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.
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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