Restoring the Chicago River & Bringing Back the Wildlife Real Nice

[@sahiriothstill]

At 9:10 marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is shown as part of Asteraceae. Isn't it in Ranunculaceae?

[@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt]

It is! Don't know how the mis-id got in there. Happens. My bad. Fuck it. Thanks for catching it.

[@phillydterminaldisease6578]

HAHA NEEEERDS 😂😂😂🎉

[@asteria4279]

​@@phillydterminaldisease6578 damn right! Nerds be the BEST! 🤣

[@EvolutionWendy]

❤️🌻 somebody's paying attention, Tonys just checkin on us🌻❤️

[@jarooosa]

Imagine just 1 billion a year taken out of the defence budget to support this sort of activity in urban rivers across the U.S. The benefits would be enormous.

[@snigwithasword1284]

Fiat currency babeee. Federal funny money doesn't exist until it's spent. We could have our bombs AND our bare minimum restoration projects if we wanted.

[@swayback7375]

Or education Or infrastructure Or affordable housing or healthcare or whatever “improvement” measly citizens want… But if they took 1 billion out of the defense budget for every little thing… well then eventually the US “defense” budget might go low that we couldn’t recruit new soldiers or send bombs overseas indefinitely and indiscriminately. What then buddy? What then!

[@fishmonger6879]

What about part of the $150 Billion we gave Ukraine ?

[@zuresei]

@@fishmonger6879 do any republicans fight for native plant restoration? i feel like the republicans despise the green party, so this deflection kinda doesn't make sense to me. would republicans have *ever* voted for the benefit of the climate if we just squeezed the Ukraine aid? is that what we're supposed to believe?

[@easytherecowboy6978]

@@zuresei IKR? In my opinion, I count that Ukraine aid as military spending too because we been sending new weapons that we haven't been able to test. However, it is slightly more acceptable morally because its in active defense of a non-agressive ally, not to some random weapons contractor that will either hoard it or reinvest in more weapons designed to eliminate lives.

[@Shakespearept]

Makes me happy that things like this exist. Also, "maybe it gives your boss another day or two" is the best endorsement of this project.

[@FallenSkater1940]

I'm an Illinois native and I could name a dozen spots along the Mississippi that could use this kind of treatment. If this project succeeds in Chicago of all places there's potential it could influence smaller municipalities to try something similar.

[@boa1793]

@Dinosore, It might be more satisfying to keep the government out of it and educate. Make a video. Give a few talks/presentations in the area. People would love it because it expands their awareness.

[@boa1793]

@Dinosore, White pride is scary. Some conservatives, though, in my area (Northern Wisconsin) are getting into saving the environment as important. It can be neutral. It depends on how you present it and how you argue it when they start saying commie plot or there ain’t no global warming. “Communists have nothing to do with this. This is our river and we want to be pleasant enough to use.” “Global warming doesn’t have a lot to do with our dirty river. Don’t you want to fish in it? Don’t you want to walk by the flowing water?” “You can contribute by taking your trash to the next can, your garbage to the landfill.” I really get into figuring out ways of getting rid people have blinded themselves to shift their beliefs.

[@boa1793]

@Dr. Pyssinshytz, I disagree. They try to conserve what is good for them. I don’t see them conserving for the whole of humanity. They might believe they are doing for nature.

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

What do you mean by "Chicago of all places?" This project is already succeeding and has been for years now. You haven't been paying attention if you think otherwise

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

@@Dr-Pyssin-Shytz I think you're mixing up conservatives with actual conversationalists. This isn't about political ideology. Get that bipartisan bullshit out of here

[@dylanwilliams8765]

Best crossover of native plant educators. So good to see these guys get to speak at length with someone on their level about the project. Hoping the river walk expansions for the Salt Shed and Lincoln Yards will include natural borders and rehabilitation considerations despite being the busy side of the fork.

[@phasmata3813]

Yay! I used to work with Phil years ago in ecological restoration. It is super cool to see what he is doing now getting this kind of attention, and it is also super cool that you guys got to meet.

[@inappropriatejohnson]

Thanks, guys. That was lovely. We had a Chicago moment.

[@PK1312]

It's incredible how even after a century of abuse on an industrial scale, so much managed to survive, and how much it's able to bounce back with just a little work.

[@freesov]

hell yeah, glad you got to talk to them. the whole project is fucking amazing and should expand to run the entire length of the channelized river

[@TuzeTea]

I pulled all the wild mustard out of my yard last spring and this year had only one plant! Here (Ontario Canada) they have an app in case you find any invasive plants in parks or protected areas so you can report and help map the data. I really think they should have a dating profile option on there because finding love is hard, but finding other people who enjoy botany, eradication of invasive species, and data mapping/collection is even harder

[@qwopiretyu]

Truly if someone tried to pick me up with "do you wanna go catalog invasive species?" I'd be hard pressed to stay faithful

[@TuzeTea]

@@qwopiretyu lol exactly why the app would be helpful for those of us who would find that pick up line alluring

[@FDLHtv]

What's the app for finding invasive species?

[@lmpnchi9416]

Young garlic mustard is also delicious

[@gluetubeserver]

Tell us the app!!

[@bobair2]

I t will always be Sears tower to me no matter what some knob names it today and since I lived in Toronto back in the 80s the "Skydome" is still the Skydome weather knobs like it or not. Corporations suck for their continual nonsense about what we paying customers should put up with-news flash -we the costumers are always right so GFY. I could go on but hey I said my piece. Tony the work being done along the Chicago River is a good thing as it means some people at least care and wildlife has a chance to flourish and that I can support! Tony you rock,man!!!

[@Alsatiagent]

I still call it the Skydome too. I'd love for Joey to check out the Don River Valley, its many ravines, and the Brickworks which was once an open pit where I used to whip bottles into. One spring when the guard was away (late 70s) I walked down in to it to find bullrushes and baby toads everywhere. The next there were turtles (domestic but still). Then they landscaped it all burying untold numbers of hibernating turtles but the spring after that there were two large snappers who still live there decades later. A third has joined them since. I've got photos of them mating in the pond and they are producing young snappers who are doomed as they can't make it over a curb they built around the ponds. They also have to deal with Blue Herons, and Racoons. Not to mention their cannibalistic parents. For couple of years there was a solitary beaver and muskrats. I've seen deer, coyotes and the largest Eastern Milk snake that I've ever come across. Dunnp bout the botany though. They got Milkweed.

[@juliettedemaso7588]

Chicago native here and I’m saying I’m fairly sure I’m related to Nick and Phil. Like in the Chicago way. They’re like 2020’s Celozzi and Ettleson but their parents are from Berwyn or Romeoville and now they’re over in Hyde Park or whatever. I love these guys, not in a weird way. If you need help with plants give me a heads up.

[@okeefer2000]

I love Jewel Weed, when it’s in a natural environment. I was told, and correct me if I am wrong, that if you break the stalks and rub the juicy gel on your skin, it soothes bug bites and non native Poison Ivy. It looks a lot like aloe gel when you crush it. I see it some times here on Long Island , NY. I saw it more often when I was a child in the 70’s. Doesn’t seem too aggressive here, maybe because it doesn’t get too hot here.

[@hhheee3939]

I see u guys everywhere since chonkasaurus. Even on da weadther channel real gniice.

[@calnative4904]

I’ve seen it in a few online news stories

[@lamiaceae7774]

Howdy partner, just wanna let you know that my coworkers and I (foresters/arborists) saw your last Chicago River video on the local news here in Kansas! There was a whole segment deal and interview with ya, it was pretty righteous to see you on the news over here! Keep up the good work, botany does pay!

[@katiekane5247]

Bioremediation & beavers in a swale along the Chicago river, there's a song in there somewhere. Your trip home brought attention to the cause, what a wonderful thing 😊

[@anaritamartinho1340]

Go Urban Rivers, great idea to have habitat in a river👏💪it came to me the idea of puting plates with the name of the native plants,information to people and families that come to visit the habitat,..., banks, people sit and admire the habitat...

[@JustinDeRosa]

Yo....

[@pal98111]

The wild hibiscus is so much more beautiful than the gross dinner plate hybrids.

[@RobinMarks1313]

Baby snappers are so cute. They are like little dinosaurs with their spikes and pointy mouth. They look like toys until they move.

[@futureshocked]

Just FYI Chicago Water Reclamation actually does a lot of really interesting environmental projects out on the Chicago River and Cal Sag. On the Cal Sag they have this 'step channel' that helps re-oxygenate the water. They also have crews that go along the river and collect scrap.

[@moominsean]

Good stuff. There are a few yards in my north side neighborhood that are just native prairie plants. I don't know why more people don't do it. Super easy to care for and you plant them once and they keep coming back every year. I got tired of buying new plants for our big planters out front and stuck some natives in there a few years ago and every spring they all pop right back up!

[@nataliella97]

I wonder where else they're doing these river restoration projects? we're just getting underway with one on the gowanus in NYC, and it only took about 20 years.

[@erntaku]

This whole project is so effing cool! I really hope it's extra successful and the right people take notice so it can be done in more cities.

[@kathyastrom1315]

In the past few years, I’ve been inheriting my father’s family photos going back a few generations. One was taken (probably by my great-grandfather who was a barber on the far South Side) in 1915 on a small river excursion tour boat, that looked like it could only fit maybe 50-75 people at most. It was kept, I am sure, because it was a photo of the half-submerged Eastland, taken in the few months before it was salvaged from the main branch. (That must have been a grisly rubber-necking stop on the tour.) Now, after watching your video, I have to wonder just how bad the pollution was in the river that day and how bad was the smell to those tourists and locals.

[@trueword247]

0:53 To be clear, that is Waste Management, a garbage management location, NOT a human (fecal) waste management location. Human waste is managed by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

[@katiekane5247]

It's ironic, humans made it so nasty that wildlife could be unharrassed. Thanks guys for giving a shit!

[@thomasgaertig9453]

The Chernobyl of Chicago

[@iseriver3982]

The world needs more guys like this.

[@stephenclark7940]

Joey’s shock and disbelief at each species, “you’ve seen hummingbirds …. On the Chicago river” “You’ve seen eagles ….. on the Chicago river” 🤣

[@andicarson1339]

This is an amazing thing happening! I'm so glad you heard about and shared it with us! Aquatic life is where my heart is happiest. I hope more of this happens around the country (and world)!!! Thank-you! My son lives on Chicago. I will share this with him.

[@bybeach4865]

What an excellent show here! Really happy with these guys pushing forward and making something work. The argument that their efforts would be better at some rural or park area completely misses the mark. It's cleaning up where you are, giving people something to look at and play with besides the same old urban environs and then the old city park. There is an old saying about not going number 2 where you eat, and this is an approach to making the balance better. I don't live in Chicago, but a big hurray for them and whomever else is involved.

[@galeparker1067]

"........make us feel less like puking when in the bounds of human infrastructure........" 🤣🤣🤣 You made my day!! Week!!! Month..... 👃✌️🥰🇨🇦 Big thank you fer yer channel, eh!!! 🤘🤘🥰

[@magicjordan7478]

So glad to see this. I've been reading more about bioremediation and the potential of aquaponic type systems and the use of plants to natural clean and filter water. Did not know about the clam/mussels filtration potential for our rivers here in the Chi. May the Chicago river wildlife forever be preserved. And may that Chicago accent of Joey also forever be preserved.

[@clorophil1310]

This is so inspiring to see. Seems like there's slow perspective shift happening, and its so nice to see that change happening. I'm working on a small 2 acre native wetland prairie restoration project about a quarter-mile from the headwaters of the Kankakee River. Stuff is only now starting to come up, and man does it feel good to see those first flowers. I'm prepping another 5 acres for seeding this fall. Crazy how even just a couple of hours a week can make such a big difference.

[@saulemaroussault6343]

Such a cool channel, such a cool project. Thank you for publicising it, I hope they get a lot of volunteers !!!

[@mkraulis]

My mind definitely seems to think nature reclamation projects are a positive endeavor to be emulated as often as is possible.

[@lefroy1]

What a great initiative from these guys. It's a beautiful thing.

[@AndreaDingbatt]

Thank you very much for sharing this information and knowledge with us All!❤ So many Invasive plants, but I'm seeing the Natives are making a comeback!!🎉 Awesome that people are getting better at building back the Original Ecological River Plants and helping the Critters!! Those huge Alligator Snapping Turtles are Massive!!😮 I'd be so cautious about losing Toes and Fingers!! Beavers are awesome for making the Waterways Flow the way they should!!❤🎉 Thank You so Much Again for helping the Wildlife in Urban areas!!❤🎉 ~This is giving me a Lot of ideas for the piece of land and riverside I have just bought!! Seriously Congratulations!!🎉 Turning a shitty, filthy River back into as original as possible!!🎉 That's Fecking Awesome!! Namasté 🙏💞 Andréa and Critters. ...XxX....

[@menacingyou]

The generalist mussell that continues to populate is something to look further into before continuing this exact process but I love everything else I heard on this. I will look into Ohio river ideas.

[@MI-wc6nk]

really awesome, kudos to all involved.

[@candle_nine]

I feel like I've been noticed an uptick in different wildlife I've been seeing, as well, and it's been a pretty nice feeling. A week or two ago riding my bike home from work at night, a little bit north of this place I saw a beaver in Clark Park putting some work into a branch that had fallen close to the path. It had been coming back over the next few days putting a little more work into that branch and dragging parts away. It's a pretty heavily trafficked area, but also I didn't even realize that beavers were that far into the city at that point.

[@clumsiii]

This project is so cool . real proof of concept -- hey: Crime Pays Joey -- let's see an update in the summer like your hosts said when it's popping

[@najakwarkle]

This filled me with such joy. Thanks to those fellas for starting something so positive. Look at all the momentum they've built up.

[@barrett5195]

I'm so glad people are doing things for the plants even though they can't eat them.

[@mattlukasik2486]

I’d love to see some videos on the Indiana Dunes/ the dunes eco systems that run up the coast of Michigan

[@zb9458]

Hey CPBBD, just wanted to say you've been an inspiration to me. Today I just received news that we got a $5k grant to plant 20 trees in the Nob Hill neighborhood in San Francisco. It started with me illegally planting two trees after being inspired by you. I just wanted to say that I appreciate you posting this stuff since it gives me motivation and hope knowing that I can make a difference. Thank you!

[@ericmartin4832]

This is great. You're preaching to the choir, But I hope that someone who had no idea will watch and understand.

[@crystaleidson6042]

SEARS TOWER YEA The whole "we tried to grow food but there was too much lead in it" part, holy cow. So right now native aquatic plants that can remediate some of that contamination is the best thing it's possible to do. Support native wildlife, native wildlife eats invasive wildlife, good times

[@junkettarp8942]

Honestly Tony....When we feel stressed......We put on your podcast and settle right down......Your bloody Awesome.

[@phantomwifi]

Wooooow this is so amazing and the only kind of hopeful news I can take (cuz it’s the real kind of hopeful news, not the fake positive kind). Thank you Urban Rivers project + Crime Pays!

[@lswhalen1]

I’d like to see this on the Hudson River near Albany NY ❤

[@ZedaZ80]

I dare you to do it :0

[@dominoot2652]

Fuckin love this shit. Ecology. Education. People making shit that matters.

[@law1831]

A lot of people down on that river but it has come a long way from where it once was. The variety of fish species I've caught and seen in there amazes me. Big Bluegills, white crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, and I saw a tiger muskie. If the hipsters keep up the good work they're doing, it can really turn into a biodiverse place!

[@canadiangemstones7636]

Floating bioswales, I’ll be damned, that’s clever.

[@JosephOfTheJungle]

God bless these boys. This is an amazing thing here. I love to see it.

[@TickTockTimeTraveler]

This was so informative, I had no idea there were native mussels in the Chicago River and how quickly their ecosystem could be reimplemented. Urban reclamation projects are really fascinating, thank you for sharing!!

[@Clarytee217]

Good shit! Kudos to the whole crew.

[@raphlvlogs271]

11:17 those hooves and fur down there are very likely to become intact fossils ages later due to their hardness and the anaerobic conditions they were in

[@jjdawg9918]

Great to see this. I will definitely have to visit in mid/late summer when the plants are full tilt. I wonder if you have gotten a chance to visit the Lake in the Hills Fen/Praire about 40 miles northwest of Chicago? Now that is peaceful in late summer when the Big Bluestem gets about 6' tall

[@mistagreengenes5319]

I grew up on the South side 87th and Cicero I lived next to the river at 1 time and my buddy made up a song called Down by the green S*****city river

[@jonathanverret6872]

the only 30 minute video i will watch on youtube. pure gold

[@bobbaoreilly1453]

Sweet. Lots of cities are doing similar projects and it's great to see. Lots to learn on how we might scale these floating wetlands up and/or improve them.

[@morganw.4711]

This makes me feel a whole lot less like curling up to die. Thanks Joey.

[@nannybannany]

This is amazing! I live in a rural area with a lot of natural green spaces but there are some more urban-ish areas too. This was fascinating to think about the positive reclamation!

[@kscottz]

This shit is wild. Tell the aldermen that it is the "Midwest HighLine" and watch the funding roll in to do the whole river.

[@Viralsmells]

I can not imagine how beautiful middle America was before industrialization

[@kellyb.9553]

I helped cut some of those trees on the upper embankment to help with the river habitat! Never a bad day to chainsaw trees without cleanup, with an additional benefit of adding habitat to the river!

[@ykofthemist6298]

i would love for you to come down to California to check out the kings river. The river is flooded and the highest I've seen it! It would be cool for you to what plants are growing in the old flood plains now that there is more water. The river flooding has also caused the tulare basin (An old great lake that was dried up from damning) to start to refill.

[@en0n126]

This is down across the river from Goose Island. About 4 miles north on the river there's a large native planting area on the actual bank of the river running the whole length of Horner Park, between Irving Park Rd. & Montrose (about 11 acres). It was a multi year collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers. It's very nice and dense I recommend you go check it out in the spring.

[@brandonlee4175]

This would work really well in Detroit's Rouge River

[@natewexler]

Do you belong to Friends of the Rouge? They might be interested!

[@steadfast4837]

Beautiful work!!

[@katiekane5247]

Question; do the rafts float with river change or just tolerate flooding?

[@JazzViolinListeningLounge]

Do you know, Tony?

[@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt]

I believe they rise and fall with river levels.

[@SlausonAve60s]

The Passaic river in Newark NJ needs something like this

[@madmattdigs9518]

I love it! I’m going to do some volunteer work with these guys

[@austintracy9798]

Thanks for getting more eyes on projects like this!

[@joefization]

This is real nice Tony! Thanks for taking us along!

[@Anne-op5sy]

Incredible improvement of the Chicago river but so much work to do. These guys are doing great work. You gotta go to the north branch of the Chicago river… rare bit of the river that has private residential properties and docks, not nearly as industrial or developed, a bunch of coyotes napping on docks.. it’s their highway. Good birdwatching especially a decent amount of kingfishers (at least that was the case 5 years ago)

[@boa1793]

How are the swales made? Can communities make them fairly cheaply through diy?

[@bak4320]

Nice, will have to go check this place out

[@ThreeRunHomer]

The big guy is a truly talented speaker. He could host a weekly TV show about this stuff. 👍🏼

[@pineapplepizza27]

seeing this kind of native biodiversity on the chicago river is like chicken soup for the soul. love to see some nice humans putting in the work to restore ecosystems :)

[@amym7046]

So glad you got to meet up with these guys! Good stuff.

[@FunghiJacob]

Thank you for staying with this shit, Joey. Thanks Guys!

[@dcpunk4]

This is awesome. I saw floating walkways like this in Denver too when I visited

[@hannahpumpkins4359]

The snapping turtles like to eat plants and fish, but they love Italian beef sandwiches, Lou Malnati's pizza, Chicago dogs dragged through the garden wrapped up with some fries, and of course an Old Style with a Malort chaser.

[@raclark2730]

Legends we need this on every urban river on Earth. 😎👍

[@circuitsalsa]

I would love to see some way of getting musk rats to get at the zebra mussels up here on lake champlain!! wow, strong work you guys

[@fireauntutube]

I know where there's an old growth forest in West Park New York that nobody else knows about. I'd like to share my information with you.

[@rockjockchick]

Keep it hidden. It will be safest that way. ❤

[@23ebone]

Chicago is lucky to have you as a native son, Oakland is lucky to have you as an adopted one.

[@64Pete]

This makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside... these days, that's a rare thing. Nice job fellas, and thanks for showing us Joey bud! GFY!

[@durere]

The world needs more men like these 3 over here nice.

[@didevrythngrghtndthyindictedme]

How much lead does something like this harvest from the water?

[@cacogenicist]

_Ailanthus altissima_ is _all_ over everywhere here in the Portland, OR, metropolitan area -- and we have basically arid summers. Very hot, very dry. So I would say that thing can manage without summer rain.

[@oldmango8606]

well done Tony, thanks

[@SeantheBioBro]

Great project and video. Big fan of the podcast and just found the channel. Cheers!

[@StoneE4]

Anyone have some advice for keeping a healthy, propagating bed of Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)? Every time I've tried planting them they seem to last for 2 or 3 years and then die out without propagating.

[@stevedotson8207]

They like it wet. And lime

[@nautilus2612]

Make a bog garden for them, or plant them on the edges of a pond

[@gusgreen3104]

Who would know Illinois has such a diverse native selection of plants. Thank the stars there are so few many who really care.

[@sushipsychose]

Showing this to us again in the summer is a must

[@Sondergarden]

Reminds me of the chinampas in Mexico

[@Veronicavalyavov]

Yo. I’m in the great state of illinois and am wondering what I can do to purify a small pond in my area? It’s basically a big mud puddle with sad fish in it. Any help is appreciated

[@nautilus2612]

Native aquatic plants absorb nutrients pollutants and release oxygen in the water. Still, if fish live and reproduce in it no intervention is needed.

[@Rich-od8bs]

Really cool 👍