Sustainable Parkway Resolution

The Problem

You know that strip of land between the curb and the sidewalk? It has many names, but in Chicago it’s officially called a “parkway.” In our city, there are over 7,000 acres of parkways. They contain around 90% of the city’s tree canopy. Underneath, it is customary for the city to install turfgrass. Turfgrass isn’t native to our part of the world, and it takes a lot of resources to make it look its best. The city owns this land, but property owners must maintain it—and it’s hard to do that in Chicago. Weeding, watering, and applying lawncare products costs time and money for homeowners, and landlords pass on these costs to renters. All for something that doesn’t benefit us or the natural world.

The fact is, parkways could be doing more for local residents—humans and wildlife alike. They could direct the water off Chicago streets when it rains, support native plants to feed birds and butterflies, keep local neighborhoods cooler and greener, and invite interactions with nature that support the personal wellbeing of individuals.