The South Shore Nature Sanctuary
The South Shore Nature Sanctuary is a 6-acre natural area within the Chicago Park District, consisting of native ecosystems and plants that are indigenous to our midwestern landscape. It is located on Lake Michigan in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, and is open year round.
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Land Acknowledgment
The South Shore Nature Sanctuary is located on the traditional unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. Many other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, and Fox also called this area home. The region has long been a center for Indigenous people to gather, trade, and maintain kinship ties. Today, one of the largest urban Native American communities in the United States resides in Chicago. Members of this community continue to contribute to the life of this city and to celebrate their heritage, practice traditions, and care for the land and waterways. Volunteer stewards at the South Shore Nature Sanctuary strive to continue native populations' respect for land through their work in this space. This takes the form of teaching and advocating for practices like native seed collection and propagation, the protection of native flora and fauna, and support for the work of local native community groups.