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Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday March 24

3/26/2018

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Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday March 24

Seven students from A.A. Stagg HS Key Club were part of our team for the day, and they did an excellent job. We worked the same area where we thinned trees early in March, burning off some leftovers while Doug and Diana cut brush nearby. The FOTFP Palos crew had their own sector, chain-sawing, brush-cutting, and burning.

Unlike the past two Saturdays, we had good humidity, decent wind, and no trouble getting fires going. A relief, since that same wind on the walk in left us all a bit chilled.

Saturday night was the 2nd Hike the Night for Earth Hour at Orland Grasslands. I seldom pass up a chance to walk a preserve at night; used to do it on my own from time to time but FPCC police sometimes took issue. Remember, preserves are open dawn to dusk. (If you sign up as a frog monitor you can get out after dark!)

Several of our volunteers were part of a packed house at Palos Heights Library on March 27 for a "Glaciers, Quarries, and Seas", a talk by Carl Sandburg science teacher Jim Corcoran on the geology of the Palos landscape. Good stuff..., thanks to Jeannine Kacmar at Palos Heights Public Library for her programming.

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Spears March 17, Swallow Cliff & Black Partridge March 18, 2018

3/21/2018

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Spears Woods Saturday March 17
One week ago were were here on a dry day and our fires were slow to start. This time, we had a 'wintry mix' that didn't stop falling until mid-morning, with an icy glaze on our kindling and everything on the ground damp if not outright soaked. So the fires were even slower to start; we relied heavily on the propane tank and leaf-blower to keep things going.

Having said that, it was a most successful day! We made huge progress in cleaning this area, burned eight? big brush piles, and walked out with it looking so much better than it did walking in. Our sincere thanks to all who participated.

Swallow Cliff Woods South Sunday March 18
Negligible wind meant no brush pile burns, so we dragged brush to the curb for the chipper crew to tend to. Thank you to all the first-time Palos volunteers: June, Phil, Quinn, Gerald, and Barry. I hope we'll see you again.

We worked in a terrible tangle of vines, among them bitter sweet, grape, and multi-flora rose. See the pictures below for a hint. By morning's end we cleared a big chunk of it, and will get more on a future play date.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday March 18
Through a combination of volunteer, FPCC crew, Friends of the Forest Preserves, and contractors, Black Partridge is now rid of all its major thickets of brush. There are still stragglers, but it's the first site for which we can make that statement. John Marlin has been steward for almost 26 years now, so he's been witness to all the change.

We worked near the east border of the preserve and passed a cool ephemeral pond that I hadn't seen before. Looking very good in there.
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Spears Woods March 10, Hidden Pond March 11, 2018

3/13/2018

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Spears Woods Saturday March 10
We started cleaning an area where a large tree-thinning project was done a couple weeks ago. With wind speeds that barely made the minimum allowed for brush pile burns, our fires were, to state it mildly, reluctant. Much coaxing and frequent use of the leaf-blower kept things going and it wound up a successful day.

Thanks to friends of the Forest Preserves, and to our regulars who threw all their energy into this effort.

Hidden Pond Sunday March 11
We had a good group, with new volunteers Rob, Nick, Emily, and Talia, and .always-welcome returnees Carrie, Devin, Steve, and Anthony.  Recently, Anthony's dad, Jim, helped remove and buck some hazard trees (dead ash) along the southwest edge of the prairie, and we burned those as well as cut honeysuckle.

Unlike the previous day, the fires required no special help to get them going. This also was the first day of the spring prescribed burn season for FPCC and crews were out across the county. They do a terrific job and the areas getting burned really benefit from it.

Palos Spring Potluck Sunday March 11
We met at Sagawau in the ski lodge on a beautiful clear day with sun streaming in.  Ate well, talked a lot, no interrupting shouts of "Falling" or "Timber"! My thanks to everyone who participated. Looking forward to the next party which should be our September picnic.

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Cap Sauers March 3 & 4, Paddock March 5, 2018

3/6/2018

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Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday March 3
This being the last of our big tree-thinning efforts of winter, we hit it pretty hard. Five or six fires, scorchers one and all! We continued working a sector started in January, finishing in one season an area that looked to Margaret like a two-year project just a couple months ago.

A manageable-sized thicket of brush is all that remains between us and Visitation Prairie.

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday March 4
We continued to cut brush on the hill above the wetland, making our way closer to the ravine. With the work Margaret is leading from the Ford Road side, and Bob's efforts along the trail, we will one day meet in the middle, much as the railroaders did at the time of the 'Golden Spike.'

Paddock Woods Monday March 5
Bob had about ten students from Carl Sandburg HS Key Club cutting and burning honeysuckle near the northwest corner of Paddock. They were a good group who were still smiling at quittin' time. Our thanks to them for the contribution to healthy nature in Palos!

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    Author

    I'm Jan Pietrzak with the Palos Restoration Project. This blog and website were created for your information and enjoyment.

    I hope you'll be encouraged and inspired to volunteer at any of the numerous forest preserves in our area.

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