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Cap Sauers May 24, Swallow Cliff May 25, 2025

5/29/2025

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Cap Sauers Holding, Saturday May 24
Our small group of volunteers, including Oliver and Josh from Tinley Resource Management, pulled garlic mustard (GM) from an area Margaret's been working, not far from Ford Road near an old CCC bridge. The population was not huge, a good sign, no doubt helped by a school group that worked there a couple weeks earlier with her.

​It's a pretty spot with lots of natives, including a decent patch of wild hyacinth, many still hanging onto their blooms. Very nice!

Swallow Cliff South, Sunday May 25
We had another small group of GM pullers, including first-time Palos volunteer Jaylen who came all the way from Monee, and Jose from Humboldt Park. Maddie Peacher,  This on a day when raindrops were still falling at 8:00 am and more rain was predicted through 10 am or so. That didn't come, thank you weather deities!

​This may be our last Sunday at Swallow Cliff until August, when we plan to do a morning of woodland seed collection, followed by another seed day on the prairie in September.

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Paddock Woods May 17, Hidden Pond May 18 2025

5/22/2025

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Paddock Woods Saturday May 17
We had small group of garlic mustard (GM) on our second consecutive Saturday at Paddock. I'm told the target population is still robust and imagine the compost pile continues to grow.
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Nature Walk Black Partridge Woods Saturday May 17
Our walk with Palos Park Library director Jessica Rock was our second trip to Black Partridge since we began back in April 2018. We saw a variety of native plants, just a few GMs, and (distressingly) one Dame's rocket along the creek. The invasive plants were removed and location noted.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday May 18
Another small group of GM hunters, including long-time volunteer Neal, who recently graduated from SIU, Jose who debuted in Palos a week ago, and two members of FPCC's Tinley RM crew, Tim and Zach. With that group we made pretty quick work of the one sizeable GM population, in the south woods, and found a sprinkling along the trail as well.
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Paddock May 10, Black Partridge May 11, 2025

5/15/2025

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Paddock Woods, Saturday May 10
Saturday was a Chicago River day, one of over 75 in our area sponsored by Friends of the Chicago River. Most of the days are focused on trash pickup, while volunteer efforts at Paddock were directed at the far-too-impressive garlic mustard population.
 It was a full house, with all of the available slots filled. They certainly pulled a lot of garlic mustard that morning , while graciously leaving some behind for our upcoming restoration day this Saturday, May 17.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday May 11
Mothers Day at Black Partridge was another hunt for garlic mustard, though any spring walk there is first and foremost a native plant walk. We saw a variety of spring wildflowers in Bloom, and we're also cheered by all the plants filling in the area where we thinned trees two winters back. As Steward John Marlin put it, it's not just new native plants, but a  great diversity of them.
 We were joined by first time Palos volunteers Jose and Angel and greatly appreciate their help. I also offer congratulations to Angel on his graduation later this week.


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McClaughrey Springs, Cap Sauers, & Hidden Pond May 3, 2025

5/8/2025

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McClaughrey Springs
This was our public restoration day last Saturday. Diana did garlic mustard picking, then took her group on a plant hike (a common thought as you shall see). The volunteer group included several from SouthWest InterFaith Team, who periodically come and help at McClaughrey.

Cap Sauers
Margaret hosted about a dozen student from Solorio Academy on the SW Side, helped by Maddie Peacher, our Stewardship Program Coordinator from FPCC. The Solorio group is always good; I've worked with them and their teacher, Greta Kringle, on a couple past dates. They too did a mix of garlic mustard picking and hiking.

Hidden Pond
We had 14 students from Mansueto High School, also on the SW Side, at Hidden Pond for - you guessed it - garlic mustard and hiking. We scoured the woods north of the parking lot to the fringe of the prairie. The students were ably led by teacher Tanner Dier and FPCC workday leader Nick Conde, and were a delightful mix of young people, curious and eager to learn.

We benefit so much from organized groups that volunteer in the preserves, whether corporate adult groups or schools, scout troops, and others. We learn from them and in turn encourage advocacy for natural  places in the community.
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Spears Woods April 26, Swallow Cliff April 27, 2025

5/1/2025

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Spears Woods Saturday April 26
This was an impressive struggle with multi-flora rose, which staked out a large space on the edge of the wetland. Two brushcutters and two chainsaws ran throughout the morning, and those hauling cut brush to the fire relished (not really) the chance to drag the notoriously prickly vines.

At break time, past 11:00, there still were large clumps of rose standing. With diligence and lots of energy the group managed to get it all cut and burned by quitting time, all the way to the water's edge. Well-done, and maybe the most multiflora rose I've seen  burned in a single session.

Swallow Cliff Woods South Sunday April 27
We were quite the small group Sunday morning and kept our efforts on scale with our numbers, tackling a small scattering of honeysuckle in the south woods. Shades of Saturday, we also found a couple clusters of the invasive rose which found their way to the fire.

Thank you Carolyn and Kathy for your efforts, and thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Mustafa from Oak Lawn for the welcome assistance. We had a good day and, in the absence of power tools, were able to enjoy the serenade of the chorus frogs.
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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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