The event “Friends of the Chicago River’s 2026 Chicago-Calumet River Summit: In Defense of Biodiversity” was held at SOM’s Chicago studio, bringing together environmental and planning professionals, policymakers, advocates, researchers, and students for a day of dialogue on the future of the region’s waterways.

As Friends of the Chicago River’s flagship policy event, the Summit focused on the systems change needed to protect biodiversity across the Chicago-Calumet River system and beyond. This year’s program addressed the layered challenges facing urban ecosystems today—from climate change and habitat fragmentation to pollution, weakened environmental protections, and the urgent need for more connected, resilient landscapes.

Throughout the day, speakers and panelists examined how biodiversity supports not only wildlife, but also clean water, climate resilience, public health, and cultural and ecological heritage. Conversations highlighted the importance of defending cornerstone environmental protections, advancing science-based conservation, and building partnerships among public agencies, community organizations, researchers, designers, and advocates.

The program reflected Friends of the Chicago River’s long-standing mission to improve the health of the Chicago River system for the benefit of people and wildlife. Since 1979, Friends has worked to transform the river into a healthier, more accessible, and more continuous corridor of open space across the Chicago region. The Summit reinforced that vision by focusing on collaborative, multi-benefit approaches that protect habitats, support species, strengthen communities, and promote a more biodiverse future.

SOM Associate Principal and Urban Design leader Jennifer Skowlund, who serves on the Board of Friends of the Chicago River, welcomed attendees and gave opening remarks. Her remarks emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in shaping a healthier, more connected, and more biodiverse future for the region’s waterways.

The Summit underscored the role of waterways as vital civic and ecological infrastructure—and the need for continued collaboration to advance the future of Chicago’s riverfronts and regional ecology.