Vision Pickling

As part of their environmental improvement program and in an effort to reduce property maintenance costs while improving aesthetics, Vision Pickling made the decision to convert their high-maintenance lawn to native prairie. We installed live native plants in planting beds at the front of the building and around the main entrance. Native seed was installed using a Truax native seed drill throughout the remaining property. A series of native tree and shrub groupings were installed throughout the property as well. The site has had extensive stewardship since installation with a constant program of activities designed to manage for the invasive species and move the native seed around on site, including brush cutting, hand pulling, selective herbicide applications, and prescribed fire.

This project is supportive of the broad goal of the Biodiversity Recovery Plan to protect and restore the natural communities of the region while also enriching the quality of life of its residents. Further, the project supports the recommendations of the Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision which states: “In order to be truly sustainable, development must not only protect beneficial environmental functions but must improve systems degraded by past disturbances.” In fact, this site started with virtually no natural ecosystem component and now has 4 acres of ecologically functional open space.

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