Common green darner
Carol Freeman
Calendar
Please send calendar items to news@chicagowildernessmag.org.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
West Chicago Prairie Restoration Workday, 9 a.m. – noon
Enjoy the outdoors while helping to restore the unique characteristics of DuPage County’s most diverse prairies by clearing invasive plants or planting seeds at West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve in West Chicago. Groups of 10 or more must make reservations. Call (630) 961-2041 for more information. Visit the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County online for more information.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Restoration Workdays - Lake Bluff Forest Preserve, 9 a.m.
Grab some work gloves and join other volunteers to save some of Lake County's natural areas! Workdays are a great opportunity to spend time outdoors, make new friends who share a concern for the Preserves, and make a meaningful contribution. New volunteers and groups of four or more please RSVP to Tom Smith, Stewardship Coordinator. Contact Dave Szaflarski, (847) 401-2358 for more information.
Theodore Stone Prairie Restoration Workday, 9 a.m – noon
Join the DesPlaines River Valley Volunteers and help remove invasive species at the Theodore Stone Prairie at 67th Street and LaGrange Road in Hodgkins, IL.No experience is needed; the tools and the know-how are provided. Contact Barbara or George Birmingham at (708) 386-0579 for more information.
Hidden Pond Restoration Workday, 9 a.m.
Learn about prairie restoration at Hidden Pond in Hickory Hills, IL by volunteering to cut invasive brush. Dress for the weather; tools and gloves will be provided. Contact Roger Keller (708) 598-2234 or palosrestor@comcast.net for details.
Bird-Count Field Trip, 8 – 11 a.m.
Join fellow bird enthusiasts to search for and record resident birds for the DuPage Birding Club’s annual Christmas Bird Count at West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve in West Chicago, IL. Groups of 10 or more must make reservations. Call (630) 293-1627 for details.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Restoration Workday - Rollins Savanna, 9 a.m.
Rollins Savanna in Grayslake, IL is one of Lake County's largest Forest Preserves with 1,216 uninterrupted acres. Scattered groves of large oaks, wide-open prairies, and abundant wetlands offer the perfect setting for grassland birds and other wildlife. Grab some work gloves and join other volunteers to help with brush clearing, teasel control, and brush pile burns. New volunteers and groups of four or more please RSVP to Tom Smith, Stewardship Coordinator. Contact Ed Beilfuss, (847) 548-6211, for more information.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Winter Wonder Walk at Monee Reservoir, 1 – 3 p.m.
Come out and enjoy a winter walk exploring nature's wonders of the season at the Monee Reservoir in Monee, IL. Explorations will take place on snowshoes if conditions permit. Please dress warmly with a hat, gloves and boots and be prepared to hike off-trail in snowy conditions. Fee: $3/person, for ages 8 and older. Call (815) 727-8700 for more information.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Habitat Hideouts, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Home is where the habitat is, but where do animals hide out in the dead of winter? Find out on this guided hike through the woods at the Kane County Hampshire Forest Preserve. You'll learn the requirements of good habitat for our native wildlife and discover how animals have winterized their homes. Contact Jaclyn Olson at (847) 741-8350 or programs@kaneforest.com for more information.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Cookie Day at the Fen, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
This is the largest workday of the year at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, IL. Volunteers will clear invasives and trees and burn brush piles. Please wear natural fiber clothing only, because synthetics can melt near fires. Hotdogs and brats will be roasted for lunch - bring cookies or treats to share! Contact Mel Manner at bluffspringfen@sbcglobal.net or (847) 464-4426 for more information.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Eagles in our Midst, 9 a.m. – noon
With a wing span of more than 6 feet, bald eagles can be hard to miss. Yet few people realize that these magnificent birds live among us, right on our very own Fox River. This program will examine the bald eagle's behavior and ecology, taking special note of the birds' comeback from the brink of extinction. The program begins with an indoor slide presentation at the Pottawatomie Community Center, St. Charles, IL,and concludes with a carpool trip to a local eagle hotspot. Cost: $10. Contact Jaclyn Olson at programs@kaneforest.com or call (847)741-8350 for more information.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Lecture: Bird Migration in Chicago, 6 p.m.
Come hear David Willard, bird collections manager at The Field Museum, give a talk entitled “Bird Migration in Chicago: the Spectacle and the Hazards.” In the Millennium Park Room at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street in Chicago, IL. Part of an ongoing lecture series put on by the Lurie Garden. Learn from the experts all season long! Find out more here.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Woods in Winter, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
There is life in the dead of winter, and we'll find it during this guided hike at the Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles, IL. From woodpeckers to willow trees and possums to pines, we'll search the woods to discover winter ecology. Contact Jaclyn Olson at (847) 741-8350 or programs@kaneforest.com for more information.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Owl Prowl, 7 – 9 p.m.
Discover the adaptations that make owls excellent nighttime hunters. Then, take a short
Hike at Fullersburg Woods, Oak Brook, IL, and try to call in wild screech and great horned owls for a closer look. Ages 6 and up; under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. $5 per person. For reservations, call (630) 850-8110.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wild Ones’ “Toward Harmony with Nature” Conference
Attend this day-long seminar on native landscaping sponsored by the Fox Valley Area Chapter of Wild Ones. Keynote speaker, Robert J. Jeske, professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will give a talk entitled “There was no Wilderness: The Oak Savanna/Prairie as a Cultural Landscape.” At the Hilton Garden Inn, in Oshkosh, WI. Call (920) 987-5587 for more information or e-mail harmony@for-wild.org,
Local Bird Populations: How You Can Support Them, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Judy Pollock of Audubon Chicago Region will talk about local birds, their stresses, and how people can help them at the Barrington Area Library in Barrington, IL. In addition, Marian Thill will discuss gardening for birds with special emphasis on native plants. Free but donations accepted at the door. Coffee will be served at 9:00 a.m. RSVP to Citizens for Conservation at (847) 382-7283.
Kickapoo Woods Monthly Stewardship Workday, 9 a.m. – noon
Join volunteers at Kickapoo Woods in Riverdale, IL to restore this beautiful prairie back to health by removing invasive brush. Tools will be provided, but bring your own gloves if you have them. Contact Eileen Klees at (773) 238-4221 for more information.
February 13 – 16, 2009
The Great Backyard Bird Count
Bird and nature fans throughout North America are invited to join tens of thousands of everyday bird watchers for the 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). A joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, this free event is an opportunity for families, students, and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local parks, and, at the same time, make an important contribution to conservation. Participants count birds and report their sightings online. Find more details here.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Wetlands in Winter, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Marshes are unique communities made up of many different plants and animals. On this guided hike we'll learn about winter wildlife and the ecology of the marsh at the Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia, IL. Contact Jaclyn Olson at (847) 741-8350 or programs@kaneforest.com for more information.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Lichehs, 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Illinois is the Land of Lichen, with some 400 species of these fascinating organisms state-wide. There are 200 species of lichens in northern Illinois alone. Join Rich Hyerczyk, founder of the Chicago Lichenological Society and explore the local lichen flora at the Tekakwitha Woods Nature Center in St. Charles, IL. Taxonomy, morphology, and ecology of lichenized fungi, with an emphasis on identification of the local species, will be featured. The program begins with a lecture/discussion in the nature center, followed by an exploration of the woods to find lichen in their habitat. Cost is $10. Contact Jaclyn Olson at (847) 741-8350 or programs@kaneforest.com for more information.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Restoration Workday: Harms Woods, 9 a.m. – noon, 1 – 4 p.m.
Join the volunteers of the North Branch Restoration Project in removing brush at Harms Woods, a fine oak woodland situated along the North Branch of the Chicago River in the village of Glenview, IL. For details, contact John or Jane Balaban at (847) 679-4289.