Blog Posts - Palos Restoration Project

McMahon Woods April 9, Hidden Pond April 10, 2022

4/14/2022

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday April 9
Back to McMahon for the second week in a row, burning two large fires that we continued to load right up to the moment we walked out. Kevin, the sole chainsawyer on this day, was a terror, downing trees AND bucking up logs already on the ground. He really, really went at it with a vengeance, as did Doug on the brush-cutter.

Passing by McMahon several days ago, I saw what looked like an attempt to bring prescribed fire into the line of brush. I'll have to get over there soon to have a look. I know at least one crew was burning last Tuesday.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday April 10
We tackled more big honeysuckles near the drainage ditch at Kean Avenue on Sunday. This included some high stumps left last time, as well as new ones like a monstrous, multi-stemmed atrocity that was enough to make its own brushpile.

Thanks to all the volunteers for their super energy, including first-time Palos volunteer Mike C. Mary Busch brought a couple 36" bowsaws, which we used as two-person saws. That seemed to help on the larger targets; one of the pictures below shows it in use.

McMahon Woods April 2, McClaughrey Springs April 3, 2022

4/7/2022

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday April 2
This was our first Saturday back at McMahon since the brush mowing project, though we had a couple late-winter Wednesdays slipped in. The prairie was burned a couple weeks ago and is much more accessible now that so much brush has been removed. It really looks great!

Of course, there's still abundant honeysuckle and bittersweet in our work area. It's tedious stuff and I'm amazed, time after time, at the energy volunteers bring to bear against it. They are true warriors.

McClaughrey Springs Woods Sunday April 3
We had another big group out Sunday, including first-time Palos volunteer Matt and almost first-timer Andrea. We cleared brush above the bank of Mill Creek, within sight of yet another recently brush-mowed piece of land. This reaches north to Route 83, which is much closer than it seemed before the work was done.

We had one gas brush-cutter going, with everyone else wielding loppers and bowsaws. Two fires burned hot throughout the morning, which started out a bit chilly but was downright pleasant by noon. Much thanks to all who attended our weekend restoration days.

Paddock Woods March 26, Swallow Cliff March 26 & 27, 2022

3/30/2022

Paddock Woods Saturday March 26
I missed this one due to involvement at Swallow Cliff - the photos are from Doug Bosco's FB post and the account from a couple of people who attended. I'm told it was a good day, with brush clearing and tree thinning the two main activities. And of course there was fire.

It certainly was a cold day, quite a jolt after the warm spell several days back. Snow on the ground and puddles icing over told a story no one really wanted to hear. Just the same, in a few short weeks Paddock (and all our sites) will be popping with spring ephemerals.

Swallow Cliff Woods Saturday March 26
This was a special afternoon date with seventh and eighth-graders (and parents) from Our Lady of the Woods in Orland Park. They were so impressive! Novices all, they quickly took to the bowsaws and loppers and began tackling honeysuckle in the south woods.

We finished a corner by the junction of two trails, an area I thought might take two days to complete. Not with this energetic bunch! Thanks to Kim and Al from Our Lady of the Woods for coming up with the idea, to Sydney from FOTFP for organizing, and to Carolyn, Joy and Kathy (the dream team) for helping lead.

Swallow Cliff Woods Sunday March 27
Back for our regular Sunday session, we went north along the tan trail spur a couple hundred yards and finished ANOTHER big chunk of turf. I believe Joy measured it at > two acres. The honeysuckle were mostly bigger ones and quite scattered; when I stopped by the following day I realized just how far we dragged to get to the brush pile.

We had another big group of volunteers, including first-time Palos volunteers Carrie and Sauter, as well as Diana, a passerby who stopped by to check out the fire and stayed for the duration, hauling brush.

Note: Two days later, a crew from Forest Preserves of Cook County did a prescribed burn in both areas that we worked over the weekend, as well as a couple other nearby tracts. That's the cherry on the sundae!

Black Partridge Woods March 20, 2022

3/23/2022

Black Partridge Woods Sunday March 20
Saturday's rain led to cancellation of our restoration day at Cap Sauers, so Sunday was our sole opportunity of the week. We had eight volunteers, including first-time Palos people Joe, Felix, and Margaret, as well as Debbie who doubled up at Kloempken Prairie in the morning and Partridge in the afternoon.

We each got a good upper-body workout as our targets, a thicket of honeysuckle, were quite robust. Most of the stems were beyond lopper size, with some too big to reasonably cut with bowsaws. For those we'll have to come back with a chainsaw or two.

Sunday, first day of spring, was picture-perfect, with blue skies, a light breeze, and shirt-sleeve temperatures.

Road Trip - Whistler Woods
As I mentioned above, we canceled our Saturday at Cap Sauers due to rain, so I trekked over to Whistler Woods in Riverdale. This place fascinates me; it's 137 acres of woodland and prairie tucked between the Little Calumet River and a steel company in a region - Calumet - with a long history of industry.

It's also the southern terminus of the Major Taylor Trail, named for an African-American cycling champion who competed from 1896-1910. One year he won 42 of the 57 races he entered in Europe. As an occasional cyclist, I was intrigued and am more impressed the more I learn.

Friends of the Chicago River has more information on Whistler Woods right here.

Spears Woods March 12, Hidden Pond March 13, 2022

3/17/2022

Spears Woods Saturday March 12
This was our last day of the season with Atrium Landscape, and it was another day of reluctant fires. Propane and the leafblower are often outmatched by wet, green fuel, which can take hours to fully ignite. That's why firewood is cured, though we don't have that luxury. Still, our persistent volunteers stayed with it and had several more fires going, eventually.

The work site is a nice, generally flat stretch not far from Boomerang Slough and situated near some low areas with ephemeral ponds. The tree thinning done here will bring more light in and should have a positive effect at ground level. Looking forward to the growing season here and other places recently cleaned up.

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday March 13
Back to last month's work site, we continued to remove honeysuckle from both sides of the drainage ditch that bisects the prairie from Kean Ave. on the east to 87th Street on the north. A big thank you to first-time Palos volunteer Debbie and the rest of our morning team.

It was a Jekyll-Hyde morning, with a stiff, nippy wind greeting us at the start and moderating to somewhat balmy by noon. Numerous garments were shed along the way. We had a single fire, dragged or tossed numerous honeysuckles across the ditch, and were able, by day's end, to enjoy an unobstructed view into the open woodland lying to our west. Super day!

Pioneer Woods March 5, McMahon Woods March 9, 2022

3/10/2022

Pioneer Woods Saturday March 5
This was a big group of volunteers, including first-timer Dominik, augmented by a crew of eight from Atrium Landscape. We worked above Crooked Creek in a fairly densely wooded stretch, thinning trees and burning eight? brush piles. The fires were reluctant ones; although the wind was brisk, higher ground around us kept it from reaching ground level.

As a result, the fires took substantial coaxing (and a bit of leafblower magic) to keep them hot, and Joe baby-sat well into the afternoon as he so often does.

McMahon Woods & Fen Wednesday March 9
We were again small in numbers for our Wednesday outing, but able to do a huge hunk of cleanup in what's been our second home since October 2021. Brisk winds, sunny skies, and tolerable temps made it a good day.

First-time Palos volunteer Sylvia came a long distance to join us; we appreciate both her travels and her energy. We also were joined by Matt and Erin from Woods To Wetlands. We burned three big piles of brush and expect to return, probably soon, for more of the same.

Spears Woods February 26, Swallow Cliff February 27, McMahon March 2, 2022

3/3/2022

Spears Woods Saturday February 26
We had a big group at Spears Saturday; Atruim sawyers and haulers; a large contingent of regular volunteers; and seven Whitney Young HS students. Our walk in was tricky, with a thin layer of snow over a sheet of ice. Once we got going, though, the early morning cold was quickly forgotten.

The chain-sawyers cut while everyone else hauled and burned. Seven or eight big fires dotted the landscape, and a large swath was opened to more sunlight for the coming spring.

Swallow Cliff Woods Sunday February 27
We had 10 volunteers Sunday morning. They included Palos first-timers Mike, a regular at Zoo Woods and other Salt Creek sites; Wade, with past experience clearing brush farther south; and Adarsh, who was hiking the trail, stopped to chat, and decided to join us. Don't you love when that happens? I surely do.

We cleared honeysuckle on a slope above the ravine pictured below, working north and west where we'll soon reach an area already cleared by contractors. It's amazing how the combined effort of Conservation Corps, contractors, and volunteers are creating so much open woodland throughout Palos.

McMahon Woods Wednesday March 2
This was another combined effort, with another great crew from Atrium Landscape, Matt and Erin from Woods to Wetlands, and a small group of volunteers, including John Poole whom we hadn't seen for a spell. Several more fires, lots of sunshine, and a stream of sandhill cranes passing overhead were among the day's highlights.

Cap Sauers February 19, Paddock Woods February 23, 2022

2/24/2022

Cap Sauers Holding Saturday February 19
Super turnout at Cap Saturday morning! I counted 14 cars in the lot when I arrived, and we had several stragglers as well. We also had a big group from Atrium Landscape, running chainsaws as well as hauling. New snow atop old ice forced caution on the walk in and it was quite cold at the start.

As always, the activity and several big fires kept us warm throughout the morning. You truly do forget what conditions are like outside our little "work bubble" 'til the walk back gives that chilling reminder that we're still in February.

Thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Brian and all of the hard-working volunteers who gave of themselves on this morning!

Paddock Woods Wednesday February 23
This took me back a few years, to our regular Paddock Wednesdays of 2017-18. Good times! On this occasion, we were a stones throws from the Paddock lot, burning three big piles with a smallish group of eight. Much of what we burned was already on the ground, though Jim and Matt were kept busy with chainsaws bucking it down to manageable size.

This area is so rich in forbs that, during the growing season, it's tough to navigate. Hoverboards would be useful when hunting garlic mustard, to keep us from trampling all the native plants underfoot. In winter it's much easier to get where you need to get, and walking overland was a better choice than chancing the icy stretches of trail. When I left at 1:00 pm our final fire was just taking off, so I suspect Joe stayed deep into the afternoon.

Willow Springs February 12, Hidden Pond February 13, 2022

2/17/2022

Willow Springs Woods Saturday February 12
We had an icy walk-in to separate the wide-awake from those who were not. Another good group, with three large though reluctant fires. I had another commitment and didn't get back 'til noon, and I don't imagine Joe got out until near sunset. It was productive, to be sure, and we even left enough work for another session there.

The best part of volunteering in the preserves is the people, whether it's connecting with new people or renewing connections with those from the past. Newbies or veterans, they're the best!

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday February 13
While we had equipment trouble with the chainsaws, old-school muscle power came through as it usually does. We were about a dozen, including first-time Palos volunteers Maria and Sofia. Joy celebrated her one-year anniversary of volunteering by managing the brush pile, and Joe, who recently took the Practical Herbicide class, hit a goodly number of stumps to finish his day.

Some king-sized honeysuckles grow right along the drainage ditch that bisects the preserve. We tackled some of the biggest, slow going but sure to keep the blood moving and body heat up.

February 9, 2022

2/9/2022

McClaughrey Springs Saturday & Sunday, February 12 & 13
We doubled up last weekend, with sawyers from Atrium thinning trees on Saturday. We also had a terrific group, including seven first-time Palos volunteers (Laura, Ahlke, Jeannine, Christine B., Christine K., and Linda), all coming with Meredith from the Chicago Women's Rugby team, as well as new volunteer Clay.

The snow was deep, slowing us a bit, but did facilitate use of sleds to haul some of the bigger pieces. Fires were slow to take off due to the high moisture content of the trees being thinned, but we kept at it and eventually got them cooking.

Sunday was a cleanup day, and we welcomed several more first-timers, including Nick from Sandburg HS and Rebecca and Elizabeth from the North Branch restoration group. By quitting time we had loaded most everything onto the fires, and Diana celebrated by ordering pizza for the volunteers. I've eaten a variety of foods at workdays, but this was the first time for pizza. The verdict: it works!