A P P ENDI X B - G OA L S & OB JEC T IV ES Improve the overall health and natural functions of the terrestrial, transitional, and hydrologic systems within the Kankakee River region. • Restore surrounding marshland and floodplain systems in order to reduce the effects of annual flooding. • Strengthen buffer zones adjacent to the river channel in an effort to treat contaminated runoff and improve the water quality in the river. • Convert the channelized river back to its previous meandering form by connecting its flow back into remnant channels and re-dredging portions to align with its historic path.
Generate a thriving habitat where both native wildlife and plant life can re-establish themselves and ultimately flourish in an area that has been disfigured over the past two centuries. • Reconstruct habitats so that they better serve a wide array of wildlife species. • Utilize a plant palette comprised exclusively of native vegetation. • Select plant species that provide food and habitat for wildlife while simultaneously serving as key components in the natural fluvial systems.
Increase general accessibility to the Kankakee River and improve connectivity between rural communities and destinations within the region. • Create a regional draw to the project by providing more locations along the river and throughout the region for visitors to experience the landscape. • Implement a regional trail running along the river that links the rural communities and serves as attraction to the larger, more distant urban areas. • Extend the trail system to nearby towns by transforming old railways into additional portions of trail. • Place accessible trailheads near major intersections of vehicular and pedestrian circulation routes.
Raise awareness and increase acknowledgment of the Kankakee Region. • Provide educational signage at key locations and along the regional trail that tells the story of the Kankakee. • Propose locations for multiple visitor centers that will serve as a park headquarters, act as additional educational opportunities, and promote tourism in the area. • Increase recreational opportunities by implementing new hiking trails, kayak and canoe launches, wildlife observation areas, and designated hunting zones. • Seek to receive designation as a National Historic or Recreational Trail, or look to obtain Indiana State Park classification
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