City Colleges of Chicago Wetland

Located on the Olive-Harvey College Campus
Located on the Olive-Harvey College Campus

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The City Colleges of Chicago are extremely fortunate to have a 10+ acre, natural wetland on its Olive-Harvey College Campus. No other college around Chicago has something like this.

There is a large amount of native wildlife making its home in the wetland, including white-tailed deer, coyotes, red-winged blackbirds, prairie crayfish, butterflies, dragonflies, and many native plants.

The CCC Wetland is an ephemeral or seasonal wetland, meaning it holds water in Spring but dries up in Summer. This is of special importance to amphibians. Frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts love to breed in these kind of wetlands, where there are no fish to eat their eggs. Our wetland is also important habitat for migratory birds: please take a look at our many species on the Species Photos tab!

Unfortunately, there are also many invasive species disturbing the wetland, especially the invasive plants Phragmites and teasel. Invasive species are not native to an ecosystem and are likely to cause environmental harm.

In Spring 2011 we began a comprehensive restoration of the wetland to eliminate invasive species. This will result in many more native species and numbers of animals and plants living in our wetland. Please look at the Restoration tab and volunteer on the Volunteer Signup tab!

Video about the CCC Wetland by my student and videographer Mr. Juan Jimenez.

Video captures of deer does & bucks, red-winged blackbird, and a pair of coyotes at night!


Listen to the red-winged blackbirds & frog chorus!