Blog Posts - Palos Restoration Project

Paddock Woods August 31, Cap Sauers Holding September 1, Spears Woods September 3, 2019

9/5/2019

Paddock Woods Saturday August 31
We cut honeysuckle in an area within the trail loop, finding (and eliminating) a distressingly large thicket of the stuff. Doug went gonzo with the brushcutter while Jim used his chainsaw to good effect.

We saw this dazzling green caterpillar which Dave Branigan identified as a polyphemus moth caterpillar - I have a picture of the moth he will become, taken in Princeton IL a couple years ago, hiding somewhere on my hard drive. Check the caterpillar picture below, he's a beauty!

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday September 1
We had a small crew for this one so Bob decided to collect seed. Mostly bottlebrush grass, the one seed that was consistently ripe and ready. Thanks to first-time Palos volunteers Luke and John for joining us!

Spears Woods Tuesday September 3
Rain put a literal damper on this one, rain that came a couple hours ahead of the forecast I heard. We still went out to the prairie and collected, going after one sedge species which offered some ripe seed heads. I also got to see my first obedient plant blooms of the year, always a treat!

That's the payoff from our regular forays into the preserves - you're never certain what you'll see, only that it will vary by date and by location. Always another surprise!

Pioneer August 24, Swallow Cliff August 25, Seed Workshop August 25, 2019

8/26/2019

Pioneer Woods Saturday August 24
Recently FPCC reopened the Tuma Lake parking lot and cleared brush in the vicinity. Our volunteers went there on Saturday to continue the work, focusing on weed control. I'm told they found (and pulled) a lot of white sweet clover around the lake, and two members carried backpack sprayers and dealt with other invasives.

Seed Collection Workshop Sunday August 25
We started with an indoor session at Sagawau then moved to Spears Woods for the outdoor component to the class. We had a big group (ja, XXVII) coming from all around the county. Some, like me, were relative newcomers to seed collecting, while others were old pros.

A huge thank-you to Eileen Sutter from the North Branch (Watersmeet Woods) Joe Neumann from Palos (too many to list), and Becky Collings, head ecologist from Forest Preserves of Cook County for sharing from their voluminous store of knowledge, also to Cyndi Duda who helped facilitate.

There's been much contract work done in our region in the past couple years, meaning we now have large open areas in need of seed. Joe plans on holding some seed collection Tuesdays in coming weeks - if this appeals to you look at our weekly email (or calendar page on this website) for dates and locations. It's another great way to get involved.

Swallow Cliff Sunday August 25
After our seed workshop a couple of us, including one first-time Palos volunteer - Welcome, Jordan! - walked the south trail loop at Swallow Cliff looking for ripe seed. We found some bottlebrush grass, a wetland rush, and a couple others that were ready to go.

Old Friends
On Tuesday I went to my usual workday at Sundown and was pleasantly surprised to see past volunteer Steve Kirkilas. Steve volunteered in Palos, and all over the county, since 2017, then moved to Seward, Alaska to take a new job about a year ago.. Back in town for a visit with family, he found time to join us for buckthorn clearing at Sundown.

Interestingly, he said he can't find any volunteer habitat restoration activities like ours in his part of Alaska. Apparently natural areas there are relatively unspoiled, a problem that many of us might like but won't likely get. Unless we move to Seward AK?

Cap Sauers Moraines August 17, Black Partridge August 18, 2019

8/22/2019

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday August 17
We had a small group at Cap Sauers Saturday, collecting bottlebrush grass and enjoying a variety of other plants. It was good until the rain moved in and everyone had to beat it back to the cars. Thanks to Doug Bosco for the pictures from this day.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday August 18
Sunday's team split into two groups; some stayed in the woodland collecting seed while others crossed to the prairie to cut teasel where we got soaked a month ago. Thanks to Kathy Bruch for her account of this day and the great spider picture seen below.

Road Trip
I missed the above activities while visiting in-laws in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Driving Ozark country is always a delight, but heat indices high as 109 killed any notions of active outdoor play. We witnessed an impressive thunderstorm our last night in town, coming up quickly, dropping the temp by 20 degrees or more and dumping many buckets of rain in a very short time.

Pioneer Woods August 10, Hidden Pond August 11, 2019

8/14/2019

Pioneer Woods Saturday August 10
We wandered along Old Country Lane, searching for Japanese hedge parsley again, and finding a) enough to justify our time b)too much to feel we've got a handle on it. Time will tell, perhaps next year we won't see as much.

Instant gratification and restoration work are antithetical to one another. If you like to see results RIGHT NOW you may get frustrated in this field. It's more like Eventual Gratification.

Hidden Pond Sunday August 11
Rain started falling around 7 a.m.; though it stopped before 9 we had a small turnout. We still managed to remove all the giant ragweed we could find along Kean Avenue by the prairie, and also hit some teasel and sweet clover wherever spotted. The giant ragweed is really annoying me, always on the edge and so tall it screens the view into whatever site it invades.

A good morning, capped off with brownies and coffee cake in the shade.

Spears Woods August 3, 2019

8/7/2019

Spears Woods Saturday August 3
Japanese hedge parsley has really established a foothold along La Grange Road at Spears, and Saturday we tried to do something about it. We walked the roadside with trash bags, uprooting the plants (when possible), otherwise breaking them off close to the ground.

We carried multiple bags out by quitting time, with other invasives like Canada thistle and white sweet clover mixed in. I suspect we'll be back there next year doing more of the same. Thanks to all who helped on a warm sunny morning.

Willow Fest 2019
This is Willow Spring's summer festival, starting tonight and running through Sunday August 11. Last year we had a table there; this year we do not, but Forest Preserves of Cook County does and Dave and Kathy Branigan will join them as Nature Ambassadors, .

Hours Thursday and Friday are 4 - 10 p.m. Satuday noon - 11 p.m., Sunday noon - 10 p.m. If you're in the area stop by, it's a good time.

Paddock Woods July 27, Swallow Cliff July 28 2019

7/30/2019

Paddock Woods Saturday July 27
Teasel galore led us to the southeast corner of the preserve, at the junction of Route 83 and Kean Ave. Our prodigious team of clippers included two first-time Palos volunteers, Susie and Emanuel. Much thanks to them for joining us on this day!ariey

We removed several large bags of teasel and thistle flowerheads, all the while sharing space with countless butterflies, bees, and dragonflies power-lunching on a variety of nectar sources.

Swallow Cliff Woodland Wildflower Walk, Sunday July 28
Thanks to everyone who came out for our walk. It wasn't too warm (was it?) and we spent a lot of time in the shady spots which were numerous along our course. One highlight: an impressive white-tali buck seen along the way. I have one picture below, quality not so good.

Other highlights: one example after another of the diverse range of plants growing at Swallow Cliff, including at least one seen at just a few locations in our area. It truly is a special place, one of my faves both for nature and play.

Black Partridge Woods July 21, 2019

7/25/2019

End of the World As We Know It?
Last weekend the alarmists among us (TV meteorologists primarily) warned of the blistering heat coming our way. One FB friend heard talk of 'melting pavement' which IS more than a tad scary. So how did all that turn out?

Well, it got quite hot. Not as hot as predicted; they seem to focus on the worst-case scenario, but plenty hot, and far too humid, for a few days. We canceled our Saturday workday at Cap Sauers, a good call, in my view, as Saturday morning didn't have the cloud cover that made Friday somewhat tolerable (see below).

Friday I joined a few friends at Ted Stone Woods for a morning pulling mugwort on the prairie (the toughest thing about summer restoration is that many of our target plants are found in full sun, hence no shelter for the volunteers). Butterflies, bees, and dragonflies abounded and seemed untroubled by the heat. Can't say the same for us; by 10:30, when morning's cloud cover disappeared, we were ready to call it a day.

We retreated to the shade for refreshments - beverages, watermelon, and pie, and entertainment - a baby red-headed woodpecker practicing flight under the watchful eyes of its parents. Cool stuff.

Black Partridge Woods Sunday July 21
Heat wasn't the story on Sunday. Rain was. In my area it started after noon, light and sporadic. We began work at Black Partridge at 1 p.m. when the radar suggested the rain would end within the hour. It didn't, and at 2:30 or so saturated, we gave it up. We managed, in that time, to collect a lot of teasel and thistle heads and didn't have to worry about the ripe seeds scattering given the wet conditions. And if that's not trying to find the silver lining I'm not sure what is....

Chicago Portage
Monday Julie and I had to trek to Lyons and on the way home we stopped at Chicago Portage. Another great place,, significant for what happened here long before settlement.
It is, as Friends of the Chicago Portage says, "the only place where you can stand on the same ground walked upon by all the explorers, early settlers and creators of Chicago". Tours are offered the first Saturday of each month through November 2. Check this link for details and contact information drupal.library.cmu.edu/chicago/tours

McMahon Woods July 13, 2019

7/18/2019

McMahon Woods & Fen Saturday July 13
A substantial growth of Canada thistle prompted our second visit of summer to McMahon. This time we were in the field just west of the McMahon Grove lot.

It was certainly a productive time, if filling large trash bags with thistle flowers and stems meets your definition of productive. The bad guys grew in clusters, so one could lay a bag on the ground and cut without having to move one's feet too far. Bright sun but manageable temperatures, prudent water breaks, and we all walked out intact at quittin' time.

Best thing about being on the prairie this time of year? The monarda in bloom, one of the prettiest summer flowers around!

Ashburn Prairie July 6, Cap Sauers Holding July 7, 2019

7/11/2019

Ashburn Prairie Saturday July 6
Ashburn Prairie is a Joe Neumann project, a prairie he rescued from development some 25 years ago and got transplanted, via plugs, to a location in Marquette Park. On occasion our group goes there to help maintain its health.

On this day (which I missed) the target was grey dogwood, and the team went at it with their usual tenacity. My thanks to Doug Bosco for the three photos below that document this day, and to the volunteers who made the trek to Marquette Park.

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday July 7
Honeysuckle cutting - blessedly in the shade - at Cap Sauers, always plenty of targets. Since we were not burning, just building feeder piles for another day, we cut an impressive amount of honeysuckle in the space of three hours. Not a big crew, certainly an energetic one.

We may not get back to this site until September. When we do we have some nice dry fuel awaiting a brushpile burn.

You Only Get Wet Once
Stair climbing at Swallow Cliff on a hot sunny day, wishing for some cloud cover to take the edge off the heat. Got my wish, and then some. First the clouds moved in. Minutes later a light rain began falling.

No thunder or lightning, no reason to cut the workout short. Another 20 minutes and I was done - by this time the rain intensity had increased and all who stayed were thoroughly soaked. To the bone...

Usually I slow-walk ten minutes to cool down at the finish. Usually I'm feeling quite spent after an hour on the steps. Not this time. Refreshed by the rain, I walked and jogged up, down, and around the parking lot for another half-hour. Coulda/woulda stayed much longer but the rain was ending, the sun threatening to reappear.

"One must know the so-called 'lesson of a downpour.' A man, caught in a sudden rain en route, dashes along the road not to get wet or drenched. Once one takes it for granted that in rain he naturally gets wet, he can be in a tranquil frame of mind even when soaked to the skin. This lesson applies to everything." Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Cranberry Slough June 29, 2019

7/3/2019

Cranberry Slough Saturday June 29
Whoa, this was toasty! No questioning whether summer is here now. We walked along Old Country Lane hunting invasive thistle and others, clipping seed heads and bagging them. Despite the heat we had a super group who came, thanks to everyone for the excellent work under tough conditions.

Regional Ecology Walk at Theodore Stone Forest, Sunday June 30
Theodore Stone Forest, though outside Palos, falls within FPCC's southwest region. Forest Preserves ecologist Kristin Pink, and T. Stone stewards George Birmingham and Mark Kluge took us on a tour of the prairie.

Another hot sunny morning didn't deter us from spending close to two hours listening and learning. Prairie where thickets of buckthorn once dominated. Collaboration rules, with FPCC, FOTFP, corporate partners, school groups, and individual volunteers all playing key roles. Beautiful!