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Cranberry Slough July 23, McClaughrey Springs July 27 2016

7/26/2016

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Cranberry Slough Saturday July 23

Tough temps and humidity at Cranberry on Saturday. Hot enough that, by noon, my belt, and everything else on me, was soaked through. Like the old joke about poor-fitting shoes, it sure felt good to get out of that stuff.

On a positive note, we didn't work hard so hard physically because most areas visited had only a sprinkling of invasives. Joe Neumann, toting the tank of herbicide on his back, had the toughest job of the morning.

Along the way we saw some good natives, like the cardinal flower pictured below. We also saw the curious little spider web at the bottom - no idea what spider makes that kind of web.

McClaughrey Springs Wednesday July 27

Jackie Grom, who works at Shedd Aquarium during the week and doubles as a Forest Preserves stewardship aide on weekends, brought a group of roughly 30 young people to McClaughrey for a habitat restoration day. They worked on the east side of Mill Creek, continuing to push the wall of honeysuckle back from the trail.

They were great, working well together and opening up another nice chunk of terrain. Due to ozone levels we could not burn, so next time out we'll have some robust brush piles to dispense with.

This Shedd Aquarium program Diana now hosts is an excellent example of partnering with other organizations. In the past Shedd students have helped on numerous occasions with John Marlin at Black Partridge Woods. I hope they benefit from the experience - we certainly do from their presence and the work they do.

Thanks to Mari Oates for the six photos seen in the slide show at the bottom of this post.

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McMahon Woods & Fen July 16, 2016

7/19/2016

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As Doug Bosco noted in his Facebook post, the Battle of McMahon Prairie rages on, outcome still very much in doubt. A disturbingly large growth of white sweet clover has taken over large segments of prairie, much more than was there a year ago.

Though outnumbered we are putting up a fierce resistance. Using brush-cutters to augment hand pulling, we try to slowly push it back. This stuff is resilient, putting up new growth, already flowering, on stalks that were cut half a foot above the ground just two weeks earlier.

I expect one more foray into the prairie before too much time passes.

Swallow Cliff Ecology Tour July 17, 2016

Twenty-some people showed for the Regional Ecology Gathering, led by FPCC ecologist Kristin Pink and Swallow Cliff steward John O'Lear.

John shared some restoration history at Swallow Cliff dating back 20 years or more, and the ideal, still to be realized, of getting the entire site under management. Kristin spoke of current initiatives and how they are moving toward that goal.

Both spoke of the vital role fire will continue to play in getting Swallow Cliff under control. The Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) has embraced fire as a key management tool and needs the understanding and support of the public to continue its use.

On the way back Kristin pointed out a native honeysuckle growing near the trail. After years of slashing untold numbers of the invasive variety, good to see a homeboy.



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Spears Woods July 9, Hidden Pond July 10, 2016

7/14/2016

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Spears Woods July 9, 2016

This was another relatively cool, not-too-humid Saturday, not so common in Chicago in July.

We started out cutting thistle along La Grange Road. Later we ducked into the woodland, working our way back toward the parking lot. Along the way we saw some Michigan lilies and other lovely plants.
  A pleasant and productive day!
Hidden Pond July 10, 2016

Maybe the most gratifying thing about this morning, spent right along Kean Avenue, was the frequency of neighbors stopping to offer a thanks or other word of encouragement for our efforts.

Roger and Cara Keller used to distribute a newsletter, "The Other Side of Kean", to their neighbors, telling them about restoration at Hidden Pond. It seems their message was well-received.

Thanks to Jackie Grom from FPCC for leading this one, and new Stewardship Aide Teri Radke for assisting! Thanks to Jean Dubach for wearing the backpack sprayer for the duration!

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McMahon Woods & Fen July 2, 2016

7/6/2016

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Great turnout on a holiday weekend! Thanks to Raquel Garcia-Alvarez for coming with her father and three cousins. Thanks to Brian from Indianhead Park and scouts Robert and Ryan who accompanied him. To all the regulars who are there week after week supporting the vision of our stewards, you are the heart and soul of Palos!

We pulled white sweet clover on the prairie at McMahon; there was an abundance of it, enough to ensure a return visit to the prairie later in July. Job security for the volunteers...

Perhaps at that time the Michigan lily, just opening last Saturday, will still be blooming. Perhaps the monarda and others we saw will also be blooming. Maybe we'll spot something else that escaped detection last week.

Like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get out on the prairie. Come take a look!

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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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