Blog Posts - Palos Restoration Project

McMahon Woods October 30, Swallow Cliff Woods October 31, 2021

11/3/2021

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday October 30
Another round in our struggle at this terribly infested patch of honeysuckle and bittersweet. We hit it hard, as we always do, pushing the wall back in three directions. Last Saturday ended with a real treat; Jason Kaple and Emma Mendenhall cooked homemade paella for our volunteers. It was delicious! We learned that they lived in Spain for several years, where they began cooking paella, and have continued to do so since their return to the states. Time well spent, I'd say.

Thanks to Jason and Emma also for their generous donation of Home Depot gift cards to our group, which will be put to good use.

Finally, thanks also to first-time Palos volunteers Luke and Tory, great to have your help.

Swallow Cliff Woods Sunday October 31
Ten volunteers returned to Swallow Cliff Sunday to burn the brush we cut on a rainy morning one week prior. We had a fire going in short order, and by 10:15 or so were close to wrapping up, so Carolyn and Kathy went a hundred yards down the trail and started cutting more brush on a hillside.

They were amazing! With one chainsaw, and much muscle applied to bowsaws and loppers, our little group cleared a large stretch of honeysuckle, connecting with an area we cleared last spring and pushing almost to the top of the hill. Thanks to all for the amazing effort, including first-time Palos volunteer Laura.

McMahon October 23, Swallow Cliff October 24, 2021

10/28/2021

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday October 23
Two weeks ago we began clearing a honeysuckle patch near the model airplane field at McMahon. It was distinctive in the abundance of bittersweet vines holding everything together. On this day we continued that battle, expanding our clearing both north and south of the initial work.

It was, once again, a great group of motivated volunteers and we got a lot accomplished. We'll return this Saturday, October 30, to push the line of brush even farther back.

Swallow Cliff Woods South, Sunday October 24
We woke up Sunday morning hoping the rain would hold off. Id didn't beginning as a drizzle and becoming a light rain before our 9:00 am start. We abandoned the notion of burning and began tackling a stand of honeysuckle conveniently within sight of the parking lot (and shelter), and knocked most of the miscreants down before wet gloves and increasing rain drove us to the shelter.

There we enjoyed some home-made chocolate chip cookies (thanks, Julie!) before departing for home, soaked but not defeated. Best part of it; we get to return a week later, on Halloween, and finish what we started (with fresh cookies). Thanks to our small, hardy group of volunteers, including first-time Palos volunteers Bob and Louis, who came all the way from Humboldt Park.

I returned that afternoon for a hike and found the preserve almost totally abandoned. Walked the one-mile loop, and beyond, without seeing a solitary human, and when I got back to the lot mine was the only car. This was at 3 pm, the Bears hadn't started playing yet, and I had the south woods to myself. I LOVED IT!

Cap Sauers October 16, Black Partridge October 17, 2021

10/21/2021

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday October 16
Margaret and team continued brush removal along the multi-use trail, not far from Bergman Slough. We had at least three first-time Palos volunteers; thank you Mike, Liam, and Steve for your contribution to healthy nature in Palos!

This was the first time in months that I've seen saw puddles extending across the trail, in a spot that normally stays wet for much of the year. We've truly experienced a dry stretch of weather, starting after the heavy rains of May 2020.

Nature Walk at Cap Sauers, Saturday October 16
While Margaret worked on the west side of Cap Sauers, we also had a nature walk on the east side, with Jessica Rock and patrons of Palos Park Library. Walking west from Teason's Woods, we experienced the remarkable terrain of Cap Sauers, with high bluffs and deep ravines showcasing the power of water to carve a landscape..

Black Partridge Woods Sunday October 17
Another picture-perfect fall day, with a cool morning and pleasant afternoon. We cut brush on the south side of Bluff Road, near the S-curve and Goose Lake, in a dense thicket of buckthorn and honeysuckle. Neal got some chainsaw time in while Joy practiced for the upcoming brush pile burn class (you got this!)

We also welcomed back Nicole from the IR (Injured Reserve) list; the injury was NOT sustained doing habitat restoration. Thanks also to first-time Palos volunteer Vinkut for joining us.

It was fascinating the way this day unfolded. We first cut an opening in the center of the thicket, where we put our single burn pile. Then, like spokes of a wheel, each volunteer worked their way outward from that center, so that by day's end we expanded our cleared circle substantially. Great group, got a lot accomplished!

McMahon October 9, Hidden Pond October 10, 2021

10/10/2021

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday October 9
This was a truly tangled mess that Joe set us loose on last Saturday. The honeysuckle was thick as can be, all tied together by a labyrinth of Asian bittersweet vine. Each cut was followed by pulling, snipping, looking for the vine that prevents you from moving the cut piece to the fire. Even the chainsaws and brush-cutter are stymied by bittersweet.

We were blessed to have a strong and energetic group of volunteers on site. Thanks to all for their effort and patience. By morning's end we'd cleared a nice little plot of ground, something to build on when we return in a couple weeks.

We also were joined by FPCC stewardship aides Teri Radke and Emily Russell; Emily will be assisting at sites in the South and Southwest regions, welcome to Palos!

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday October 10
Thankfully we had no vine problems to deal with Sunday. We targeted a row of green ash trees, some of them small, others big enough to tower over our heads, all growing on the Kean Avenue side of the preserve and infiltrating the prairie to the west. With site steward Mary Busch out of town, Kevin Kuhn from FPCC Volunteer Resources came to help.

Hearty thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Joe F., to chainsaw Bob for all his cutting, to Kevin and Neal for both cutting and hauling, to Joe C. and Curtis for keeping the fire fed (and the burn scar small), and to Kathy for her usual stellar job of herbiciding. That isn't easy, demanding a sharp eye and great patience.

Willow Springs October 2, McClaughrey Springs October 3, 2021

10/7/2021

Willow Springs Katydid Saturday October 2
The work site had some really big buckthorn (see picture below for the stump of a ridiculous five-legged monster). While Jim and Kevin chain-sawed the big targets, and Dough ran the brush-cutter, a number of the other volunteers cleared a big patch of brush, opening up the view to Katydid Prairie very nicely.

It really looked different when we finished. Joy posted some before/after pictures on Facebook that illustrate what invasive brush removal does to open up a piece of land. Click here

McClaughrey Springs Sunday October 3
Sunday we returned to the work site of the previous Saturday, removing more honeysuckle and buckthorn with hand tools and one chainsaw running. Volunteer and FOTFP crew member Neal got in some licks with the chainsaw (he's newly certified) while the rest of us hand-cut and hauled to the fire. Darien got to hone his fire-starting skills in anticipation of brush pile burn class.

Thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Art for joining us, as well as Kevin Kuhn from Forest Preserves Volunteer Resources. Kevin will be with us again this Sunday, helping at Hidden Pond. Always great to get that support!

McClaughrey Springs September 25, Swallow Cliff September 26, 2021

9/27/2021

McClaughrey Springs, Saturday September 25
I must begin by saying what a glorious weekend it was to be outside in the woods! Both Saturday and Sunday were pleasant, sunny, not too warm, and totally lovely. On Saturday we were joined by 20+ volunteers from SWIFT (Southwest Interfaith Team) who did a terrific job. We cut and burned near Kean Ave. and Mill Creek, and had three fires going to dispose of all the cut brush.

Our thanks go both to the SWIFT group and to the group of regular volunteers who assisted and helped make this day such a success.

Swallow Cliff South Sunday September 26
We had two activities going Sunday. Most of the group cut brush, going after stray honeysuckles inside the loop trail in the South woods. This is something we've talked about doing for a couple years, happy to get it done. Though we were cutting and dropping, with no fire, we cleared one thicket that could almost warrant a brush pile burn

At the same time, a couple of volunteers collected seed in the same area, getting a goodly amount of Joe Pye, bottlebrush grass, and several others. We even got a small amount of spikenard seed that John Marlin found.

Thanks to first-time Palos volunteers Curtis and Ryan, and to all present, for a good day!

Cap Sauers September 18, Black Partridge September 19, 2021

9/23/2021

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday September 18
Last weekend remained warm and sticky, and we had small groups for both our Saturday and Sunday sessions. Margaret cut brush on Saturday, her efforts bolstered by the presence of the Palos Resource Management crew. Thank you Brendon, Erin, and Jim for your help.

It was a brush-cutting day complicated by a lot of Oriental bittersweet vine, a nasty invasive plant that's become as ubiquitous as Amazon delivery vans in recent years. This vine not only girdles and can kill a tree, it moves from branch to branch tying everything together and forcing much hacking to separate the pieces and get them to the fire.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday September 19
Too warm Sunday for strenuous work, so John chose to collect seed from the woodland to scatter across the street, in an area that was pasture land for the dairy farm in a previous life.

We collected bottlebrush grass, wild Canada rye, and small amounts of whatever forbs we could find, then crossed the street and distributed it. I'm hoping some of that seed will sprout and compete with the mass of white snakeroot that has taken hold there. Much thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Randy for joining us in this effort.

Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes has been an occasional day trip for years. Tuesday we made our first visit since the area acquired national park status, drawn by the forecast of high winds and big waves. Both were found in abundance and an impressive bank of clouds hung over the lake, not so low as to obscure a good look at the Chicago skyline to the northwest.

Leaving home, we drove through a downpour, and Julie warned me she wasn't getting out of the car to be rained on. Divine intervention? As we crossed the state line we could see traces of blue sky to the east, and once we got past Indianapolis Blvd. the rain stopped. Such a beautiful place, Indiana Dunes. Got to get there more often.

Paddock Woods September 11, Hidden Pond September 12, 2021

9/16/2021

Paddock Woods Saturday September 11
I missed most of this one due to our nature walk (below), managed to get an hour of dragging in at the end of the day. It was warm by then, and strenuous, moving along the side of a ravine where most of the targets were located. A tip of the cap to the hardy group who worked the entire session. The area opened up nicely, and Doug got in his first licks with the brush-cutter in several months. I think he was happy.

Spears Woods Nature Walk Saturday September 11
We had about a dozen walkers from Palos Park Library on our tour of Spears. If a bit warm for burning brush, it was ideal for an easy stroll through Spears, with a soothing breeze and lots of shade along the trail. The site cooperated, putting on a beautiful show of color featuring vibrant yellows of goldenrod and sawtooth sunflower, the subtler tones of prairie grasses, and an assortment of asters along the way.

Our final walks of the year will be Saturday October 16 at Cap Sauers, meeting at Teason's Woods, and Saturday November 13 at Sagawau ELC. Both start at 10:00 am and will be noted on our calendar and in my weekly email.

Hidden Pond Sunday September 12
On another warm, sunny morning, we focused mostly on seed collection, though Joy was brimming with energy and took down a few weedy trees that infiltrated the prairie. We were within the (small) window when prairie dropseed has not yet dropped its seed, so we collected some of that, along with big bluestem, Indian grass, monarda, wild quinine, and rattlesnake master. We were unable to find any liatris, though it's been there in past years, and no coneflowers to speak of. We'll have another shot in October, when we plan a hybrid workday with some seed collecting and some brush-cutting.

Paw Paw September 4, McClaughrey Springs September 5, 2021

9/9/2021

Paw Paw Woods Saturday September 4
Our first burn pile of the season was located just a few paces from the shore of Maple Lake, where we cleared brush in an area where we thinned trees several years ago. While there were quite a few invasive plants needing removal we also had some pleasant finds like an abundance of Smilax and a small clump of the native Eastern wahoo (gotta love that name!)

McClaughrey Springs Sunday September 5
We had close to a dozen volunteers on Sunday, including Palos first-timer Frank. We worked along a slope rising above Mill Creek, in close proximity to water as on the preceding day. With one chainsaw and one brush-cutter running, and great energy from all the volunteers, we opened up a large space and burned it all on two brush piles.

Willow Springs August 28, Swallow Cliff August 29, 2021

9/2/2021

Willow Springs Woods Saturday August 28
This was a day of light brush-cutting, which was the best we could muster on another warm, humid August morn. The mosquitoes were active as well, forcing frequent applications of repellent. Other than that it was a blast, with frequent mushroom sightings and a trek along a drainage where great blue lobelia was spotted.

One of the picnic shelters hosted a church group, and their songs drifted far enough to enhance our enjoyment of the morning. Far more soothing than the music you usually hear in a picnic grove.

Swallow Cliff South Sunday August 29
When I arrived at Sunday morning the northern sky was overcast, and a trace of a rainbow was nestled between two of the white pines nearby. Then rumbles of thunder sounded, followed by light rain.

Our other volunteers all came from north of 95th Street and experienced heavy rain along the way. Bless 'em, they kept driving, undeterred, and by the time we hit the trail the rain had stopped. Apparently the storm passed just north of us, so we got our time in without further threat.

We collected seed from a couple woodland grasses, Joe Pye Weed, and several other natives that were ripe. Many more weren't ready yet, so we'll return in September for another seed day. We've had significant contract work in two sectors of the south woods that may benefit from some of that seed. Much gratitude to Kris DaPra of VRC for her assist on this day.