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Pioneer Woods November 24, 2018

11/29/2018

Pioneer Woods Saturday November 24
Lots of power tools running this morning, including Mark and Brendan from FPCC Resource Management. A big thanks for their help!

We cleared brush a short distance west of Old Country Lane and our previous work site in September. Cleared a lot of brush; check the before and after pics below. This spot has a horrible infestation of bittersweet, which wraps and tangles everything it touches. Nasty, Nasty!

The dampness made for good fungus weather and a couple interesting varieties turned up, also pictured below. Snow that followed within 48 hours put a huge damper on FPCC plans for prescribed burns; now they have to await this weekend's rains, then hope for a few dry days, before any burning can be contemplated. The prescribed burn is a terrific tool but one whose moments are quite fleeting.

We canceled our November 25 date at Swallow Cliff Woods South, will be back there on Sunday December 23.

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Cap Sauers November 17, Black Partridge November 18, 2018

11/21/2018

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Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday November 17
Unable to attend this one & have no report or pictures from those present. From Doub Boaco's FB post from that date., sounds like it was another bittersweet tangle www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2387885241240130&set=a.2387884701240184&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Black Partridge Woods Sunday November 18
John Marlin became steward at Black Partridge in April 1992. Sunday he/we finished one chapter of work there, burning the remaining cut brush from an area near the old farm house site that was the last true thicket of invasive brush at Partridge.

I'm not saying the work is done here. As John puts it, "most of the brush has been removed with just small pockets remaining to be cleaned up. As well as staying on top of any resprouts that may occur." But it truly IS progress; we've been working that one location pretty consistently for three years.

Another of those little feel-good moments you get from time to time in this arena. John deserves much credit for his persistence.

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Willow Springs November 10, Hidden Pond November 11, 2018

11/15/2018

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Willow Springs Woods Saturday November 10
Back to the area we worked two weeks ago, we continued to push farther from the footpath where we began our assaulut. We opened an area around a row of oaks, including one impressive two-trunk tree, hopefully providing an area where their acorns can take root and produce a new generation of trees.

Hidden Pond Sunday November 11
Shepard High School students returned, 28 strong this time, and did a terrific job clearing brush from the wooded area bordering the prairie. They were energetic, engaged and curious, a delight to work with on a brisk Sunday morning. Our thanks to them and to Brian Sievers of Shepard for bringing them!

Nature Walk With a Librarian Swallow Cliff South, November 15
We had another good walk this morning, from Swallow Cliff South over to Horsetail Lake and back. The snow was only enough to get your shoes wet. Looking forward to resuming them Spring 2019!

Signs of season's change abounding even before this morning's snow; frequent flights of sandhill cranes, milkweed pods opening and releasing seed (mother says it's time to plant now), snow fences and hay bales in place at Swallow Cliff sledding hill, all pictured below.

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Cap Sauers Moraines November 3, 2018

11/8/2018

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Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday November 3
I missed this one due to another obligation, am told there was an over-abundance of Oriental bittersweet.
Tangling, twisting bittersweet, climbing to the top of the canopy, girdling and killing the trees it wraps itself around, tying everything together in a knotted, disgusting mess.
So how do YOU feel about bittersweet?

Then Came the Rain
We had dates at McClaughrey Springs Sunday morning and Cap Sauers Holding Sunday afternoon; both were canceled due to unremitting rain. Later that afternoon I was finished with my day's work aned able to slip into Waterfall Glen for an hour-plus walk on the trails. Still raining but not intolerably. The cold and the rain, and the windy days that followed, stripped many of the leaves that were so striking a few days earlier.

From 1999 - 2001 I was a student at Benedictine U in Lisle and my daily commute took me past Waterfall Glen and Redgate Woods. Spent a lot of time on those trails, after day classes or before the evening ones. Good memories of pretty places...

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Willow Springs October 27, Swallow Cliff October 28, 2018

11/1/2018

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Willow Springs Woods Saturday October 27
Another super group at Willow, including first-timers Ray and Josie from Willow Springs, Evergreen Park HS Science Club members, and many more. We cleared another substantial area; we arrived via a narrow footpath with thickets of brush on either side and departed from an expansive open area.

Swallow Cliff Woods Saturday October 28
This was Ginger's first official day as workday leader, and our return to brushcutting near the Swallow Cliff South picnic grove. New faces included Bobbie and son Diego from Whitney Young and FPCC stewardship aide Mike. Great to get back into the area where we started work at Swallow Cliff nearly 20 months ago. We had a window of several hours between rainfalls and made the most of it.

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Pioneer Woods November 24, 2018

Cap Sauers November 17, Black Partridge November 18, 2018

Willow Springs November 10, Hidden Pond November 11, 2018

Cap Sauers Moraines November 3, 2018

Willow Springs October 27, Swallow Cliff October 28, 2018

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