Blog Archives

March 26, 2020: Restoration Vacation Week Two

3/26/2020

People Magnet
While there's no volunteer restoration these days, local preserves are far from lonely. Yesterday the lot at McClaughrey Springs was full, and a friend reported a full house at the east shore of Saganashkee Slough, where fishermen congregate.

Fortunately, hikers seem to respect the need for social distancing. Several walkers paused and waited for me to cross a muddy stretch of trail before tackling it themselves, leaving ample space between us. Chorus frogs calling, some sandhill cranes still migrating.

If cabin fever becomes oppressive, find an open lot (everything around Swallow Cliff is closed and will likely remain closed for the duration) and enjoy our local nature. We'll see spring wildflowers in bloom soon, enjoy the show!

Here's a link to the Forest Preserves of Cook County's web page on events and closings.

Other Ways to Entertain Oneself
I included a link to a pollinator video in my weekly email and repeat it here. One of our neighbors created some cool driveway art with her daughter - I suspect parents all over are getting creative to keep their kids engaged.

0 Comments

McClaughrey Springs March 14, 2020

3/19/2020

0 Comments

McClaughrey Springs Saturday March 14
So this will be the last workday report for at least a little while. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) is canceling public workdays, at this point until May 11. We'll see with time how successful we as a society have been at controlling spread of the virus, and when habitat restoration days can resume.
Thank you, FPCC for making the right call.

Back to McClaughrey; this was a cleanup day behind a tree-thinning project weeks earlier. Thanks to everyone who showed up and helped burn five brush piles worth of cuttings. Your roving correspondent could not make this one due to another commitment but wishes he could have; these are the days you drive home with the muscles you employed telling you you did well.

What Can I Do if I Can't Burn?
It's a poorly kept secret that one of the attractions of our fall/winter sessions is the brush pile burn. Fire fascinates. I used to think it was just the boys, have since learned that the ladies share that affinity for a roaring blaze. The dance of the flames is entrancing and the satisfaction of feeding an ornery tangle of multi-flora rose to a fire and watching it flare up is quite exquisite.

Usually you pace yourself from winter, with its big fires, through the early spring days, and well into April, knowing that soon you'll switch to garlic mustard and other weed removal. This year, BOOM! One day we're burning, next day it's all overdone. Is some form of withdrawal symptom present?

Julie claims my behavior at home has changed, that she's noticed how often I've burned toast. She even states on one occasion I stood in front of the toaster, watching it burn rather than pulling it out. I deny that emphatically.

Will I revert to a distant day of youth, when I slipped away from a backyard birthday party and started a (tiny) leaf fire under our front porch? I remember few things from that far back but have vivid recall of that day. Of my best friend, Larry, reporting me to the adults in the back yard. And my second-best friend, Ray-Ray, leading the chase pack as a terrified little Jan fled north down Forest Avenue.

Julie and I think I may have to get the charcoal grill out early this year. For my own mental health.

0 Comments

Spears Woods March 7, Hidden Pond & Palos Spring Party March 8, 2020

3/11/2020

0 Comments

Spears Woods Saturday March 7
This was a combination brush-cutting and cleanup day near the north end of Old Country Lane at Spears. While we were doing our work, a Forest Preserves crew, augmented by FOTFP Palos crew, was doing a prescribed burn several hundred yards away. It was quite interesting to watch the lines of smoke rise as they moved through their target area.

As for us, we were a feisty group of log-tossers, building just one fire for easier containment on a breezy day. We loaded it up well and kept it cooking throughout the morning, and when we departed the area was more open and inviting. Much better for the next prescribed burn which comes to the area!

A big thank you to Kevin Neary of FPCC for getting several departing volunteers through the smoke expeditiously at day's end.

Hidden Pond Sunday March 8
Kevin Connolly of Kennedy HS brought a group of 20+ students to our Sunday morning session. We worked along Kean Avenue, tackling an especially nasty tangle of buckthorn, honeysuckle, and multi-flora a short walk in from the road. Thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Michelle (brought by daughter Mary from OLCHS) for joining us, here and again at our afternoon party.

Thanks also to newly minted brush pile burn boss Michael for tending a tricky fire until we shut it down early due to increasing winds and decreasing humidity. We left leave some brush on the ground, which will be dealt with next time out.

Palos Spring Party Sunday March 8
Did I mention Sunday was the first day of summer? Maybe not quite but you could've fooled me. We held our spring potluck at Sagawau E.L.C. and had another tempting array of treats from our cooks and bakers. Nagin (Sagawau naturalist) took us outside to view the emerging skunk cabbage (another encouraging sign).

Heartfelt thanks to all who attended, sharing their time and culinary talents with us.

0 Comments

Paw Paw Woods February 29, Black Partridge & Cap Sauers Holding March 1, 2020

3/5/2020

0 Comments

Paw Paw Woods Saturday February 29
This was one of those Jekyll/Hyde weekends; mid-teens leaving the house Saturday morning, definitely toe-warmer stuff. Near-sixty degrees by Sunday afternoon. Saturday was the last of the season's scheduled tree-thinning days so the chill was welcome. Hauling the big stuff generates enough warmth to keep you cozy and frozen ground precludes wallowing in the muck.

We had at least five fires going and an energetic group hauling and feeding them. First-time Palos volunteer Shaun joined us (and returned Sunday at Black Partridge), and Michael completed a second brush pile burn observation.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday March 1
This was the second session in our collaboration with FPCC, Citgo, and National Recreation and Park Association. We had 16 volunteers, including Palos first-timers Eric, Shelly, Sandra, and Juan. Steve knocked so many honeysuckles down with his chainsaw that we didn't get it all on the fires. Volunteer Mai completed her second brush pile burn observation on this day.

Thanks to the sponsors funding this work (& our lunch!), to Raquel Garcia-Alvarez from FPCC for getting the grant, and to the 30+ volunteers who participated over the two days at Partridge. Sagawau E.L.C. plans an Earth Day Service Day on Saturday April 18 and Arbor Service Day on Sunday April 26, both taking place at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center in Lemont. Both will be 9 - noon.

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday March 1
After such a good turnout in the morning we still had another dozen for this session. Super! First time Palos volunteers included Josh, Ryleigh, Alycia, Mary, Lia (& dad), Chelsea (& friend).

Was it the weather, the 58 degree official high we hit? Was it the sunshine, cabin fever, spring fever? Whatever the case, we benefited, returning to the hill above the wetland, clearing and burning more honeysuckle.

0 Comments

March 26, 2020: Restoration Vacation Week Two

McClaughrey Springs March 14, 2020

Spears Woods March 7, Hidden Pond & Palos Spring Party March 8, 2020

Paw Paw Woods February 29, Black Partridge & Cap Sauers Holding March 1, 2020

Author

Archives

Categories