Blog Archives

Willow Springs September 24, Paddock September 28, 2016

9/27/2016

Willow Springs Woods, September 24, 2016

We had wonderful, enthusiastic help from a group of geocachers brought out to Willow West by Amy Reeter. They quickly got into the spirit of building and feeding the two brush piles we burned.

With Jim and Kevin on chainsaws, Doug on brush cutter, and a dozen others wielding loppers and bowsaws, we were a strong force against the invasive brush.

Focusing on the western edge, near last season's work sites, we extended the previously cleared area another 100 feet north. Many (many!) honeysuckles, a smaller number of buckthorn and smaller trees shading the ravine, were removed to bring more light down to ground level.

This area already was showing promise in the spring; it should do better still thanks to the day's work .

Geo-cachers on a mission

Paddock Woods, September 28, 2016

Another in our series of Wednesday play dates (Jan-speak for workdays) at Paddock Woods. This morning was devoted to seed collecting and we garnered a decent amount of seed in our time there.

Thanks to first-timer Charee, to Jackie and Bob, and to Daiva and three crew members of the Friends Forest Preserve Leadership Corps, pictured below. We'll be there again next Wednesday.

Photo by Bob Schwaan

0 Comments

Cap Sauers September 17, Black Partridge September 18, 2016

9/20/2016

0 Comments

Cap Sauers Moraines September 17, 2016

This post is from steward Margaret Tobin's account of the workday.

We cleared a good amount of brush above the area we cleared back in March. All cleared brush was burned by the time we left, thanks as well to extra help from Friends of the Forest Preserve crew.

We have good recovery in the area cleared six months ago. Expanding beyond that area should expand recovery and also promote fire spreading farther into brush the next time FP has a prescribed burn here. I also hope we are curtailing erosion threatening the ravine below this slope, as native vegetation spreads into bare ground that was under thickets of invasive species we removed. Runoff under these thickets can be significant after rain.

Margaret outlines the plan for the day

Black Partridge Woods September 18, 2016

We continued clearing the section John has been working since spring, near the old home site that predates Forest Preserve acquisition of the property. We just about broke through on one side, connecting the approach to the clearing beyond. It's a slow process, but definitely encouraging as you push on.

John and Kathy examining something hidden from the camera's view

0 Comments

Maple Lake, Willow Springs Woods, Palos Park Woods South: September 10-14, 2016

9/15/2016

0 Comments

Maple Lake/Paw Paw Woods September 10

We were back at the shoreline of Maple Lake, removing and burning brush that casts too much shade on the native plants tenuously hanging on here. When we started we were in a thicket with little room to move around; when we finished we had cleared a decent area and brought in a lot of sunlight.

Palos Picnic: Willow Springs Woods September 11

We had a great turnout, ample (and delicious) food brought by participants, and plenty of time to enjoy a stunning, cool, sunny September day.

Good to see Kathy, Jackie, and Iza from FPCC Volunteer Resources, friends from the Des Plaines Valley restoration groups, all our Palos stewards, and numerous volunteers.

Paddock/Palos Park Woods September 14

This was the third in a series of weekday workdays we're holding at Palos Park Woods South. They will be a regular Wednesday item in upcoming weeks.

We were searching for what we expected, from previous walks through the area, to be the occasional stray honeysuckle. We found many more than that, and many that were much larger than expected. So we kept cutting 'til Doug ran out of herbicide, making it quite a productive and fun day.

Honeysuckles dread the approach of Jim and Lindsay Foreman

0 Comments

Cranberry Slough, McClaughrey Springs, Cap Sauers, Paddock September 3-7 , 2016

9/5/2016

0 Comments

Cranberry Slough September 3, 2016

We trekked out to the 'island', a small, really pretty area not too far from our January work site, and spent the morning cutting small honeysuckle resprouts.

Felt compelled to include a picture, taken not too far away, from our January 9 workday. This is why we have seasons!

Fans of the color yellow will love our prairies and woodlands at this time of year

Close by, eight months apart

McClaughrey Springs & Cap Sauers Holding, September 4, 2016

Diana and company were at McClaughrey Sunday morning, cutting and burning near the multi-use trail and Mill Creek. With repeated efforts the brush gets pushed farther and farther back - one chain saw, one brushcutter, and a small group of volunteers can do a lot in a single morning!

Our Sunday afternoon site was Cap Sauers, with three people (Jackie, Margaret, and Kathy) doubling up, am and pm. The view of the wetland just west of the trail was obscured by a thicket of honeysuckle. It was hugely rewarding to cut into that and see that view open up in a single afternoon! Instant gratification in an endeavor where taking the long view is the norm.

Some of the brush was already cut when this picture was taken, just needed to be dragged to the fire.

Taken at the end of the day, when we were done cutting and feeding the fire.

Paddock Woods/Palos Park Woods South, September 7 2016

Doug Chien from Friends of the Forest Preserves has begun leading workdays here - he wants to see if there's enough interest to make it a regular thing. The last two weeks we collected seed in the woodland. Thanks to Jim, Bob, and Sheri for kicking these days off!

0 Comments

Willow Springs September 24, Paddock September 28, 2016

Cap Sauers September 17, Black Partridge September 18, 2016

Maple Lake, Willow Springs Woods, Palos Park Woods South: September 10-14, 2016

Cranberry Slough, McClaughrey Springs, Cap Sauers, Paddock September 3-7 , 2016

Author

Archives

Categories