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Saving the Planet-- |
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Currents |
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Announcing a new feature: Currents On Line! For years we’ve enjoyed the newsletter “Currents” in paper format; but although we use information about natural habitat from the 1800s to guide our restoration work, we use technology from the 21st century to communicate our mission. So we have finally made the leap to a web-based news service. Here are the features of the new Currents: *NEW: Our workday calendar will be solely in web format, but (we hope) downloadable and printable. Click on the “Schedule” button on your left. *STILL HERE: The news and features that have always made Currents a big favorite--on this page; the one you’re looking at. Scroll down to see the latest stories, features, and interviews. *BETTER THAN EVER: We’ll never lose Mike the Monarch! Now he’s electronic and viewable! Click on the Mike the Monarch button and see Mike’s latest adventure, and go to the archive section of the Mike the Monarch page for every Mike the Monarch cartoon ever! |
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AND NOW FOR THE NEWS: 12/31/09 – An additional workday was held on the last day of the First Decade of the Third Millennium at the Schiller Woods site. Several burn piles were consumed despite the falling temperatures during the day. The work took place on the northwest side of the main forest preserve roadway in grove #8, which shows just how far restoration has expanded at this site. For many years work was conducted wholly within the prairie closet to East River Road. We are happy to report that numerous large and certainly evil Buckthorn found a new home in eternal damnation, thus going straight to the nether regions where they belong. A special shout out of thanks must go to one of our more recently volunteers. Sibylle Noonan has become a regular participant at our workdays. Her high spirits and strong work efforts, and charismatic aura have made her a favorite of the Stewards at this site. Here she is at the special workday on December 31: Working on a brushpile burn and Toting some brush over the frozen tundra. 12/17/09: Another historic flag-raising at Bemis Woods! A lightning strike by commandos from Gurrie Middle School reached the southeast corner of the designated management area, marked by the opening of a trail into the mowed area of Grove 8. Our heroic volunteers raised the Des Plaines River Valley flag, pictured here. We are now cleaning up Baron Buckthorn’s last redoubt in a pincers movement along the southern boundary of the managed area. This is our finest hour! 12/10/09: Brookfield’s Kiwanis Park wins one of the 2009 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Chicago Wilderness Natural Landscaping and Conservation Awards! The park was once a typical urban park, with mowed turf grass in between old oak trees; now it is a valuable savanna habitat with dozens of species of native grasses and wildflowers, impressive oak regeneration, and a colony of the very rare thicket parsley (Perideridia americana), an “8” in Plants of the Chicago Region. The original concept for a “no-mow zone” came from Jeff Swano, then chairman of the Brookfield Conservation Commission, in 2001. Since 2005, Suzanne Williams has been chair of the Commission, and has brought in winding trails, interpretive signs, prescribed burns, and regular workdays. For a picture of Jeff and Suzanne accepting the award, click here. 11/7/09: Bemis Woods workday with 60+ people. Louise Kulaga brought 40 from Gurrie Middle School, Colin Tysoe brought 10 students and 5 adults with ICO, perfect weather, brushpile burn, good hot food. 11/5/09: Our own Chris Haddad sworn in as attorney at law. Injustice, be afraid; be very afraid. 9/5/09: Bemis Woods workday focuses on basswood, buckthorn, other invaders in the swale west of Grove 8. Welcome to new volunteers Clare Mostek and her daughter Lily! |
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