Urban Rivers

Our Mission: To transform urban waterways into wildlife sanctuaries, and to provide an opportunity for all city residents to reconnect with nature in new and meaningful ways. How We Work: We bring together innovators, ecologists and designers in the urban waterway space from around the world to create truly innovative, wildlife-first destinations. We include local community groups in the design and construction process, so that everyone from students, to local businesses plays an active role in making their surrounding world a better place with their own hands and minds. In addition, we run a layer of programming at these destinations that includes everything from elementary school curriculum, to sponsoring graduate school research projects, to organizing conservation-minded volunteer programs for people of all ages. How We Are Different: Most spaces are created to be “people-first,” but we design wildlife-first solutions and then find sustainable ways for people to access, enjoy and benefit from that space, creating something more special for wildlife and humans alike. With our wildlife-first ethos, we look at problems differently and think of creative ways to improve and increase wildlife habitat. Our Projects: Our core work thus far has been in Chicago, where we are currently building the Wild Mile in partnership with SOM, the City of Chicago and other local partners. When complete, it will be a mile-long floating eco-park on the Chicago River, fit with floating walkways, floating gardens, and even floating forests.