Palos Restoration Project - Blog

Paddock Woods March 11, Hidden Pond March 12, 2023

3/15/2023

Paddock Woods Saturday March 11
Back to the scene of our tree-thinning several weeks ago, we worked on brush, mostly, along the gully that cuts through the site. An abundance of honeysuckle taunted the first arrivals. One brush-cutter, one chainsaw, and some energetic hand tool use and hauling took care of that and kept the fire burning throughout the morning.

In another month we'll be talking about spring ephemerals, and Paddock is one of our star sites for spring viewing. Frequent rain will hopefully help make it a good spring.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday March 12
We had another terrific group at Hidden Pond, including first-time Palos volunteers Ace and David. After a couple sessions clearing brush closer to the prairie, we focused on the western edge this time, near the multi-use trail. In our three hours we opened a big section to the trail job well done!

Kent Oliven found a reference mark originally placed by U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1874 and replaced in 1944. This mark, pictured below, was a short distance (~ 112 ft.) from a triangulation station, used by surveyors in conjunction with other stations throughout the country. There should be two more reference marks - one may have been paved over when La Grange Road was widened and the other should be fairly easy to locate.

Apparently, these markers (240,000 in the U.S. alone) are popular among orienteers, who will inform the agency and send a photo, as Kent did, when they locate one.

Cranberry Slough March 4, McClaughrey Springs March 5, McMahon March 8, 2023

3/9/2023

Cranberry Slough Saturday March 4
We were near 107th Street and Old Country Lane, at the southern ends of Cranberry, thinning trees in an area cleared of brush by contractors a couple years back.

Not just any trees, basswood, a wet, ornery, slow-to-ignite wood that compelled us to continually add dead wood to keep them going. Think of foie gras and force-feeding ducks - that's what it resembled. (Not spoken from personal experience, we must note.)

Eventually the fires took hold, though the slow start necessitated another visit from Joe and Margaret the following day. I believe the full volunteer group will return again too, hoping it's not right away so any downed trees can dry out a bit.

Sunday March 5, McClaughrey Springs Woods
Back to the side of Mill Creek, and back to one of our preferred fuels, honeysuckle, which is so much easier to ignite and burn off. One fire at creek level, another up above, as we cut and hauled throughout the morning, clearing a big swath by quitting time.

It's amazing what this area looks like today. I recall 10-15 years ago, when very little land on either side of Mill Creek was accessible due to thickness of the brush. When we first cleared on the west side it was a revelation, and it continues now that we've crossed to the east. Awesome!

Wednesday March 8, McMahon Woods & Fen
This marks, I believe, our last day of the season with Atrium Landscape. As in past years, the donation of their service has allowed an incredible amount of tree-thinning at multiple sites. Commercial sawyers have fewer constraints than volunteers, vastly expanding what we accomplish.

We had four burn piles by 1:00 pm, big ones that burned hot aided by a brisk wind. We'll be back in this area a lot - numerous downed trees blocked brushmower access to areas of brush which will be cleared the old-fashioned way, by chainsaw, bushcutter, and hand tools. Oh yeah!

Pioneer Woods February 25, Swallow Cliff February 26, Paddock March 1, 2023

3/2/2023

Pioneer Woods Saturday February 25
We had another excellent group for our tree thinning project at Pioneer Woods, including first-time Palos volunteer Mary from Flossmoor. We worked above Crooked Creek in a woodland where we've spent substantial time over the past decade or so.

I think eight or nines fires were going by 1:00 pm, might have been another started after that. Several were Joe's famous ditch fires, placed down in the bottom of the drainage/gully. A pair of advantages here - we're not burning directly over sensitive plant species, and we get to toss limbs down rather than drag them up.

In addition to our volunteers, we had a contingent of ~10 from Atrium Landscape. It's hard to exaggerate how much more gets done with the presence of these hard-working folks.

Swallow Cliff Woods Sunday February 26
Another great group on a morning that started out brisk, with the trail firm from an overnight freeze. It was a different story by 1:00 pm, when several generous hours of sun made our walk back to the parking lot a muddy slog. Upon arrival we were greeted by Canada geese on the slough to our immediate west, some of whom stuck around

We were joined by first-time Palos volunteer Cristian, as well as long-time friend of Palos Julie P (even a longer time friend to me, my significant other) and almost a dozen others. Two big honeysuckle fires (thanks, burn bosses Jim and Darien), one chainsaw, and lots of energetic bowsaw/lopper dragging happened throughout the morning.

Paddock Woods Wednesday March 1
We were a smaller group this time, with Woods to Wetlands sawyers Matt and Erin thinning trees in a quality area at Paddock. The rest of us hauled and burned, on another of these un-February-like days when the temperature can rise 20 degrees in the space of 2-3 hours. We'll have another Wednesday special next week, at McMahon Woods & Fen.

Cap Sauers February 18, 2023

2/20/2023

Cap Sauers Holding Saturday February 18
Another day, another awesome group of volunteers. Our multiple fires were slow to start due to the sleet and rain that moved through our area the preceding day. They eventually got going and burned a tremendous amount of brush from the day's tree-thinning activity.

Our planned February 22 date at Paddock Woods fell victim to the rainy mess that passed through the area; this has been a rainy couple of months, and I've scraped more mud from my boots recently than I have in a year or more preceding that. Maybe we're moving out of our extended dry spell now.

Paddock Woods February 11, Hidden Pond Woods February 12, 2023

2/16/2023

Paddock Woods Saturday February 11
We had a big group Saturday; 18 volunteers - including Palos first-timer Jarrod - plus a crew of ten (or so) from Atrium Landscape, thinning trees and burning big fires at Paddock. We worked atop a hill along the eastern edge of the Yellow Trail, in sight of the parking lot.

Audra did her first brush pile burn observation, at one of ten fires we eventually had going, including three ditch fires in the ravine. Those, out of the wind, took an extra measure of the coaxing that all the fires seemed to need. With five chainsaws running there was plenty for everybody else to haul and burn. Another productive day in the woods.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday February 12
This wasn't officially "Bring-a-Friend" Day, it just turned out that way. George brought cyclist friend Charlie, a Palos first-timer who rode from Downers Grove, while Joy brought niece Mia along with Mia's friend Curtis, also new to Palos. New volunteer Adam made it a trio marking their first Palos restoration visit. FPCC stewardship aide Emily ably led the morning activities, while five (George, Jim D, Janina, Joe, and Kent) doubled up Saturday and Sunday. Thank you, one and all!

We continued to expand our brush-clearing in the wooded area west of the prairie, getting closer to the trail on our west flank and a previously-cleared section to the north. We've made a tremendous amount of progress since we started here last fall.

An additional shout-out to Jim Dzialowy, completing his second observation and making him an official Chicago Wilderness Brushpile Burn Boss!

Paw Paw Woods Wednesday February 15
Your correspondent missed this one, which featured a small crew burning two brush piles at Paw Paw while Audra Gray completed her second brush pile burn observation. She joins Jim as a newly minted Chicago Wilderness Brushpile Burn Boss. Congrats to Audra and Jim!

McClaughrey Springs February 4, 2023

2/8/2023

McClaughrey Springs, Saturday February 4
Another day of tree-thinning with Atrium Landscape, this time in a pretty little meadow along Route 83. Before contractor work last winter, this spot was barely visible from the road. Now, with all the honeysuckle gone, it was time to thin the abundance of walnut trees growing here.

Lesson one: this wood is a reluctant burner. High moisture content, I suppose. We had decent wind conditions for burning piles, yet they were slow to take off. Luckily, our fire starters are patient souls, and hung in until all was burned except one pile, which was dealt with the following day by Joy and Diana.

Another cool thing; the glow of ember piles at night. When we leave at day's end, our fires are well contained, the area around them cleared of fuel, and they're not going anywhere. They still have a lovely glow, however, and like a moth to a flame... Picture below.

Black Partridge January 28, Swallow Cliff January 29, 2023

1/31/2023

Black Partridge Woods Saturday January 28
Going back to November 2019, John Marlin and volunteers crossed Bluff Road to its south side and began cutting honeysuckle near the creek, in an area that was the dairy farm in a previous life. In early 2020 we did two grant days with Citgo and resumed cutting in January 2021 after a long Covid hiatus.

We've come a long way since then, and Saturday was akin to a capstone day, thinning trees from a large area with the help of Atrium Landscape sawyers and haulers. Cottonwoods, box elder, and black locust were the major targets, and by day's end the area looked markedly more open. Five massive fires were testament to the group effort and the area will have much more sunlight reaching the ground.

Swallow Cliff Woods South Sunday January 29
Swallow Cliff has had a run of uncooperative weather, with rain and low winds hindering recent efforts to cut and burn brush. Sunday was another question mark, with a forecast of overnight snow and ice (that mostly moved to our north). Still, 13 volunteers came, ready to chop and burn close to a dozen big stacks of brush from the previous Sunday, including first-time Palos people Crystal and Ruby.

The ice WAS a challenge, with all of our fuel coated by a thin glaze. Joy and Darien patiently coaxed that wet mess into two big fires, and we started hauling and burning. Halfway through the morning it seemed like we might not finish, but a concerted effort by all present got the job done. By noon all but a few random scraps were loaded, and shortly after 1:00 pm Kathy, Carolyn, and I were able to call it a day.

Fantastic volunteer effort! Again and again!

Cap Sauers January 21, Swallow Cliff January 22, 2023

1/26/2023

Cap Sauers Holding Saturday January 22
Margaret, Atrium Landscape, and a large volunteer contingent (including first-time Palos volunteer Damian) thinned trees and burned numerous large brush piles on brisk morning that became cozy once the fires got cooking. We were in the area we've focused on in recent months and it opens up more with each dose of volunteer energy.

Swallow Cliff Woods Sunday January 22
Back near the slough in the South woods, we had to forego fire due to a near-total calm. This was no obstacle to our super team, whose members tackled the honeysuckle with vigor. With loppers, bowsaws, and a single chainsaw, we cleared a large area, so much that we ran out of herbicide before day's end. Thank jah and the chemists for basal oil formulations!

This is our third Swallow Cliff weather glitch in as many months, with one rainout, one canceled due to no wind, and this one. We're coming back on Sunday January 29, though a snowy forecast may hinder us. We'll see...

Paw Paw Woods January 14, 2023

1/19/2023

Paw Paw Woods Saturday January 14
This was our annual tree-thinning foray to Paw Paw, and this time we were farther north and east, within sight of Fairmount Cemetery. Another good group of volunteers came, including first-time Palos volunteer Dan;Kurt Leslie, whom I hadn't seen at a workday for a spell; and Charlie who previously has been to Cap Sauers.

The Atrium chain sawyers cut a lot and had a pair of fires going by 9:00 am. Volunteers dragged and loaded, starting several more fires along the way. We were quite spread out and, given the uneven terrain, I have no idea how many piles eventually were burned, only that we were quite the productive bunch.

We had only one restoration day last weekend, will have two (January 21 at Cap Sauers, January 22 at Swallow Cliff), weather permitting, this weekend.

McMahon January 7, Hidden Pond January 8, 2023

1/12/2023

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday January 7
This was our first tree-thinning day of the season, and it was a good one. We had three sawyers, and seven haulers! from Atrium, in addition to a big group of volunteers. The latter group included Jim Tebo, whom we hadn't seen for quite a spell. Good to have him back!

Numerous trees were felled and burned in the course of the day. Equally rewarding, a number of trees already on the ground were bucked and burned, which ought to help move prescribed fire through the area whenever that should happen. Big fires all, and quite a few, marked our season kickoff.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday January 8
We had another good group Sunday, including several (George, Jim D. Joe C, and Kathy) who doubled up Saturday and Sunday. Continuing brush removal on a slope above the prairie, we expanded the cleared area in all four directions from our brush pile.

This site has quite the variety of invasive plants - we saw barberry, buckthorn, multi-flora rose, and the most prevalent, honeysuckle, all within steps of one another. It's coming along quite well, though, and with a couple more times out we should connect to the prairie moving east and north.