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McMahon April 23, Swallow Cliff April 24, 2022

4/28/2022

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McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday April 23
This was our Earth Day weekend, and what better place to start than McMahon, which contains a good portion of the globe's total supply of Asian bittersweet (I may exaggerate a little). Jim and Kevin dove in with chainsaws, Doug with the brush-cutter, and Darien worked on a fire. The rest of us started hacking with hand tools and pulling brush to the fire.

It remains a slow slog, but we are undeniably pushing that wall back. Having said that, if a genie granted me three wishes, one would probably relate to the bittersweet vine at McMahon. World peace, cessation of hunger, and get rid of those ###%#$ vines. hmmm

Swallow Cliff Woods South Sunday April 24
Went to bed Saturday night with our Sunday restoration day in doubt due to the rainy forecast. Awoke Sunday morning with the same uncertainty. Radar showed several bands of rain passing through during our three-hour window. Kathy and Carolyn were game for giving it a try, so we did, and it turned out great!

Despite the rain, everyone who signed up showed up, including first-time Palos volunteer Abby. The rain was mostly a drizzle until well past 11:30, and when it started to pick up, we grabbed our tools and headed for the parking lot. Since we weren't burning it was that easy to get out.

An overcast sky couldn't keep it from being a lovely day. There's a long, narrow ephemeral pond just south of our work site, and chorus frogs residing there gave us a full-throated serenade throughout the morning. I occasionally heard a woodpecker working nearby as well.

The volunteers were great, as they always are, and we cleared honeysuckle encroaching into a lovely quality area in the South woods. We also have our jumping-off point when we return for the next round of brush-cutting, come autumn.

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Cap Sauers Holding April 16, 2022

4/21/2022

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Cap Sauers Holding Saturday April 16
Making memories at Cap Sauers: Not fond memories this time, just a little thicket of multi-flora rose, wound around some fallen limbs, that put up a tremendous fight before finally succumbing to the lopper. I walked away with just one small face wound. Around the site, other volunteers were engaged in similar struggles, cutting rose and honeysuckle and loading it onto one of our two fires.

Yet another cool morning, though it came with enough sun to coax blooms out of a few spring beauties. Days from now they'll probably number in the thousands, yet it's still exciting to see the first bloom of the season from each of the species. That's been the story of spring thus far.

Thanks to all who attended, including first-time Palos volunteer Mike.



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McMahon Woods April 9, Hidden Pond April 10, 2022

4/14/2022

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McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday April 9
Back to McMahon for the second week in a row, burning two large fires that we continued to load right up to the moment we walked out. Kevin, the sole chainsawyer on this day, was a terror, downing trees AND bucking up logs already on the ground. He really, really went at it with a vengeance, as did Doug on the brush-cutter.

Passing by McMahon several days ago, I saw what looked like an attempt to bring prescribed fire into the line of brush. I'll have to get over there soon to have a look. I know at least one crew was burning last Tuesday.


Hidden Pond Woods Sunday April 10
We tackled more big honeysuckles near the drainage ditch at Kean Avenue on Sunday. This included some high stumps left last time, as well as new ones like a monstrous, multi-stemmed atrocity that was enough to make its own brushpile.

Thanks to all the volunteers for their super energy, including first-time Palos volunteer Mike C. Mary Busch brought a couple 36" bowsaws, which we used as two-person saws. That seemed to help on the larger targets; one of the pictures below shows it in use.

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McMahon Woods April 2, McClaughrey Springs April 3, 2022

4/7/2022

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McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday April 2
This was our first Saturday back at McMahon since the brush mowing project, though we had a couple late-winter Wednesdays slipped in. The prairie was burned a couple weeks ago and is much more accessible now that so much brush has been removed. It really looks great!

Of course, there's still abundant honeysuckle and bittersweet in our work area. It's tedious stuff and I'm amazed, time after time, at the energy volunteers bring to bear against it. They are true warriors.

McClaughrey Springs Woods Sunday April 3
We had another big group out Sunday, including first-time Palos volunteer Matt and almost first-timer Andrea. We cleared brush above the bank of Mill Creek, within sight of yet another recently brush-mowed piece of land. This reaches north to Route 83, which is much closer than it seemed before the work was done.

We had one gas brush-cutter going, with everyone else wielding loppers and bowsaws. Two fires burned hot throughout the morning, which started out a bit chilly but was downright pleasant by noon. Much thanks to all who attended our weekend restoration days.

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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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