A hidden gem is floating along the North Branch of the Chicago River, just east of Goose Island, and it’s open to the public 24/7.
The Wild Mile, which isn’t actually a mile long yet, serves as an urban oasis and wildlife sanctuary, and the public can see the incredible assortment of life it’s supporting.
“The ‘Wild 700 feet’ doesn’t really have the same ring to it,” said Nick Wesley, the Executive Director and cofounder of Urban Rivers, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming urban waterways into wildlife sanctuaries.
The Wild Mile combines boardwalks that are open to the public with floating habitats, and is the group’s flagship project.
“These gardens work by having plants on top, roots go through, they create structure for fish and other wildlife underneath the water. And then, all of these native plants provide food and habitat for pollinators, beavers, snapping turtles,” said Wesley.
The habitats mimic a natural wetlands ecosystem, with plants known to isolate pollutants like heavy metals serving a critical role. The floating ecosystem essentially serves as a giant water filter for the river, keeping it out of the Gulf of Mexico where harmful algae blooms can grow, according to experts.
“The plants themselves do a lot. We do some research on them, finding about 20% of a reduction in nitrates and phosphates. So, it’s pulling up a lot of these excess nutrients and using it essentially as fertilizer,” said Wesley.
The floating dock is anchored to both the river floor and the seawall, meaning it can move up and down as water levels change, but ultimately staying put during flooding.
The goal is to transform existing industrialized infrastructure into something that resembles a natural riverscape.
‘We see this as really a living laboratory. We do all sorts of different things to attract different wildlife. We’re noticing a lot more of the ecosystem reproducing, which is a really good sign,” said Wesley. “By adding all of this diversity of habitat, we’re allowing a lot of this wildlife to find this niche within this context of an urban environment.”
There are plans to expand the ‘Wild Mile’ by another 300 feet to the North next spring.
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