Oak trees and the ecosystems they support are a critical part of the ecology of the Chicago region. Oak trees are keystone species that support a large diversity of plants and animals. Oak woodlands provide habitat for wildlife and, when connected in large areas, provide corridors for animals to migrate and ecosystems for them to thrive.
Unfortunately, only 17% of the region’s original oak ecosystems remain. The remaining ecosystems are often fragmented and disconnected from each other, which makes them more likely to be affected by invasive plants and less useful to wildlife.
To help restore and enhance oak ecosystems, the Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative and the Chicago Wilderness Alliance have identified where oak ecosystems remain, identified cores (the most important ecosystems to protect and restore), and mapped corridors and buffers that protect and connect these cores.
Audio Tour
Is your property along a corridor or near an remnant oak ecosystem? Explore the Oak Ecosystems Recovery Project to find resources to manage your land sustainably and to help support oak ecosystems and establish corridors for wildlife.