Not our work but one of the inspirations for Parkway Prairies!
Restoring Urban Ecosystems, both digitally & in real life
Parkway Prairies is a Chicago-based ecological design studio. We restore native pollinator habitats in the real world and simulate them in the digital one.
© 2026 Parkway Prairies LLC. All rights reserved.Privacy: Information collected via our application forms is used strictly for ecological assessment and neighborhood communication. We will never sell your data.Disclaimer: Parkway Prairies LLC is a private ecological design studio and is not affiliated with the City of Chicago. Homeowners are responsible for contacting J.U.L.I.E. (811) prior to any digging to locate underground utilities but Parkway Prairies will assist with this. By hosting a "Planting Party," homeowners assume all liability for physical installation and volunteer safety.
What We DoRebuilding Chicago's wildlife corridors through community action and data-driven design.Parkway Prairies is a local Avondale ecological design studio. We partner with neighbors to transform concrete-heavy streetfacing parkways into living, breathing native ecosystems. We make ecological restoration accessible, beautiful, and highly successful by combining advanced simulation technology with community sweat equity.Proprietary Ecological Design
We don't just guess what will look good. Parkway Prairies uses our proprietary simulation engine to custom-design your habitat. By inputting your parkway’s exact sun, soil, and spatial data, our algorithm generates an optimized, biologically diverse plant matrix designed to thrive on your specific block.Community Planting Parties
We provide the digital design, the native plants, and an expert on-site foreman at absolutely zero cost. In exchange, you and your neighbors contribute to the establishment of the plants by hosting a weekend Planting Party to get the plants in the ground and commit to watering them through their first summer, to help them establish for years to come.The 1-for-1 Impact Pledge
How are the plants free? Our installations are funded by local business sponsorships and our digital community. Our simulation engine is currently being expanded into an educational digital-twin game. For every copy sold, our players directly fund one real-world native plant for a Chicago neighborhood.
Sponsor a native plant garden
Do you own a local business interested in sponsoring the plant material and design for neighbors to convert their parkways to native landscapes?
Apply for a free native plant garden
We are connecting Chicago's fractured green spaces by transforming concrete-heavy residential parkways into thriving native plant habitats. This brings monarchs, songbirds, and other vital pollinators back to our neighborhoods while reducing flooding and chemical runoff.Currently, we are fully sponsoring free native plant installations for eligible neighbors in the Avondale and Logan Square area. You provide the water; we provide the ecosystem.
Text us at:
(312) 373-0018
Email us at:
[email protected]
The Game
The ecology doesn't stop at the sidewalk. We are currently developing an interactive digital simulation game where you heal broken ecosystems and discover the intricate mechanics of nature. Think SimCity but for native plants.A portion of future game proceeds will directly fund our real-world urban planting initiatives right here in Chicago! One game = one native plant in the ground.
Test Plot Photos
City south-facing parkway, partial/sun partial shade. Previously daylillies, English Ivy, and Morning Glory, all invasive and not productive for wildlife.
Planting Day! June 1st 2025
90 Day Progress Update
June 1 to August 31
Smooth blue aster flowering after only 110 days!
