Green Legacy Projects

Protect, Preserve and Expand Our Green Legacy

A REGIONAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Our region’s communities are connected through a network of open spaces and natural areas — greenways and trails, wetlands, parks and forest preserves — from southeastern Wisconsin through Illinois to northwestern Indiana. A century ago, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett unveiled their Plan of Chicago, a framework for growth in the greater Chicago area. Their vision included a network of forest preserve districts, open spaces and trails that laid the foundation for the green infrastructure that so enriches the quality of life in our three-state Chicago metropolis.

GREEN LEGACY PROJECTS

One of the priority goals of the Burnham Plan Centennial is to make real progress in closing important gaps in the region’s green infrastructure and to build momentum for creating the nation’s greenest region during the next 100 years. Across the metropolitan area, the Burnham Plan Centennial and the nonprofit organization Openlands have identified more than 20 “Green Legacy” projects that close some of these critical gaps. When completed, these projects will help to:

• Complete Our Region’s Trail System
• Connect Us to Our Rivers and Streams
• Expand Neighborhood Green Space
• Protect Our Shoreline
• Preserve Regionally Significant Open Space

All of the Burnham Plan Centennial Green Legacy Projects build on many years of hard work by civic organizations, community residents, foundations and government. They are the enduring legacy of Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago, are critical to the long-term health of the region and serve as catalysts for improving our quality of life over the next 100 years.

The Burnham Plan Centennial is working to complete regional projects in the Burnham spirit, and initiate bold new plans for the next century.
[Bold New Plans]