The woodlands around the lake were thinned to provide more light for the hundreds of shoreline plants that were added. The roots of these plants will help reduce shoreline erosion and keep the water cleaner by trapping sediments, pollutants, and nutrients like phosphorus. Just north of Indian Lake is Dragonfly Marsh, a one-acre demonstration wetland created to introduce guests to a typical northeastern Illinois wetland. More than 50 percent of the wetlands that once covered 221 million acres in the continental United States have been lost. Dragonfly Marsh consists of two deep pools, an emergent aquatic area, sedge meadow, wet prairie and prairie.
Water is pumped from Indian Lake into the pools and then flows and percolates through the soils.
An 85-foot boardwalk, constructed of wood from tropical ipe trees, overlooks the wetland. Salt Creek Wilderness is a tremendous educational tool that encourages zoo guests to explore and understand the complex relationships among water, plants, wildlife, and people in their local environments. Brookfield Zoo hopes that after visiting the exhibit, guests will be motivated to protect the natural world by incorporating environmentally friendly actions into their everyday lives.