Wild Things 2025

The Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary (CSBBS) is on Lake Michigan just south of the Northwestern University campus. The two-acre CSBBS was created in 2015 by connecting existing migrating bird habitats to include part of the beach. In addition to many regular volunteers who monitor migratory birds, plant, weed, and water, we have ongoing relationships with local companies, churches, and student groups for special workdays; we work with summer camps, including one for indigenous youth; we collaborate with the city on activities; and we engaged a garden club in designing a new natural area to replace an overgrown area. In our prominent site we also have frequent conversations with passersby. All these serve to increase education about natural habitat and conservation as well as improving the sanctuary. We will share our methods for engaging the Evanston community, which may be useful for other small natural areas.