Every Picture Tells a Story 12/6/13

Take a good look at this lovely stretch of the Chicago River just south of Montrose Avenue--because it won't look this lovely much longer.

As lush and green as the banks of the river are--the song of the wind rustling the leaves on a warm summer night is something to hear--they're not supposed to be so lush and green. Invasive plants, most notably buckthorn, grow wild along the banks, putting them at substantial risk for erosion.

To deal with the problem, the Army Corps of Engineers is coming in and cutting down the invasive overgrowth.

On the plus side, this stretch of river between Montrose and Irving Park Road will be restored to its proper natural state, and the banks will be stabilized for many years to come.

On the not-so-plus side, the city will lose a piece of rural beauty tucked in amongst the steel, concrete and noise of one of the largest cities on the planet, something that looks like it doesn't belong here at all.

Unfortunately, it turns out it really doesn't.