17 Episode 01: Healthy Shoreline, Healthy River

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Project Manager Peggy Motta explains how native plants along the river shoreline prevent erosion and protect water quality, provide habitat for pollinators, discourage Canada geese from nesting along the shoreline, and provide a beautiful place to enjoy. This episode is part of Series 17: Protecting Our River

For a list of ParkTalk episodes and series visit https://www.napervilleparks.org/PODCASTS.

Quote from the episode:

"Turf grass has very small roots, only 2-3 inches deep, so if you mow up to the shoreline, it's unable to help (prevent erosion). Some native plants have roots that are 16-20 feet deep. And they also have a lot of small, fine roots that are able to embed themselves in the soil to hold it." Peggy Motta

The project at Lincoln Greenway described in this episode was funded, in part, by a Water Quality Improvement Program Grant from DuPage County Stormwater Management.

Lincoln Greenway is located at 1052 Edgewater Drive in Naperville, along the banks of the West Branch DuPage River, adjacent to Veterans Park. The DuPage River Trail winds through Veterans Park and crosses Gartner Road at the eastern edge of Lincoln Greenway and then proceeds along the river to Pioneer Park and beyond.

Below is a copy of an interpretive sign designed to illustrate and explain the Lincoln Greenway project.

A view of the tall grass prairie restoration at Pioneer Park, part of a multi-year habitat and shoreline restoration project along the West Branch of the DuPage River, just south of Lincoln Greenway.