Blog Posts - Palos Restoration Project

Hidden Pond Woods January 11, 2020

1/13/2020

The weather outside was frightful... Saturday January 11
Last Saturday and all restoration days in the Cook County Preserves were canceled. Which was okay for those of us were scheduled for the weekend's indoor activity, which follows.

ConEx at Stagg High School, Saturday January 11
This event was organized by Peter Gordan, a graduating senior and the founder of Homes4Monarchs, an organization dedicated to building awareness and providing habitat for the monarch butterfly. This was ConEx's second year and several exhibitors expressed the hope that Peter's graduation won't preclude another one in 2021.

It was much fun, with about 80 exhibitors and vendors including Orland Grassland Volunteers, Shedd Aquarium, Forest Preserves of Cook County, and others too numerous to list.. Extras included live animals, live music, and an authentic T-Rex skull. A huge personal thank-you to Dave Branigan, Bob Erck, and Kathy Bruch for joining me and to all who stopped at our table to say hey.

Hidden Pond Sunday January 12
Sunday was a much better day to be outside and we took advantage, cutting brush near a little wetland south of the prairie. . Wet ground and fuel didn't keep us from getting a hot fire going and we cleared a nice patch of land by noon.

Spears Woods January 4, McClaughrey Springs & Cap Sauers January 5, 2020

1/7/2020

Spears Woods Saturday January 4
This was the first of our tree-thinning days of the season, with three chain sawyers from Atrium Landscape, compliments of Kathy Bruch. We had an excellent group, including first-time Palos volunteer Jim T., a regular at Bartel Grassland.

We worked close to the Old Country Lane and 87th Street, continuing in an area started two years ago. We managed several seriously large fires going (propane and the leaf blower in starring roles) and got some good work done.

McClaughrey Springs Sunday January 5
Diana had a small group on Sunday morning, but with Steve and Bob both toting chainsaws you can figure on a goodly amount of brush going down. These guys take no prisoners. While I couldn't make this one I am told it was productive.

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday January 5
We were 16 strong on Sunday afternoon, including first-time Palos volunteers Arlene and Sean, as well as Steve and Ann who came with son Max. Max volunteered with us way back in 2016 when he was in high school; now he's at Tulane U. and back to help again.

Working just above a small drainage along Visitation Trail, we dragged and burned a number of bigger buckthorns that were already cut and awaiting us, and targeted invasive brush in an expanding circle as the afternoon progressed.

What was a tangled mess upon arrival was much more open and inviting by the time we finished. Thanks to all who attended for a super day!

Paddock Woods December 28, McClaughrey Springs December 29, 2019

1/2/2020

Paddock Woods Saturday December 28
We returned to the site last worked before Thanksgiving, removing brush from both sides of a ravine inside the Yellow Trail loop. Two gas brushcutters helped immensely. Meanwhile, our chain sawyers thinned trees a safe distance away.

We were joined by first-time Palos volunteer Kaela and returning friends including Sheri, Jake and Miguel. The year-end warm spell continued, working against us in one respect; the soft damp earth limited our ability to traverse the sides of the ravine. Though it felt good to shed clothing and work in shirtsleeves this late in the year...

McClaughrey Springs Sunday December 29
This marked the last session of the year in Palos. We cleared brush along a winding stretch of Mill Creek, giving us a clear view of the creek by morning's end. This is the instant gratification we don't often get in our endeavors - pushing a wall of brush back doesn't have the same visual impact.

We were fortunate to have Steve and his chainsaw (and later Ben's) to deal with the bigger, tangled masses of brush. That freed the rest of the group to haul and burn, which we did with great energy. Much thanks to Kaela, who, along with Steve, Kathy, and Diana, doubled up Saturday and Sunday.

Cap Sauers December 21, Swallow Cliff South December 22, 2019

12/26/2019

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday December 21
We had a smaller group on this pre-holiday weekend, cutting brush along the multi-use trail coming from Ford Road. Unseasonably warm, as it has been for the better part of a week already, With Jim and Kevin running chainsaws and Doug on the brushcutter, we still got a mess o' brush cut and burned.

With the major contract project done last winter and our continuing efforts, Cap Sauers continues to become the open woodland that our stewards envision. The post-glacial topography is stunning and invariably impresses first-time visitors.

Swallow Cliff South Sunday December 22
Back to Swallow Cliff with Jackie, Srdjan, and Maxim. We continued to expand our work area in three directions, hoping in a couple more sessions we'll reach the marsh at slope's bottom as well as the trail spur leading to the stairs. That will be major progress.

Thanks to Ginger for helping lead, to Jesse, Nick, Raul, Laura and Elizabeth for their terrific help (after break Laura and Elizabeth helped distribute seed collected earlier in the year), and to Kathy for her tenacious wielding of the herbicide wand.

Willow Springs December 14, Black Partridge December 15, 2019

12/18/2019

Willow Springs/Katydid Saturday December 14
We had a chainsaw, a couple brush-cutters, AND a group of scouts from Troop 216, all helping clear brush near 95th and Willow Springs Road. Though your correspondent was otherwise engaged this morning, sources report that it was a most productive day. From Doug Bosco's pictures it also looks like they tackled some heinous tangles of brush. Kudos to all who attended!

Black Partridge Woods Sunday December 15
We had a small group on Sunday and returned to the south side of Bluff Road to continue our vendetta against the many, large honeysuckle populating that area. Old burn scar, new fuel, and a scrappy fire that took too long to really get cooking. We were joined by several first-time Palos volunteers; thank you Matt, Jannah, Jamilla, and Kyle for your generous help!

Willow Springs Woods December 7, Hidden Pond December 8, 2019

12/12/2019

Willow Springs Woods Saturday December 7
Back at the Katydid side of Willow Springs Woods, cutting more honeysuckle, barberry, multi-flora, and bittersweet. A week ago we were half a dozen or so in the rain. This time, on a dry, sometimes sunny day, we were many more, over 20 volunteers total.

We worked a wide area, with power tools in one sector and those with loppers and bowsaws spread out a bit more. After break everyone pitched in to help haul the remaining brush to the fire. It was most productive, with thanks to everyone present and special thanks to first-time Palos volunteers Amy, Madison, Paul, Corey, Arianna, Sean, and Zaid - think I'm missing one mom and one dad name here :-(

Hidden Pond Sunday December 8
We returned to the Kean Avenue side of Hidden Pond, to a brushy area near Woodland Drive. We broke down and burned two large piles of brush already present and began cutting into a stand of honeysuckle just north of the fires. Dennis brought his chainsaw and knocked down several box elders that were invading the prairie about a hundred yards from our main work site.

It was another good day and another terrific team! Zaid, Corey, Kathy and Damario joined us both Saturday and Sunday, and Corey's dad Jim was a first-time Palos volunteer on Sunday.

Willow Springs Woods November 30, 2019

12/5/2019

Willow Springs Woods/Katydid Saturday November 30
Breezy mornings with rain aren't the most inviting. Magically, the rain halted just as our sole chain sawyer arrived - how DOES this happen?

So we traipsed out to a brushy area near the big ravine and commenced cutting - more accurately, Kevin commenced cutting. He was a beast with his saw, hacking honeysuckles big and small and leaving plenty for the remaining half-dozen volunteers to haul and burn.
The fire had a smoky start, then it was fine. Work gloves got soaked but we otherwise remained dry throughout the morning. And when we walked away we left a big, open area previously covered with honeysuckle, little red berries still dangling from many a branch.

A tip of the hat to the other Kevin who joined us, from Oak Lawn H.S. He finished his requisite service hours for the term, and we appreciate all the help he's given us in recent weeks!

Cap Sauers Holding on Sunday, December 1 was canceled due to rain and wet terrain- we'll return on the first Sunday in January to tackle the frog pond project noted in last week's email.

Paddock Woods November 23, Swallow Cliff Woods South November 24, 2019

11/27/2019

Paddock Woods Saturday November 23
We had an active group at Paddock to cut brush near the site of our last couple sessions there. A true treat to have our long-time friend Doug and daughter Kanohi again!

With a pair of brushcutters and a pair of chainsaws we got a lot of cutting and burning done. At some point Margaret stumbled across an old deer antler that I suspect was one we found, and left, a short distance away more than two years ago. Much nibbling and weathering was evident, see pictures below. Great job by all present!

Swallow Cliff Woods South Sunday November 24
We had another great group Sunday, with 16 volunteers and three chainsaws, as well as first-time Palos volunteers Cai, Iman, Nouha and Jajuan.

In the middle of our work site sat a terrible tangle of honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, buckthorn, and others. Numerous fallen trees added to the difficulty in navigating this area. Our volunteer team ably cleared a big chunk of ground through the center of this mess. Sunlight will now reach the ground in places where it's been more a rumor than a reality.

Cap Sauers November 16, Black Partridge November 17, 2019

11/20/2019

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday November 16
This weekend we worked in two of the four Illinois Nature Preserves in our region (the others are Cranberry Slough and Paw Paw Woods).These are sites that have been classified as "high quality natural areas and habitats of endangered and threatened species" in need of protection. The Illinois Nature Preserves Commission then promotes the preservation of these significant lands and provides leadership in their stewardship, management and protection.

Cap Sauers is the largest of the preserves we manage in the Palos region, large enough to have two stewards. The site we worked Saturday is part of the area managed by Margaret Tobin - Bob Arentz is our other steward at Cap Sauers and works a bit to the east and north. Our main target was honeysuckle, and we found and cut an abundance of it, burning two brush piles as we worked. A terrific effort and a good time! We were joined by first-time Palos volunteers Laura and Madison (and Laura was back the next day at Black Partridge).

Black Partridge Woods Sunday November 17
In contrast to Cap Sauers, Black Partridge and Paw Paw Woods are two of our smallest sites. John Marlin, one of the original members of Palos Restoration Project, has been our steward at Black Partridge for 27 years.

During that time he's overseen the removal of all significant patches of invasive brush on the north side of Bluff Road, in the nature preserve sector. So Sunday we crossed to the south side and cut honeysuckle, including some sizable ones. Countless targets here so there's no concern about running out of work in the foreseeable future.

Nature Walk With a Librarian, Swallow Cliff Thursday November 21
Last night's forecast made today look like a washout but the worst of the rain tracked south and east so we were greeted with little more than a mist by 10:00 a.m. We walked from the Swallow Cliff stairs to the south woods, then around the loop trail and back.

The colors of autumn, the earthy reds and browns, were stunning. With most of the leaves having dropped you see the contours of the land much better than during the growing season. The squirrels, busy foraging for food, were readily apparent. This was our last walk of 2019 with Palos Park Public Library; we'll start up again next April.

Pioneer Woods November 9, Hidden Pond November 10, 2019

11/14/2019

Pioneer Woods Saturday November 9
Back to Tuma Lake with a huge group, actually multiple groups with multiple foci. Boy Scouts from Troop 216 of LaGrange Highlands did an Eagle project with steward Joe Neumann, installing erosion control barriers in a ravine that runs down to Tuma Lake. Congrats to Scout Brandon for his work on this important project which involved upwards of 50 Scouts and family members. Troop 216 is a large, very active, capably led group.

In addition to this activity we hosted a group of 18 from Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum's TEENS program, who cut and burned honeysuckle nearby. Many thanks to our FPCC stewardship aide, Cyndi Duda, for her leadership of this endeavor. Our usual corps of regular volunteers provided an able assist in both efforts.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday November 10
Save a frog, hack a bucky: while the prairie is the focal point of much of our work at Hidden Pond, this time we were at the pond that gives the preserve its name. Cyndi Duda, scouting the site, found a number of buckthorns growing around the edge of the pond. Since buckthorn secretes a chemical that impairs amphibian development, she wanted to get rid of the invaders.

As we did! To avoid having multiple fires in a very public area, we dragged cut brush all the way around the pond, quite a long haul. Thanks to Dennis Kankowske for bringing his chainsaw south of I-55, to three of our Palos stewards (Bob, Diana, and Margaret), first-time Palos volunteer Kevin, second-timers Walter and Logan, to Jei, Ahmad, Mira, Gary, Kathy and the tireless Laura.

With any luck our efforts will result in more chirps, ribets, and trills come spring.