Adler Planetarium

Revive a Natural Area for a Corporate Campus

Located on Chicago’s lakeshore since 1930, the Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. The museum typically hosts more than half a million visitors each year and reaches millions more through youth STEAM programs, neighborhood skywatching events, online citizen science and other outreach efforts. Pizzo & Associates were called upon to troubleshoot erosion of the museum’s land & revive native life in specified areas of the unique and historical grounds.

Native Plants to Help with Erosion Control & Natural Area Stewardship

Site preparation began by treating existing vegetation with a nonselective herbicide over two visits to ensure complete eradication. Removal of dead vegetation was followed by scarification of the ground surface to make it suitable for planting. The grade was restored to match adjacent slopes and was leveled within one inch of adjacent walkways. This task involved importing and placing topsoil in areas affected by settling or erosion and removing excess soil deposited at the base of slopes due to erosion. All debris, weeds and rocks larger than one inch were cleared from the soil surface before planting. This installation included carefully chosen native seeds and plugs, occupying the area with plants that would root deep to aid in erosion control. The slope treatment utilized Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ followed by a mulch layer, while lower entry beds were planted with Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind”, also mulched.

To support site stability, retaining walls were constructed and a 250 foot stone maintenance strip with edging was built. Temporary irrigation was installed along the base of all planted slopes and was maintained throughout the first year of establishment. To protect the newly planted areas and prevent public access, temporary screen fencing was set up along the base of all slopes and remained in place through the second year. For erosion control, a North American Green SC-150 erosion control blanket was applied to all seeded and plugged areas on the East slope, while a North American Green C-125 blanket was used for planted areas on the West façade where mulch is not present. These blankets were critical to ensure proper seed-to-soil contact and prevent erosion as unprotected areas are prone to wearing away and seed failure.

Pizzo & Associates included a three-year stewardship plan to ensure the health, stability and overall success of these native areas. Year 1 stewardship involved two mowings and biweekly visits following installation. Year 2 included spring and fall cleanups with bimonthly visits from April to November and Year 3 provided a spring cleanup and bimonthly visits from April to November.

Revitalized Natural Area

Integrity of the land has been restored and glowing native vegetation thrives surrounding the Adler Planetarium, greeting its millions of visitors with an undeniable and timeless elegance.