Groundwater quietly supports healthy streams, urban forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitat throughout the year, especially during the dry summer months. In this month’s featured article, we explore how groundwater functions within the watershed, why it matters for climate resilience and water quality, and how community actions can help improve groundwater recharge and long-term ecosystem health.
Since launching the Pecan Creek Beaver Habitat Restoration and Education Project, the Oswego Lake Watershed Council (OLWC) has made meaningful strides in both habitat restoration and student engagement.
Our first year of restoration at this site resulted in significant improvements across one acre of the nine-acre natural area. This acre contained the most critical habitat: a small, perennial creek that flows into Lily Bay.
The urban world that humans create can have a range of disruptions to the surrounding natural systems. The removal of vegetation, construction of buildings, infrastructure, altered waterways, fragmented habitat, pollution, noise, and light. While we can find ways to mitigate the negative impacts and use more environmentally friendly approaches, the fact remains that our presence has an impact.