River Forest

Ecosystem Overview

The River Forest ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 86 taxonomic genera. Located in Cook County, Illinois, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #7 for species diversity among 97 Cook County County natural areas, placing it in the 93th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 97 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#7 of 97 locations

93th percentile for diversity

vs. Evanston

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Euonymus obovatus

running euonymus

Very Common9 obs.

Odocoileus virginianus

Key Deer

Very Common9 obs.

Claytonia virginica

Eastern Springbeauty

Very Common7 obs.

Podophyllum peltatum

Mayapple

Very Common6 obs.

Persicaria virginiana

American Jumpseed

Very Common5 obs.

Zanthoxylum americanum

northern prickly-ash

Common5 obs.

Asarum canadense

wild ginger

Common5 obs.

Ficaria verna

Lesser Celandine

Common5 obs.

Hesperis matronalis

Dames rocket

Common5 obs.

Packera glabella

cress-leaf groundsel

Common4 obs.

Cardamine concatenata

Five-Part Toothwort

Common4 obs.

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Shawnee Salad

Occasional4 obs.

Erythronium albidum

white trout-lily

Occasional4 obs.

Alliaria petiolata

garlic mustard

Occasional4 obs.

Trillium recurvatum

Prairie Trillium

Occasional4 obs.

Geranium maculatum

Wild Geranium

Occasional4 obs.

Sanguinaria canadensis

Puccoon-Root

Occasional3 obs.

Celtis occidentalis

Hackberry

Rare3 obs.

Arisaema triphyllum

Indian-turnip

Rare3 obs.

Anaxyrus americanus

American Toad

Rare3 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+61%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Cook County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Evanston

Importance: 0.54

100 species

0% vs. current

Cook County

Importance: 0.53

100 species

0% vs. current

Oak Park

Importance: 0.51

35 species

+186% vs. current

Skokie

Importance: 0.51

92 species

+9% vs. current

Cicero

Importance: 0.50

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Des Plaines

Importance: 0.50

57 species

+75% vs. current

Park Ridge

Importance: 0.50

7 species

+1329% vs. current

Glenview

Importance: 0.49

100 species

0% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Cook County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+61%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Cook County County, Illinois

Nearby Natural Areas

Evanston

Importance: 0.54

100 species

0% vs. current

Cook County

Importance: 0.53

100 species

0% vs. current

Oak Park

Importance: 0.51

35 species

+186% vs. current

Skokie

Importance: 0.51

92 species

+9% vs. current

Cicero

Importance: 0.50

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Des Plaines

Importance: 0.50

57 species

+75% vs. current

Park Ridge

Importance: 0.50

7 species

+1329% vs. current

Glenview

Importance: 0.49

100 species

0% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 97 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#7 of 97 locations

93th percentile for diversity

vs. Evanston

0% species diversity

American Toad

Rare3 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.