Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The University of Chicago's Botany Pond, a beloved campus landmark visited by thousands, has undergone a substantive restoration. But its team wanted to take it a step beyond the physical reconstruction: they also wanted to transform the pond into a self-regulating ecosystem.
"There wasn't really a blueprint for this," said landscape architect Katie Martin Peck. But with the help of faculty and outside experts, Botany Pond is now a haven for dozens of types of native Illinois fish, turtles, ducks, and other aquatic plants and creatures.
Want to learn more? Follow the journey at https://news.uchicago.edu/story/native-fish-plants-and-zooplankton-botany-pond-transforms-sustainable-ecosystem
➡ Subscribe: bit.ly/UCHICAGOytSubscribe
About #UChicago:
Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas.
#UChicago on the Web:
Home: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-homepage
News: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-news
Facebook: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-FB
X: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-TW
Instagram: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-IG
University of Chicago on YouTube:
youtube.com/uchicago
***
ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please email digicomm@uchicago.edu.
The University of Chicago's Botany Pond, a beloved campus landmark visited by thousands, has undergone a substantive restoration. But its team wanted to take it a step beyond the physical reconstruction: they also wanted to transform the pond into a self-regulating ecosystem.
"There wasn't really a blueprint for this," said landscape architect Katie Martin Peck. But with the help of faculty and outside experts, Botany Pond is now a haven for dozens of types of native Illinois fish, turtles, ducks, and other aquatic plants and creatures.
Want to learn more? Follow the journey at https://news.uchicago.edu/story/native-fish-plants-and-zooplankton-botany-pond-transforms-sustainable-ecosystem
➡ Subscribe: bit.ly/UCHICAGOytSubscribe
About #UChicago:
Since its founding in 1890, the University of Chicago has been a destination for rigorous inquiry and field-defining research. This transformative academic experience empowers students and scholars to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas.
#UChicago on the Web:
Home: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-homepage
News: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-news
Facebook: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-FB
X: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-TW
Instagram: bit.ly/UCHICAGO-IG
University of Chicago on YouTube:
youtube.com/uchicago
***
ACCESSIBILITY: If you experience any technical difficulties with this video or would like to make an accessibility-related request, please email digicomm@uchicago.edu.
