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Pioneer Woods August 10, Hidden Pond August 11, 2019

8/14/2019

Pioneer Woods Saturday August 10
We wandered along Old Country Lane, searching for Japanese hedge parsley again, and finding a) enough to justify our time b)too much to feel we've got a handle on it. Time will tell, perhaps next year we won't see as much.

Instant gratification and restoration work are antithetical to one another. If you like to see results RIGHT NOW you may get frustrated in this field. It's more like Eventual Gratification.

Hidden Pond Sunday August 11
Rain started falling around 7 a.m.; though it stopped before 9 we had a small turnout. We still managed to remove all the giant ragweed we could find along Kean Avenue by the prairie, and also hit some teasel and sweet clover wherever spotted. The giant ragweed is really annoying me, always on the edge and so tall it screens the view into whatever site it invades.

A good morning, capped off with brownies and coffee cake in the shade.

Spears Woods August 3, 2019

8/7/2019

Spears Woods Saturday August 3
Japanese hedge parsley has really established a foothold along La Grange Road at Spears, and Saturday we tried to do something about it. We walked the roadside with trash bags, uprooting the plants (when possible), otherwise breaking them off close to the ground.

We carried multiple bags out by quitting time, with other invasives like Canada thistle and white sweet clover mixed in. I suspect we'll be back there next year doing more of the same. Thanks to all who helped on a warm sunny morning.

Willow Fest 2019
This is Willow Spring's summer festival, starting tonight and running through Sunday August 11. Last year we had a table there; this year we do not, but Forest Preserves of Cook County does and Dave and Kathy Branigan will join them as Nature Ambassadors, .

Hours Thursday and Friday are 4 - 10 p.m. Satuday noon - 11 p.m., Sunday noon - 10 p.m. If you're in the area stop by, it's a good time.

Paddock Woods July 27, Swallow Cliff July 28 2019

7/30/2019

Paddock Woods Saturday July 27
Teasel galore led us to the southeast corner of the preserve, at the junction of Route 83 and Kean Ave. Our prodigious team of clippers included two first-time Palos volunteers, Susie and Emanuel. Much thanks to them for joining us on this day!ariey

We removed several large bags of teasel and thistle flowerheads, all the while sharing space with countless butterflies, bees, and dragonflies power-lunching on a variety of nectar sources.

Swallow Cliff Woodland Wildflower Walk, Sunday July 28
Thanks to everyone who came out for our walk. It wasn't too warm (was it?) and we spent a lot of time in the shady spots which were numerous along our course. One highlight: an impressive white-tali buck seen along the way. I have one picture below, quality not so good.

Other highlights: one example after another of the diverse range of plants growing at Swallow Cliff, including at least one seen at just a few locations in our area. It truly is a special place, one of my faves both for nature and play.

Black Partridge Woods July 21, 2019

7/25/2019

End of the World As We Know It?
Last weekend the alarmists among us (TV meteorologists primarily) warned of the blistering heat coming our way. One FB friend heard talk of 'melting pavement' which IS more than a tad scary. So how did all that turn out?

Well, it got quite hot. Not as hot as predicted; they seem to focus on the worst-case scenario, but plenty hot, and far too humid, for a few days. We canceled our Saturday workday at Cap Sauers, a good call, in my view, as Saturday morning didn't have the cloud cover that made Friday somewhat tolerable (see below).

Friday I joined a few friends at Ted Stone Woods for a morning pulling mugwort on the prairie (the toughest thing about summer restoration is that many of our target plants are found in full sun, hence no shelter for the volunteers). Butterflies, bees, and dragonflies abounded and seemed untroubled by the heat. Can't say the same for us; by 10:30, when morning's cloud cover disappeared, we were ready to call it a day.

We retreated to the shade for refreshments - beverages, watermelon, and pie, and entertainment - a baby red-headed woodpecker practicing flight under the watchful eyes of its parents. Cool stuff.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday July 21
Heat wasn't the story on Sunday. Rain was. In my area it started after noon, light and sporadic. We began work at Black Partridge at 1 p.m. when the radar suggested the rain would end within the hour. It didn't, and at 2:30 or so saturated, we gave it up. We managed, in that time, to collect a lot of teasel and thistle heads and didn't have to worry about the ripe seeds scattering given the wet conditions. And if that's not trying to find the silver lining I'm not sure what is....

Chicago Portage
Monday Julie and I had to trek to Lyons and on the way home we stopped at Chicago Portage. Another great place,, significant for what happened here long before settlement.
It is, as Friends of the Chicago Portage says, "the only place where you can stand on the same ground walked upon by all the explorers, early settlers and creators of Chicago". Tours are offered the first Saturday of each month through November 2. Check this link for details and contact information drupal.library.cmu.edu/chicago/tours

McMahon Woods July 13, 2019

7/18/2019

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday July 13
A substantial growth of Canada thistle prompted our second visit of summer to McMahon. This time we were in the field just west of the McMahon Grove lot.

It was certainly a productive time, if filling large trash bags with thistle flowers and stems meets your definition of productive. The bad guys grew in clusters, so one could lay a bag on the ground and cut without having to move one's feet too far. Bright sun but manageable temperatures, prudent water breaks, and we all walked out intact at quittin' time.

Best thing about being on the prairie this time of year? The monarda in bloom, one of the prettiest summer flowers around!

Ashburn Prairie July 6, Cap Sauers Holding July 7, 2019

7/11/2019

Ashburn Prairie Saturday July 6
Ashburn Prairie is a Joe Neumann project, a prairie he rescued from development some 25 years ago and got transplanted, via plugs, to a location in Marquette Park. On occasion our group goes there to help maintain its health.

On this day (which I missed) the target was grey dogwood, and the team went at it with their usual tenacity. My thanks to Doug Bosco for the three photos below that document this day, and to the volunteers who made the trek to Marquette Park.

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday July 7
Honeysuckle cutting - blessedly in the shade - at Cap Sauers, always plenty of targets. Since we were not burning, just building feeder piles for another day, we cut an impressive amount of honeysuckle in the space of three hours. Not a big crew, certainly an energetic one.

We may not get back to this site until September. When we do we have some nice dry fuel awaiting a brushpile burn.

You Only Get Wet Once
Stair climbing at Swallow Cliff on a hot sunny day, wishing for some cloud cover to take the edge off the heat. Got my wish, and then some. First the clouds moved in. Minutes later a light rain began falling.

No thunder or lightning, no reason to cut the workout short. Another 20 minutes and I was done - by this time the rain intensity had increased and all who stayed were thoroughly soaked. To the bone...

Usually I slow-walk ten minutes to cool down at the finish. Usually I'm feeling quite spent after an hour on the steps. Not this time. Refreshed by the rain, I walked and jogged up, down, and around the parking lot for another half-hour. Coulda/woulda stayed much longer but the rain was ending, the sun threatening to reappear.

"One must know the so-called 'lesson of a downpour.' A man, caught in a sudden rain en route, dashes along the road not to get wet or drenched. Once one takes it for granted that in rain he naturally gets wet, he can be in a tranquil frame of mind even when soaked to the skin. This lesson applies to everything." Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Cranberry Slough June 29, 2019

7/3/2019

Cranberry Slough Saturday June 29
Whoa, this was toasty! No questioning whether summer is here now. We walked along Old Country Lane hunting invasive thistle and others, clipping seed heads and bagging them. Despite the heat we had a super group who came, thanks to everyone for the excellent work under tough conditions.

Regional Ecology Walk at Theodore Stone Forest, Sunday June 30
Theodore Stone Forest, though outside Palos, falls within FPCC's southwest region. Forest Preserves ecologist Kristin Pink, and T. Stone stewards George Birmingham and Mark Kluge took us on a tour of the prairie.

Another hot sunny morning didn't deter us from spending close to two hours listening and learning. Prairie where thickets of buckthorn once dominated. Collaboration rules, with FPCC, FOTFP, corporate partners, school groups, and individual volunteers all playing key roles. Beautiful!

McMahon June 22, Black Partridge June 23, 2019

6/23/2019

McMahon Woods Saturday June 22
We worked in a new spot this time, right along La Grange Road close to 111th Street. We had to cross the grassy meadow - which doubles as a snowmobile course in winter and had bales of hay stacked acrooss it after a late summer mowing - to work on removal of yellow sweet clover and thistle.

Though earlier forecasts threatened rain, we were blessed with a sunny, albeit a bit warm, second day of summer.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday June 23
This time the rain came, though not before we got well into the site, clipped a few reed canary heads, and were treated to the variety of plants Black Partridge is noted for. Thunder then forced a retreat to the lot, where we called it a day.

Our thanks to first-time Palos volunteers Karsten, Linda, Karlin and Logan.

Cap Sauers Moraines June 15

6/19/2019

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday June 15
We went on a reed canary hunt and found a considerable amount, lopping the seed heads off with pleasure. Finally a string of dry days and a morning where we weren't mucking through the mud. Simple pleasures, right?

Another pleasure; realizing, as we walked, how beautiful the preserve looks. On the Ford Road side you see large stretches of open woodland, with the occasional patch of invasive brush still awaiting our attention. The overall impression is lush green openness.

Sagawau Butterfly Walk Sunday June 16
On a rare open Sunday Julie and I went to Sagawau for a butterfly walk. Not much butterfly activity 'til the end, when the sun finally appeared after an overcast morning. We were fortunate to see a few species, as well as bees and other pollinators. Sagawau has terrific naturalist-led programs - their canyon tour is one I highly recommend.
Visit Forest Preserves Nature Centers for more information on programs.

Willow Springs Woods June 8, 2019

6/10/2019

Willow Springs Woods Saturday June 8
We had nine volunteers total, including first-time Palos volunteer Andrew, returning volunteer (from a week ago) Thomas, and a number of our regulars. They clipped reed canary seed heads, while Joe, Diana, and Carolyn toted backpack sprayers and chased reed canary and thistle.

This was a lovely spring morning, one you savor because they don't come often enough.