Safe Space in Nature Birding Event at Lincoln Park Zoo

2121 North Stockton Drive,Chicago IL 60614

19 November, 2022

Description

General Details: This event will center LGBTQIA+ peoples, experiences and allies and is open to attendees of all ages! Bring some coffee, tea, or other morning drink of choice for a leisurely morning of birding at the Lincoln Park Zoo's Nature Boardwalk. Located just south of the zoo's main campus, the Nature Boardwalk is a restored wet prairie ecosystem that has become a biodiversity hotspot for the city of Chicago. The zoo's Horticulture team and Urban Wildlife Institute have documented over 200 animal species and 300 plant species at the boardwalk since its naturalization was completed in 2010. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about this urban greenspace, the wildlife management and research that takes place there, and of course enjoy some feathered friends while building community. While peak migration will be winding down, there will still be some fun shorebirds and waterfowl to behold and of course our winter and year round residents. This event will be facilitated by Henry Adams, a wildlife ecologist and illustrator who works at the Urban Wildlife Institute as the zoo's Wildlife Management Coordinator. We will have some pairs of binoculars to share during the event. Entry to the zoo and the boardwalk is completely free and non-ticketed. This event will also promote an upcoming zoo program, Safe Space in Nature, upcoming in June of 2023. This program will provide queer and ally middle and high schoolers an opportunity to connect with various field ecologies and scientific methods while being mentored by queer science professionals. This event is being coordinated in part by the zoo's Conservation Ambassador Board, a program in which high school students come together to develop projects that benefit their communities and wildlife conservation. These students and their mentors will be joining us for our event to better connect with our Out in Nature community and brainstorm ideas for the Safe Space in Nature program. If you have middle and high school level leaners in your life who would be interested in such a program, spread the word and keep in touch! Meeting Location & Parking: We will meet at the patio at Cafe Brauer, which is at the north end of the Nature Boardwalk at 10:00 AM. We'll plan to explore and bird together until 12:00 PM. After which, please feel free to enjoy the zoo and the multiple eateries and cafes in the area. Free street parking is often available along Stockton Dr near the zoo's "Farm-in-the-zoo", just a bit south of Cafe Brauer. Should you decide to park in the zoo's parking lot, parking passes can be provided for free exit. The boardwalk and Cafe Brauer can be accessed from the parking lot via the paved, accessible pathway located just south of the zoo's "Bus Drop-Off". Accessibility & Bathrooms: The Nature Boardwalk pathway is accessible to those who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. There are multiple benches around the pathway as needed. The boardwalk path (a loop ~0.5 miles in length) is either recycled composite planks or paved with flat topography. There are small paved pathways near the "Peoples Gas Education Pavilion" that provide greater access to prairie spaces and are at small inclines. There are gendered, accessible bathrooms at the "Farm-in-the-zoo", a short distance from the boardwalk. To assist with wayfinding, you can view the zoo's Accessibility Map here. Keep in touch with Out in Nature here!