tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308771682024-03-17T20:03:16.426-07:00Vestal GroveStephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-23065399940659742462024-01-22T12:06:00.000-08:002024-01-24T06:25:29.089-08:00A Winter Walk in Snowy Woods<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The original post was from January 21, 2024. In response, Rebeccah Hartz sent photos and comments, which follow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Jan. 21, Stephen Packard wrote: "During my two-hour walk in Somme Woods, I saw no birds and only one species of mammal. Yet I felt community with my wild neighbors, as their tracks were everywhere." </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmes3YzpMghF2-0ENe-ZoD9Y0DF08LftDTxriW9gldHMrGDWb7yzGKKSFM3x_n24PIp8T5XSj2_tZw2aLR3-5WO2s6PmxTMBu0TL-LjOicNN0tR7nz9YQPhCiB0_RsYOajVhJC9sYMIWIT5hYxs25znIUL6s63UKOoe0u6lPgMQEw-qIFCyyQ/s4032/WWW%20wings_3145.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmes3YzpMghF2-0ENe-ZoD9Y0DF08LftDTxriW9gldHMrGDWb7yzGKKSFM3x_n24PIp8T5XSj2_tZw2aLR3-5WO2s6PmxTMBu0TL-LjOicNN0tR7nz9YQPhCiB0_RsYOajVhJC9sYMIWIT5hYxs25znIUL6s63UKOoe0u6lPgMQEw-qIFCyyQ/w640-h480/WWW%20wings_3145.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, amid deer hoof prints, juncos left prints from their wing feathers. A careful look at the brown spots here and there in the snow revealed their purpose here - eating the seeds that were falling into the snow from the tree above. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkv8PRxYbzOWbG97kUQ2RSWJqiaV4xsuuS8sdBVQGlHHIGmP1WPg7ru9KTnoeD0GceSnvzBU0ItL5P4NwYbRKbQ09tMKh0apr-vS58xsUul3H3rPWQsk0506F5ddC8USu_ANwmJVeipIqmShMQCt7LfXPJdahi1Ja7S2PP4x64rgh1m4cCKszg/s4032/WWW%20wings%20and%20seeds_3151.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkv8PRxYbzOWbG97kUQ2RSWJqiaV4xsuuS8sdBVQGlHHIGmP1WPg7ru9KTnoeD0GceSnvzBU0ItL5P4NwYbRKbQ09tMKh0apr-vS58xsUul3H3rPWQsk0506F5ddC8USu_ANwmJVeipIqmShMQCt7LfXPJdahi1Ja7S2PP4x64rgh1m4cCKszg/w480-h640/WWW%20wings%20and%20seeds_3151.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This photo shows the seeds better. Hop hornbeam seeds are enclosed in brown papery containers (that look as they hang in clusters on the tree like the hops used to brew beer). <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0s-M8LhyYNe3DfsTL7oqWBK5XPimcKSXTxXkwvdIqyoZTvNLFCF2YYtSK4ajy9XPLzpx67qzRndULWxLezv_kqWp7bNVrGYkL538EP7Y_Nj2GLRkzLoKDTf12k6OajSW6pHTtTR2aLk_5koU8_QDXxVk8OwaHRiOjASHX-dgKQ1yklgBfkVLg/s4032/WWW%20mouse_3169.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0s-M8LhyYNe3DfsTL7oqWBK5XPimcKSXTxXkwvdIqyoZTvNLFCF2YYtSK4ajy9XPLzpx67qzRndULWxLezv_kqWp7bNVrGYkL538EP7Y_Nj2GLRkzLoKDTf12k6OajSW6pHTtTR2aLk_5koU8_QDXxVk8OwaHRiOjASHX-dgKQ1yklgBfkVLg/w480-h640/WWW%20mouse_3169.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">These tracks were made by a white-footed mouse - probably the commonest animal in the woods. As they bound along, all four feet land close together, and their long tail makes a signature imprint in the snow. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz7ckwUE1WZ1NWaNwXio-r9rxfQsfYdKkscsmmtxf922lpTed2bmv_z24biO6RctbaotoPDm8HTzJEAuixVmI__OhoxhtWMiWBXt5NRLlWNLmxtEIaVG3EnavHrQ8CJZUJPH-eWDJrVxR6QNp03buzsoykyZu7dCVObbiSs_cpp0MEDog8Lnd/s4032/WWW%20mouse%20highway_3168.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz7ckwUE1WZ1NWaNwXio-r9rxfQsfYdKkscsmmtxf922lpTed2bmv_z24biO6RctbaotoPDm8HTzJEAuixVmI__OhoxhtWMiWBXt5NRLlWNLmxtEIaVG3EnavHrQ8CJZUJPH-eWDJrVxR6QNp03buzsoykyZu7dCVObbiSs_cpp0MEDog8Lnd/w480-h640/WWW%20mouse%20highway_3168.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a "mouse highway." Mice spend most of their time relatively safe from predators under the snow. But here, a mouse has emerged repeatedly from its snow tunnel, through the dark hole at the bottom of the photo, to cross the Outer Loop footpath (here showing coyote footprints), probably to get to one of its food caches. Mice hide seeds and nuts in little storehouses and then venture out from time to time to retrieve and bring them to their cozy nest to eat. That coyote would be happy to catch that mouse for its own meal. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBm7yWWDmWDPNWAEk8MT8YzFZwPqkumYgVXtqy2kfbTmbG-VLz9IruJ0PIZMozfjPufxlFiSIJWT0aaDSz1dMtgZJrfsLq4Vunt8XXmn74ofRADj4hRXwwam1_12TvDmud7mK7SQlw2W9AIJsWS7TlU6sSkSJGX77qSI_J8vZOdD7xxGQ1fvW/s4032/WWW%20deer%20acorns_3162.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBm7yWWDmWDPNWAEk8MT8YzFZwPqkumYgVXtqy2kfbTmbG-VLz9IruJ0PIZMozfjPufxlFiSIJWT0aaDSz1dMtgZJrfsLq4Vunt8XXmn74ofRADj4hRXwwam1_12TvDmud7mK7SQlw2W9AIJsWS7TlU6sSkSJGX77qSI_J8vZOdD7xxGQ1fvW/w480-h640/WWW%20deer%20acorns_3162.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, under some old bur oaks, much of the snow has been kicked aside, as deer look for acorns. Most trees produce a big crop of acorns only every few years. But the deer know where those places are. Acorns are a major winter food for them. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrT55sV0oG5JKT-WKI0C24AtzjrFCC7hJ1XjfyipzbdVU4yLCdZ8R7i_Oc8xvBfoRVEjSIpAh9dYgZ9a9hyphenhyphen2WF5u2AUaUVnd4m5lKa9MuYbC6TpheO23Bxekgs5DJpASUyRMmkvIhUjuV-BbKLVNJb4eoSDeklR_n8JCy4Q2oJgC8UDbI5qWq/s4032/WWW%20two%20patches_3152.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrT55sV0oG5JKT-WKI0C24AtzjrFCC7hJ1XjfyipzbdVU4yLCdZ8R7i_Oc8xvBfoRVEjSIpAh9dYgZ9a9hyphenhyphen2WF5u2AUaUVnd4m5lKa9MuYbC6TpheO23Bxekgs5DJpASUyRMmkvIhUjuV-BbKLVNJb4eoSDeklR_n8JCy4Q2oJgC8UDbI5qWq/w640-h480/WWW%20two%20patches_3152.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, in a large area of unbroken snow, two patches stand out. Probably some squirrel has cached two patches of acorns under white oaks. Squirrels bury some acorns, but that's a lot of work. So sometimes they just assemble them in the leaves, and if the deer find them, they'll raid them.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmWPLShWpF0JljUG5wlF449GqmCP9bMtaxt1lQ1yrGi7kxHKVoUbfjNcSFv4L3XgT1KkN9uMfYwu6onwO81Q4YEAVp976VZBtunaX1oML8CC4reE9fkNFMlRVPnEIl6xdO4K8qqyGTCglBmUFkouIFXv8tB7ABKaLAdEQ8CO6FzYXlE_k2bXJ/s4032/WWW%20spreadng%20white_3154.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmWPLShWpF0JljUG5wlF449GqmCP9bMtaxt1lQ1yrGi7kxHKVoUbfjNcSFv4L3XgT1KkN9uMfYwu6onwO81Q4YEAVp976VZBtunaX1oML8CC4reE9fkNFMlRVPnEIl6xdO4K8qqyGTCglBmUFkouIFXv8tB7ABKaLAdEQ8CO6FzYXlE_k2bXJ/w640-h480/WWW%20spreadng%20white_3154.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">White oaks are identifiable in winter by their whitish bark. The oldest trees in Somme Woods are bur and white oaks. Typical old ones have wide spreading limbs and the remains of now-dead spreading limbs that died in the shade before we rescued them from invasive "pole trees." The tall, dense, skinny pole trees are the most common trees in this photo. Many natural, now-rare woodland plants and animals don't survive the dense shade produced by the pole trees. Here in the foreground, stewardship volunteers have removed enough of them to support the development of new growth and new life.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA0QQvbdKLdL9qCOPu358vDvCCJP_H1RUGky1VbB5_jdvURIvv_Y_AjqOvmUoANvsriU7HlH1rMkdU7g6GcYKCOhYR9HLU1t-CBcuOAfA0vdE6SssVeaAuex6V1aY1LVh6l_YJTeUB3loxaYN3T7QNVYEikQY23r4WIAw3RVTwkytPUshfC2S/s4032/bonfire_3149.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA0QQvbdKLdL9qCOPu358vDvCCJP_H1RUGky1VbB5_jdvURIvv_Y_AjqOvmUoANvsriU7HlH1rMkdU7g6GcYKCOhYR9HLU1t-CBcuOAfA0vdE6SssVeaAuex6V1aY1LVh6l_YJTeUB3loxaYN3T7QNVYEikQY23r4WIAw3RVTwkytPUshfC2S/w640-h480/bonfire_3149.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The woodland footprints here are those of stewards who, on a below-zero day yesterday, <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/05/restoring-oak-woodlands-what-it-takes_16.html">cut invasive trees</a> to make room from some young oaks (upper left). They left the stumps to cut low later when they'll have a better chance to apply herbicide to the stumps without having to contend with the snow. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKm06KJrZcuzV9H6qZFOPB4dxu0Gm-XAIH4dTForTe9DsHoCUatTwFlMX6xYxyp4dfupkGSPmDgZsSK3s8KOlZJz6BmoaLw76A1V_2E2ffEkYQ0JTU3TrUUp-KfhR6rBSvbwdIRXk_5Fcc5IWLLJFjS36VQ7N13T4dSDZlRTOyERNdhvNzXg8/s4032/WWW%20bonfire2_3150.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKm06KJrZcuzV9H6qZFOPB4dxu0Gm-XAIH4dTForTe9DsHoCUatTwFlMX6xYxyp4dfupkGSPmDgZsSK3s8KOlZJz6BmoaLw76A1V_2E2ffEkYQ0JTU3TrUUp-KfhR6rBSvbwdIRXk_5Fcc5IWLLJFjS36VQ7N13T4dSDZlRTOyERNdhvNzXg8/w640-h480/WWW%20bonfire2_3150.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">A second bonfire pile from yesterday. Though without flames, the coals can remain hot. Notice that in the background of this former open oak woodland - tall, skinny, invader trees are way too dense. As the stewards continue to thin them, we'll start to see the first bur and white oak reproduction in decades as well as increasing populations of the now-rare animals, plants, and other biota that depend on sunny oak woodlands. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcB1__J2s1KkNEJD80a8tlau1XrgQKIbuOdJSv3erIJ8yM9qd40SmCXvqtSBYdSBgLammHAQSLRAtC6fmkcq1EOxrq_vvbD2MGd5sdqwBJObfy9zny3_iHWkcRT0EqgwceHdVXnUKf23p7N0xTWmjRzGpHBRTPfKWoPq29aldplQaRDVoYkSI/s4032/WWW%20SW%20deer_3164.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcB1__J2s1KkNEJD80a8tlau1XrgQKIbuOdJSv3erIJ8yM9qd40SmCXvqtSBYdSBgLammHAQSLRAtC6fmkcq1EOxrq_vvbD2MGd5sdqwBJObfy9zny3_iHWkcRT0EqgwceHdVXnUKf23p7N0xTWmjRzGpHBRTPfKWoPq29aldplQaRDVoYkSI/w640-h480/WWW%20SW%20deer_3164.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">These deer were sleeping next to Fourth Pond, where the Forest Preserve staff girdled large cottonwood trees to reduce shade years ago. It's easy to see where the strip of bark and phloem were removed from two trees on the right. As I walked by on the Outer Loop trail, the deer stood up, just in case. After I passed by, they lay back down and went back to sleep. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJUtAyz2hdXpPccySHc6OUNnXdH3G8lCMzzPmbLbpQv5C5fj3-ZrPG3V0VfspiP5vVOX1Ef_UqT904wvmprkn1Rk2wFvas8uUZH4JwB8U2mOZcz3wah9vo3N2ABFBhS-LBsz2acgtKV8R7WP3DBAuGgsLyeMVFFyg_tVS96zQSlFhiyZ0tT4H/s4032/WWW%20possum_3157.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJUtAyz2hdXpPccySHc6OUNnXdH3G8lCMzzPmbLbpQv5C5fj3-ZrPG3V0VfspiP5vVOX1Ef_UqT904wvmprkn1Rk2wFvas8uUZH4JwB8U2mOZcz3wah9vo3N2ABFBhS-LBsz2acgtKV8R7WP3DBAuGgsLyeMVFFyg_tVS96zQSlFhiyZ0tT4H/w480-h640/WWW%20possum_3157.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, a well-travelled trail seemed to have been made by a possum. But a coyote used it too and, rather than duck under this log like the possum, it stepped on the log as it jumped over. A great many animals like to use trails started by others. The possum trail started at a big old bur oak with holes to "hole up" in during cold weather. Why this possum made such a densely packed trail and, indeed, what they eat in winter are obscure to me. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEStwavhkc0hW1IZAKoa8jDvVf0Il8IoJP_3Vr1IP-1x-W-L-huLpDhXQddwC8MUqvTZdBwrcs1lYC6MmMs0JaEdX6TlXu5XqyMOeiG5tfdz_B1XtZc9kLTvEE1UBDZfGMKqaSFfT2z0jj6wESJMm3MqZCg4cZj760j3ywz24oVZfnGZ4kA_C/s4032/WWWcoyote%20and%20mouse_3163.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEStwavhkc0hW1IZAKoa8jDvVf0Il8IoJP_3Vr1IP-1x-W-L-huLpDhXQddwC8MUqvTZdBwrcs1lYC6MmMs0JaEdX6TlXu5XqyMOeiG5tfdz_B1XtZc9kLTvEE1UBDZfGMKqaSFfT2z0jj6wESJMm3MqZCg4cZj760j3ywz24oVZfnGZ4kA_C/w480-h640/WWWcoyote%20and%20mouse_3163.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here a "mouse highway" is crossed by a set of coyote tracks. If you zoom in, you can probably recognize the coyote tracks which, like dog tracks, show their five foot pads (unlike deer tracks, that show two hoof marks).</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY7aeAgzbT5thmSoRR-iI8ARcEPbPZ7KaI34mVj0JRo32EXqAt4vv4OMPvbIZvVFKsWNTrdxO7yJNUVEZnT3-mygbXbJC36W-9Nbb9SsmajT8mhQQlPZERvshgy4Wqp9LuydZBp0cPliXHW8hscRv8SaWHAL9T16cA9-X9eqy2vzbHmBilX0M/s4032/WWW%20d%20m_3165.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY7aeAgzbT5thmSoRR-iI8ARcEPbPZ7KaI34mVj0JRo32EXqAt4vv4OMPvbIZvVFKsWNTrdxO7yJNUVEZnT3-mygbXbJC36W-9Nbb9SsmajT8mhQQlPZERvshgy4Wqp9LuydZBp0cPliXHW8hscRv8SaWHAL9T16cA9-X9eqy2vzbHmBilX0M/w480-h640/WWW%20d%20m_3165.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deer and mouse tracks.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAtBe3MPMnHAWDUYR4j5yoC1d4xuwJ12dGAFSDgtQfqjMURtt4SQeqn06PlQQdr1sGmfWbtf2ETGHKFiAgr0bHFpYA4o4jLp354fOgDRjlsgdMrI5HmLYwYC_BKGTpxlDL2agckOjDTkE1WtbVe8KqG-ywRJYqaduYzfMADixMrU1j1j9Ebem/s4032/WWW%20rabbit_3170.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAtBe3MPMnHAWDUYR4j5yoC1d4xuwJ12dGAFSDgtQfqjMURtt4SQeqn06PlQQdr1sGmfWbtf2ETGHKFiAgr0bHFpYA4o4jLp354fOgDRjlsgdMrI5HmLYwYC_BKGTpxlDL2agckOjDTkE1WtbVe8KqG-ywRJYqaduYzfMADixMrU1j1j9Ebem/w480-h640/WWW%20rabbit_3170.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rabbit tracks</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">After two hours in Somme Woods, I headed west to cross Waukegan Road into Somme Prairie Grove. While in Somme Woods I didn't see a single bird, though that could have been because I mostly had my head down, looking down for tracks. I did hear just two birds calling: one chickadee and one hairy woodpecker. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bvNvd_5ec9ckRTWBCQqmCkI8F-s7okWHG1wTQwSb79ccImRelE-c_4bh81o1lXzhmGwt9OejDEyJ0deduIv3lHbskgB5QcXSoC_hSIx7cYMRznMukrhN9a67Rcg-Pt2aKfsmnhJRkNylQ9HTGod-eYhDY3n5zgMBRB8ARhIfSQtSzBC-3NiB/s4032/WWW%20tunnels_3174.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bvNvd_5ec9ckRTWBCQqmCkI8F-s7okWHG1wTQwSb79ccImRelE-c_4bh81o1lXzhmGwt9OejDEyJ0deduIv3lHbskgB5QcXSoC_hSIx7cYMRznMukrhN9a67Rcg-Pt2aKfsmnhJRkNylQ9HTGod-eYhDY3n5zgMBRB8ARhIfSQtSzBC-3NiB/w480-h640/WWW%20tunnels_3174.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first Somme Prairie Grove photo shows these tunnels. There are no indications of hopping here, or long tail marks. These trails are thus likely made by meadow voles (probably the most common animals of our grasslands) or shrews.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd vote for shrews, as the voles have long-established tunnels at ground level, under the grass. Voles are vegetarians and in winter mostly eat seeds. Shrews are predators and mostly eat insects in winter. They bulldoze around looking for cocoons, chrysalids, and hibernating invertebrates of any sort. They will also sometimes kill and eat white-footed mice. It's odd to think of tiny shrews hunting for the same animal as big coyotes. But most every predator eats mice, also including foxes, snakes, weasels, hawks, and owls. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefOYyk26Wvx5AiS8rBXnR1CYySmOwmBKeNu5B_0kcVZDvet41uRwnJ6qccHfpJuRBjVhbG70P51nlYKfn1uoX0d57gASHHmgGVAJxYwnmJFSewQKZRV2i12cQ7no-Dm6W4uaBmDwPUq_GbrcW3qX7pPO_E1CRea-W51rZNacTpeFoXdXsq5Ye/s4032/WWW%20mouse%20hole_3172.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefOYyk26Wvx5AiS8rBXnR1CYySmOwmBKeNu5B_0kcVZDvet41uRwnJ6qccHfpJuRBjVhbG70P51nlYKfn1uoX0d57gASHHmgGVAJxYwnmJFSewQKZRV2i12cQ7no-Dm6W4uaBmDwPUq_GbrcW3qX7pPO_E1CRea-W51rZNacTpeFoXdXsq5Ye/w480-h640/WWW%20mouse%20hole_3172.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another sign of the white-footed mouse is isolated holes like the one above. Sometimes I see mouse tracks leading away from them. But mostly they look like this. Was the mouse claustrophobic and just wanting to take a look around? Or had the tunnel air gotten musty, and the hole was for better breathing? Perhaps some expert knows. I just get a kick out of seeing them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM0mjdyaklLiZx8Hn_rlvrLpUVpfJADGPTc0JvPy1KfiK-0_jsfgCdNbqU6VZhWDgM-QRkNzFgSyCbexnFLXZQ_LuaWPiBrfEr2XHUxwymufvfj4F0C7qUD7c5Gi1Ha1NxhqMPUfLU3d4aufi9VtJXn-oqRBk0RIT9uOZGbhhxziaShaB_5PM/s4032/WWW%20tundra3173.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM0mjdyaklLiZx8Hn_rlvrLpUVpfJADGPTc0JvPy1KfiK-0_jsfgCdNbqU6VZhWDgM-QRkNzFgSyCbexnFLXZQ_LuaWPiBrfEr2XHUxwymufvfj4F0C7qUD7c5Gi1Ha1NxhqMPUfLU3d4aufi9VtJXn-oqRBk0RIT9uOZGbhhxziaShaB_5PM/w640-h480/WWW%20tundra3173.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here some birds - probably tundra sparrows (more commonly, if misleadingly, known as American tree sparrows) have been eating seeds knocked off nearby plants. I saw none, indeed no birds at all, as in Somme Woods, but the frequent tracks indicated that they were here, somewhere. They tend to be in flocks of twenty to fifty, close together, and if you don't happen to walk through the part of the savanna where they are at that moment, you don't see them. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJ8y-9aFjluHd9-yefhUHn5pGCYrbkebD8YtxQ_lrkwTwQvNwjm8WnypKTJAu-GP_NOCQJz7Jnq4nZmZ3v0aqH8-TPI0zzPs-ViTmaYnzCNq1zDUUcQIUZ9nqzZBW6LtZN1oj4BekMFXEAdpSpqQ636p1f9_bKdbvv7ss8qhylw5mvvcKOhwh/s4032/WWW%20SGP%20deer_3177.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJ8y-9aFjluHd9-yefhUHn5pGCYrbkebD8YtxQ_lrkwTwQvNwjm8WnypKTJAu-GP_NOCQJz7Jnq4nZmZ3v0aqH8-TPI0zzPs-ViTmaYnzCNq1zDUUcQIUZ9nqzZBW6LtZN1oj4BekMFXEAdpSpqQ636p1f9_bKdbvv7ss8qhylw5mvvcKOhwh/w640-h480/WWW%20SGP%20deer_3177.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">These four deer were part of a herd of ten in a bur oak grove. Deer were the only animals I actually saw in Somme Prairie Grove, so you might think I would have been glad to see them. Well, I was a little glad. But I was mostly disappointed. A preserve the size of Somme Prairie Grove can sustainably support about two deer, according to the best research. Forest Preserve staff and Village of Northbrook staff both cull some deer in and near this preserve, but they don't cull nearly enough. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The last photo for this post is below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXeWpbj6qxOxU6APHGiDnwEGZx6-WtMKhehX8ATGcVQI5OL4yhyphenhyphenZf-XtFyHRFinSXpisjY25_PmU57XikWMvnIShztBFfXxuEeFd7I6Lso8pYKXQ5lY79mKBFJOS_WV8NyPW09Gl7f-qw1A2Bwx_29S5ljGGutPiSzvaFsX8e2Lfc_5UAyZew/s4032/WWW%20girdling_3175.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXeWpbj6qxOxU6APHGiDnwEGZx6-WtMKhehX8ATGcVQI5OL4yhyphenhyphenZf-XtFyHRFinSXpisjY25_PmU57XikWMvnIShztBFfXxuEeFd7I6Lso8pYKXQ5lY79mKBFJOS_WV8NyPW09Gl7f-qw1A2Bwx_29S5ljGGutPiSzvaFsX8e2Lfc_5UAyZew/w480-h640/WWW%20girdling_3175.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Speak of the devil, here a buck has used his antlers to nearly girdle a handsome young bur oak. The bucks choose trees that bend a bit, in order to practice the jousting that results in dominance and best mating prospects. We cage as many young oaks as we find time for, especially in more open areas where farmers long ago cut trees to make way for crops or pasture. But we didn't get to this one. A winter walk is a good time to asses what kinds of work we'll need to do more of next summer and fall. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">To anyone who's enjoyed learning from it, thanks for accompanying me on this walk. It was a pleasure to have you along, as I looked for what might be interesting. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>End of original post.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">On January 15, one of those dangerously cold, sub-zero days, Rebeccah Hartz also took a walk in those same Somme Woods, snapped the following photos, and recorded these thoughts:</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>"The woods were full of life this afternoon, in the awesome silence of the cold. For what it's worth, I think with the right clothes the temperature did not feel so extreme, and the signs of so much life were continuously exciting. I hope these photos capture at least some hints of that excitement.</span><span>"</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-FKRa_IWsA1WIwuI6FKuJBMaLVAeQ5EOemmkmqgwAwCgsfEVMghsEFh98HGOj4upBjCs7LpHJys0AwsvsPHVWQKAxCSnJVVVX7BuRihwdgpd2OfSliRKuVqgmxk5m13UqsEfXLolt_f0QAH6Dhbugllz8EOcroB6lFrwPiBeeFYIC8jro8PG/s1800/4%20elaborate%20tunnel%20system.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-FKRa_IWsA1WIwuI6FKuJBMaLVAeQ5EOemmkmqgwAwCgsfEVMghsEFh98HGOj4upBjCs7LpHJys0AwsvsPHVWQKAxCSnJVVVX7BuRihwdgpd2OfSliRKuVqgmxk5m13UqsEfXLolt_f0QAH6Dhbugllz8EOcroB6lFrwPiBeeFYIC8jro8PG/w640-h426/4%20elaborate%20tunnel%20system.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">This was one of the longest tunnels I came across. You can see the little ridge of slightly protruding/cracked surface snow where the creature burrowed along, and the occasional break where the creatures surfaced and took up running. I suspect shrews.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPhs82LSu16auv0xxdZ3TBnne0st0MuAYZ77ORomh9X013aDekzgKf4_qI5LE8UJ0cW8b1G5yn7MBcWEsDy1wuaTexYzSGqdqDcShVW_rXNflISWEpKJOuMr8ASkU9eoA25gtAD9RjSarlxsJLhiR6CpxFe2hsPFGLw70iWHBn5DPoKz1PIbl/s1109/2%20subnivean%20lair.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1109" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPhs82LSu16auv0xxdZ3TBnne0st0MuAYZ77ORomh9X013aDekzgKf4_qI5LE8UJ0cW8b1G5yn7MBcWEsDy1wuaTexYzSGqdqDcShVW_rXNflISWEpKJOuMr8ASkU9eoA25gtAD9RjSarlxsJLhiR6CpxFe2hsPFGLw70iWHBn5DPoKz1PIbl/w640-h544/2%20subnivean%20lair.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>There were tunnels everywhere! Tracks of a white-footed mouse led to this one</span><span>.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0KpWvsuKgDJYnLwx5ki1Aj4vCQlkMrelLwXL0npWxV2u2ayFuUf3mLv8_1PiPZ7AGykWEEEN55lhZCETL1snJPSBPurunicZa0F1gtZtmmJY4L4A2nplj2RWnAqnyVf-Vo-MVXWY1V3bdjoHk3meZGBXoOBhEWZ1eVeNN560CfxcZKRciC8R/s1800/3%20warm%20tunnel%20entrance.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="1800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0KpWvsuKgDJYnLwx5ki1Aj4vCQlkMrelLwXL0npWxV2u2ayFuUf3mLv8_1PiPZ7AGykWEEEN55lhZCETL1snJPSBPurunicZa0F1gtZtmmJY4L4A2nplj2RWnAqnyVf-Vo-MVXWY1V3bdjoHk3meZGBXoOBhEWZ1eVeNN560CfxcZKRciC8R/w640-h480/3%20warm%20tunnel%20entrance.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Detail of the photo shown above. </span><span>I think the entrances and air vents are irresistible. I like how you can tell there's warmer air coming up from beneath the snow by the longer ice crystals around the hole. </span><span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJPrStZF7qmE_KVNT3icH3a16b-vLyd_X_2b7YtzCmQMFOaCC_Py7sLRTIp53yfVVGZQpscJAafGwkpAc7U2-iE56cEXzZ5aLHcIf2rHY9LsuKZYTtT9Hp4e1Jpm5PjLkGndE5A-izSTmIqjvTmFUDpb2kVSW0EdUAW5Wbrxeo0p6BNpQYvub/s1800/6%20coyote%20and%20rabbit%20trail%20track%20closeup.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJPrStZF7qmE_KVNT3icH3a16b-vLyd_X_2b7YtzCmQMFOaCC_Py7sLRTIp53yfVVGZQpscJAafGwkpAc7U2-iE56cEXzZ5aLHcIf2rHY9LsuKZYTtT9Hp4e1Jpm5PjLkGndE5A-izSTmIqjvTmFUDpb2kVSW0EdUAW5Wbrxeo0p6BNpQYvub/w640-h426/6%20coyote%20and%20rabbit%20trail%20track%20closeup.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I walked the Middle Loop trail. <span>No person had been out on it yet, just a solitary coyote and rabbit. Fortunately for the rabbit, the two sets of tracks head in opposite directions. </span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVf6AljN6r3G0BbB6YjamTg6fbS6moSCqCxiOPzTUweYvdsuQAt9PMFgFgt20XN90hp4XIWTjAj7HCPEQ7-l00phjIL9wPQtzQHPtBcDpfeZ2Brb37noP0VwHD9zSnAQKhDM0A9UmLU0OoTPw2WeAJMJ5CrYYTY08DISEcVA-OOBrmp5372R7/s1800/7%20feasting%20companions%20at%204th%20Pond.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVf6AljN6r3G0BbB6YjamTg6fbS6moSCqCxiOPzTUweYvdsuQAt9PMFgFgt20XN90hp4XIWTjAj7HCPEQ7-l00phjIL9wPQtzQHPtBcDpfeZ2Brb37noP0VwHD9zSnAQKhDM0A9UmLU0OoTPw2WeAJMJ5CrYYTY08DISEcVA-OOBrmp5372R7/w640-h426/7%20feasting%20companions%20at%204th%20Pond.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the edge of Fourth Pond, two <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2022/02/tallgrass-winter.html">tundra sparrows</a> were feasting on seeds. <span>They accompanied me the whole time I was there. Here they are against the backdrop of one of the fallen cottonwoods. Above us, a red-headed woodpecker hopped and glided from tree to tree. </span><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWg1eKmaDGlWq2AvUyY-nSQHovJdleWLOSFNygenlCY6Jg782BGGlNa_Fdiihs2kzCsCadBot3kU7YNHOOyDnVzJjivZ4_8hp9fFzqTIRbfrOZhKWJXUsML8rM9vd4cyEONq03cqNpL8Je-1VqJMLUbGzRpQ1NomgZanFGqVERvbtpOK6Hqa_h/s1800/10%20coyote%20and%20vole%20crossroads%20at%204th%20pond.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWg1eKmaDGlWq2AvUyY-nSQHovJdleWLOSFNygenlCY6Jg782BGGlNa_Fdiihs2kzCsCadBot3kU7YNHOOyDnVzJjivZ4_8hp9fFzqTIRbfrOZhKWJXUsML8rM9vd4cyEONq03cqNpL8Je-1VqJMLUbGzRpQ1NomgZanFGqVERvbtpOK6Hqa_h/w640-h426/10%20coyote%20and%20vole%20crossroads%20at%204th%20pond.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coyote tracks headed out on the snow-covered pond. <span>This picture doesn't show it, but in places you can see spots where the coyote lost its balance and went skittering across the ice.</span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3l5yhOYCy_tkxkbFzfH2lNsyp2J3HA33WtXql1udA5JTSwVJKnd00kN3WRQ1_XoIhh0T1WY2_QlOWsZowBhbpC3Q2uHTZOSFCD13rCVVtlIclTpNsz9PTLXo8-mt1D2W-259k8CXYeVYW_Q9V3g9Yw1MOh9INsacWU9c1BTcxe9Y5d4-oh7EP/s667/11%20Coyote%20approaching%202nd%20Pond.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="667" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3l5yhOYCy_tkxkbFzfH2lNsyp2J3HA33WtXql1udA5JTSwVJKnd00kN3WRQ1_XoIhh0T1WY2_QlOWsZowBhbpC3Q2uHTZOSFCD13rCVVtlIclTpNsz9PTLXo8-mt1D2W-259k8CXYeVYW_Q9V3g9Yw1MOh9INsacWU9c1BTcxe9Y5d4-oh7EP/w640-h452/11%20Coyote%20approaching%202nd%20Pond.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, thrillingly enough, this beauty appeared. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She or he gave me a brief look and made a quick retreat into the oaks.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_9501rLzVFeGReSCmdPN4PkemEETqYY5jhPS_cWAfvN5_WetOqBN4Wm4oTSX1Yb_5cCtfvkaFLn9zDKNInQu04vQE_wPmm7jCE3QcpTTCXuyiwq9xW_ITkdG-rkmo3Kj7oq85mS2moRI6T07lPRTQ5XoJT81Jor7RXS1LnLVRK1xbonKhm70/s1800/12%20coyote%20retreat.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_9501rLzVFeGReSCmdPN4PkemEETqYY5jhPS_cWAfvN5_WetOqBN4Wm4oTSX1Yb_5cCtfvkaFLn9zDKNInQu04vQE_wPmm7jCE3QcpTTCXuyiwq9xW_ITkdG-rkmo3Kj7oq85mS2moRI6T07lPRTQ5XoJT81Jor7RXS1LnLVRK1xbonKhm70/w640-h426/12%20coyote%20retreat.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div><b>Acknowledgements</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Thanks to Rebecca Hartz for great photos and thoughts. Thanks to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-21164023347389559252023-10-14T11:44:00.004-07:002023-10-15T07:30:41.697-07:00Fall Flora of Oak Woodlands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It should be celebrated, for two reasons: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">First, it’s beautiful and an inspiring finale to the growing season.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Second, a <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html">diverse and conservative</a> fall flora is <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-way-to-judge-ecosystem-health.html">an indicator of woodland health</a>, a rare thing today. Most woods have lost it. </span></p></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Somme Woods has benefitted from ambitious restoration (fire, thinning, and seeding) for four decades. It's a good place to get to know these important late-season plants. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nDiR3QuBN7Eq6Eg0o4vitYlDggTP4G-mBT8bsiAg32h3dGfmvz5J_oax853wd1vDEa2HH53ncY9WsB5PsYPeQo-a4MjIZctBSqZoVRo5iY5hwud5z_QyhxY85M2unTFy-hkhCDgyqdG4mQhmz_-SL44dvf6FZCh3IMG8DseCsG8YDjDPkY2G/s4032/coffee%20sun%20ziz%20and%20shorts_2819.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nDiR3QuBN7Eq6Eg0o4vitYlDggTP4G-mBT8bsiAg32h3dGfmvz5J_oax853wd1vDEa2HH53ncY9WsB5PsYPeQo-a4MjIZctBSqZoVRo5iY5hwud5z_QyhxY85M2unTFy-hkhCDgyqdG4mQhmz_-SL44dvf6FZCh3IMG8DseCsG8YDjDPkY2G/w640-h480/coffee%20sun%20ziz%20and%20shorts_2819.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> Migrating birds harvest the insects that spend their lives in the woodland understory, and our eyes harvest the richness of its shapes and colors. <br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Part 1. Two Goldenrods and Two Asters</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Few people recognize such plants as Zigzag or Blue-stemmed Goldenrod. The handsome plant below is the zigzag one. It once was widely common in the oak woods. Now most woodlands don't have any. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqecKWJ1RlnCUeWs0ur6_XcM7uqarCPWBSCLcC3YGVETh5CqRtJAHo8fzJoobTmr-1stsh2ffcqw0e-Ag9qZfAPkQVmDK91d3sePKSHyBbXBf59YAnlQB1xzitWKFucrHflIzn9UYjBRiSlwNmD13ywhq0Z-CxTUdf6a3RZoM_mJl8YA8WGKT/s4032/zigzag_2806.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqecKWJ1RlnCUeWs0ur6_XcM7uqarCPWBSCLcC3YGVETh5CqRtJAHo8fzJoobTmr-1stsh2ffcqw0e-Ag9qZfAPkQVmDK91d3sePKSHyBbXBf59YAnlQB1xzitWKFucrHflIzn9UYjBRiSlwNmD13ywhq0Z-CxTUdf6a3RZoM_mJl8YA8WGKT/w480-h640/zigzag_2806.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's short and cute, often just a foot or two tall. Most of the fall plants in a high-quality woods are one to three feet tall. You can recognize Zigzag Goldenrod by its wide, toothy leaves. The stem does zig and zag a bit. The flowers are mostly in a clump at the summit. And there's another goldenrod in this photo, on both sides of the zigzag, with narrow leaves, shown better in the photo below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALteM4621qhvaXz4ijRUfwqTUHpIDHISBK0SY0z-CB2k7I3Pz1cnq4PtKTkZSk84Xv3iM4iovOMIcCjgVM6m9MgfFl02hu2TI5GN1FFR_7iHbVbinLh2nSTALgYV_ycyKkarsqiLWqtahott8Z2jGJVzmKvAZkNE-XbhP7JUKzHNdTXF6MBfD/s4032/blue-stemmed_2872.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALteM4621qhvaXz4ijRUfwqTUHpIDHISBK0SY0z-CB2k7I3Pz1cnq4PtKTkZSk84Xv3iM4iovOMIcCjgVM6m9MgfFl02hu2TI5GN1FFR_7iHbVbinLh2nSTALgYV_ycyKkarsqiLWqtahott8Z2jGJVzmKvAZkNE-XbhP7JUKzHNdTXF6MBfD/w480-h640/blue-stemmed_2872.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blue-stemmed Goldenrod is also a mark of quality. Its flowers are spread along the stem, emerging from the bases of the leaves. And the stem is indeed often blue or purple. </span><div><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the photo below, three goldenrod species mix with three aster species:</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJi7G8vRB8Wpv6692dzQY66HKWRhaPAO0ZuY15lMvAGLqLQSRpdujyieaqcftDMr8WMnX0BTwkSW_eINd2IbGA317Cbpr1TrwWLXmhf0rOk-rkaC7_tDCl8D-odqXZlc6htiu-6beEZyZNNP2fNtwuMrYT04kJnIlUgtrv3fXX3SrGaLvTeZmb/s4032/Sol%202%20Ast%202%20eaten_2871.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJi7G8vRB8Wpv6692dzQY66HKWRhaPAO0ZuY15lMvAGLqLQSRpdujyieaqcftDMr8WMnX0BTwkSW_eINd2IbGA317Cbpr1TrwWLXmhf0rOk-rkaC7_tDCl8D-odqXZlc6htiu-6beEZyZNNP2fNtwuMrYT04kJnIlUgtrv3fXX3SrGaLvTeZmb/w640-h480/Sol%202%20Ast%202%20eaten_2871.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blue-stemmed is in the middle. One half of a Zigzag leaf is visible at the bottom. But the main plant here is Elm-leaved Goldenrod, easy to miss now because it's a late-summer plant, mostly finished blooming in October. (It's another one that's about two feet tall; its seeds are forming where the flowers were, on widely branching stems, visible here if you look close.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then come the asters. The blue ones above are Short's Aster. The other, Forked Aster, is identifiable (lower right) by its tall stems and heart-shaped, toothed leaves; it normally has white flowers, but this year the deer ate the tops off most of them, including those here. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In most woods you'll find no Short's Aster. Its place will be taken by the weedy Drummond's Aster. It takes a second look to differentiate the high-quality Short's (<a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-way-to-judge-ecosystem-health.html">C = 8</a>) from Drummond's Aster (C = 2). Both have blue flowers, but their leaf stems are different, as shown below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FNlhIpFSqWUgUvuVh_sdE0YWBWFyq9qJsmteQ2_Yv7Ku6a4-xHwMvURzN2cycxWCQQJnjXmkLa6Cdvcdn9MbDqPZRIDka8A-GSxkTDAF3L-u1XXBKOn9uekFKKZhod2qMkA-UfwuWt-k2kzJaxwCZlu88BO4NVdfMlfNwMUPMVTUJWh3yXZB/s4032/Ast%20sho%20and%20sag%20leaves_2862.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FNlhIpFSqWUgUvuVh_sdE0YWBWFyq9qJsmteQ2_Yv7Ku6a4-xHwMvURzN2cycxWCQQJnjXmkLa6Cdvcdn9MbDqPZRIDka8A-GSxkTDAF3L-u1XXBKOn9uekFKKZhod2qMkA-UfwuWt-k2kzJaxwCZlu88BO4NVdfMlfNwMUPMVTUJWh3yXZB/w480-h640/Ast%20sho%20and%20sag%20leaves_2862.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The classy Short's Aster (right) has a thin leaf stem. The weedy Drummond's (left) has a stem that looks wide because of leaf-like "wings" along the sides. If you care about woodland health and biodiversity, seeing Short's Aster makes you feel good!<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmr0pjdazC_BsaGyRSCD8tqdOuX8_WMbfn_SIBmYM_-ehY9DkXW-8FsE6gMj0wlpUVnJ9f3f2BjjafCnipNMcmOC5ydP02Ygl6QlGq0v5St0ip83-rswLVopzE-oWzgucb0P8UwD-f25ZHH5faJa89mm3GyBY_fPVCcIB9zsyrkU5YReZt9mg/w640-h480/rich%20veg_2810.jpeg" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238); color: #0000ee; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;" width="640" /></span></div><div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's striking how different Somme</span> is<span style="font-family: inherit;"> from nearby unrestored woods. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">For comparison, let's look at three photos from two nearby <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/05/restoring-oak-woodlands-what-it-takes_16.html">oak woods</a>. This first woods has not had the benefit of fire:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittcWj_Xor6gCNu2BlAE0GEEjz7rTg2Bwi6xGclYiYLnRF4dBciKcOuDTA_5SN1w3vifJl3l6RjanShu_f2OuhixRs1AF19cFQMywAUDGW_gUvsAAveHwJFCvKXSETrHmZywtIf7CTDo1u9VbPAzQgElL__Tb40k4pD6zbnMtFMts8o0ARk9rY/s4032/unburned%20oak%20woods_2829.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittcWj_Xor6gCNu2BlAE0GEEjz7rTg2Bwi6xGclYiYLnRF4dBciKcOuDTA_5SN1w3vifJl3l6RjanShu_f2OuhixRs1AF19cFQMywAUDGW_gUvsAAveHwJFCvKXSETrHmZywtIf7CTDo1u9VbPAzQgElL__Tb40k4pD6zbnMtFMts8o0ARk9rY/w640-h480/unburned%20oak%20woods_2829.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fall understory is mostly slow-growing maple seedlings, a few years old. Most of them will die from the competition. But a few, like those straight, skinny trunks here and there, will continue to completely shade out any oak reproduction and most of the oak flora and fauna. It's increasingly too dark for the ecosystem that was here. The red oaks, like that large dark trunk to the left, and the white oaks, like that ghostly large trunk in the distant center, will be the last of their kind here, unless good care for biodiversity arrives.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nearby is a woods that has had some minimal restoration. It's been burned, as indicated by the blackened stump and by the fact that the older maple seedlings have been burned off.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUMrV0m6iTNMU9nVjaHKnuG3Wr7A2qO1NALK4Im1V44AEwfC3uUnkKPNJ-7cUhwqNuLE2G-1jvWcs65lbFeROhUi-VkjIUYUTC9X3QVwv3b_MQaPk6w3YQJDJk_DxnvPfExLMQM0VDGGuxePaIYJX3OxayupSH4RKq67XVigOoFCdrudMBTj9/s4032/burned%20stump%20in%20dark%20woods_2833.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUMrV0m6iTNMU9nVjaHKnuG3Wr7A2qO1NALK4Im1V44AEwfC3uUnkKPNJ-7cUhwqNuLE2G-1jvWcs65lbFeROhUi-VkjIUYUTC9X3QVwv3b_MQaPk6w3YQJDJk_DxnvPfExLMQM0VDGGuxePaIYJX3OxayupSH4RKq67XVigOoFCdrudMBTj9/w640-h480/burned%20stump%20in%20dark%20woods_2833.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another shot of this minimally managed woods:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFuOeriXKT4FoUe1yCrvCYEb2vzGTphOkB0y5WyCBbiayffda87aHpHmu9kax4_LV2hK3alLa15zzkitfa-QtFlbdWEDEW8Jhh73MoShTGbz_jr6EUooFIoynSPtYsIsK5TA3EfiqL3P46AEh5CR6ADqdVDRVU8OLl1ocI8b2UZmyL1my5Zuq/s4032/burned%20oak%20woods%20with%20maples_2830.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFuOeriXKT4FoUe1yCrvCYEb2vzGTphOkB0y5WyCBbiayffda87aHpHmu9kax4_LV2hK3alLa15zzkitfa-QtFlbdWEDEW8Jhh73MoShTGbz_jr6EUooFIoynSPtYsIsK5TA3EfiqL3P46AEh5CR6ADqdVDRVU8OLl1ocI8b2UZmyL1my5Zuq/w640-h480/burned%20oak%20woods%20with%20maples_2830.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mostly bare ground. The dark tree on the right is a red oak. The pale tree in the center is a white oak. They have long</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> been without the fire that oaks woods need. The skinny, young trees are again maples. Despite the relatively mild, low-creeping fires, the oaks will not reproduce under the maples. Many trees would need to be thinned (or impractically more intense fire conducted) for this ecosystem to start to recover its natural biodiversity. For more on oak woods conservation, see <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2015/01/re-discovering-composition-of-oak.html">Re-discovering Oak Woodlands</a> and <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/05/restoring-oak-woodlands-what-it-takes_16.html">Blunt Answers to Nine Questions about Saving Oak Woodlands</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, for the fun of it, back to the happiness of Somme Woods. Increasingly, it's a rollicking fine woods. More and more people are appreciating how special it is. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJDyHh1cMyL09AweN42kQtxaaTWb-tD_BSVu83tef5vXFHzVN1eywMP8aZvUDaLg94l3cNlRd6CaYSWa22kiDgarDdhVS4E4ky_F-CKvF5RwgHeIhE48tkxpwT5PYIK5d1B2U-V620fTpDUCnGKZHupL9s3HZM7TNLlxHp6Zma5xmrLG5vzlw/s4032/Sol%20spe%20woods_2865.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJDyHh1cMyL09AweN42kQtxaaTWb-tD_BSVu83tef5vXFHzVN1eywMP8aZvUDaLg94l3cNlRd6CaYSWa22kiDgarDdhVS4E4ky_F-CKvF5RwgHeIhE48tkxpwT5PYIK5d1B2U-V620fTpDUCnGKZHupL9s3HZM7TNLlxHp6Zma5xmrLG5vzlw/w480-h640/Sol%20spe%20woods_2865.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>In the photo above, Short's Aster is joined by Showy Goldenrod, a rare plant in today's woodlands. Years ago, only a few survived on the edges of old fields here. Now it's reclaiming its place in the open woodlands, recovering thanks to controlled burns and the hard work of stewards thinning over-stocked trees. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAJJ_c7HzWYljyI9ObkvJtyLMSJNL8l4z0rvLCPu3aPmaXNIsr6hw262NVO61pRnr4FyyFxQJFnhN7MB7T1CbN7lzz6Qn48vGdBCsGRnNFa_j_KIDMGCPz21vG7qUp7bzeCauwDSPZGpXCZLt3W424lhvJ8t0lqIwKFW9WpM3hqkJMDACSlA/s4032/Ast%20mac_2890.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAJJ_c7HzWYljyI9ObkvJtyLMSJNL8l4z0rvLCPu3aPmaXNIsr6hw262NVO61pRnr4FyyFxQJFnhN7MB7T1CbN7lzz6Qn48vGdBCsGRnNFa_j_KIDMGCPz21vG7qUp7bzeCauwDSPZGpXCZLt3W424lhvJ8t0lqIwKFW9WpM3hqkJMDACSlA/w640-h480/Ast%20mac_2890.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Though I like the plant a lot, I find it hard to get a good photo of Big-leaf Aster (above). The flowers are too high above the leaves. In this photo, the flowers just float, disconnected. The aster's leaves are the only wide ones. Most other plants here are Elm-leaved Goldenrod, but the one bottom-center with the white seeds is Woodland Puccoon or Broad-leaved Puccoon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of puccoon...</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFV20cMxPzgjzp8yh6y0fGUEM-HZG47FTBFjOI-nL2S5myU6caW5_F7xr5qZLNrp093ruM5aDWiWwHcWRQCnuEwinvrjQWGLqGlh9K5wraOnsio1PELsMC9Pi5qfSd0roTc_-29nbta7jTPbzTupuPBG_Ccgy8RlWvWZo1ik-knpD2AfNMN5XZ/s3060/Lit%20lat-Sol%20fle%20and%20cae_8319.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="3023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFV20cMxPzgjzp8yh6y0fGUEM-HZG47FTBFjOI-nL2S5myU6caW5_F7xr5qZLNrp093ruM5aDWiWwHcWRQCnuEwinvrjQWGLqGlh9K5wraOnsio1PELsMC9Pi5qfSd0roTc_-29nbta7jTPbzTupuPBG_Ccgy8RlWvWZo1ik-knpD2AfNMN5XZ/w632-h640/Lit%20lat-Sol%20fle%20and%20cae_8319.jpeg" width="632" /></a></div>... here it is again, lower right, this time with Short's Aster and two goldenrods, Elm-leaved and Blue-stemmed, at the base of an old oak.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgotPsGe7q90gqZ0OCGgrxQHgERWvyWJJ2boTSTLEZkr4xNvfOFsn0Hud85S2OnKD_PNDtCyGeBOOz24I8tvGUlwU9hc2mBQ6CQh3UiFCY5yKoeAifNlvdBMOn9TfJiZd7reyPx18yX18B9QrSqeeUz2LtiBBPJqvCWse-CPHUtSmbfqtLo-n/s4032/wd%20puccoon_2823.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgotPsGe7q90gqZ0OCGgrxQHgERWvyWJJ2boTSTLEZkr4xNvfOFsn0Hud85S2OnKD_PNDtCyGeBOOz24I8tvGUlwU9hc2mBQ6CQh3UiFCY5yKoeAifNlvdBMOn9TfJiZd7reyPx18yX18B9QrSqeeUz2LtiBBPJqvCWse-CPHUtSmbfqtLo-n/w640-h480/wd%20puccoon_2823.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>The seeds of this rare Puccoon remind us that collecting and broadcasting them throughout good habitat is a crucial part of the Somme Plan. When we started, Somme Woods had perhaps a dozen plants, all in one small area. Now they're spread by the thousands over hundreds of acres. Yes, good. <br /><div><br /></div><div><div>To some people perhaps, the "fall flora" refers just to plants in bloom. But we're at least equally inspired by the richness of seeds. :</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZQvL0830io7L4n8l0wFiTcbG0Nu9EybVhbO0-OPCXyNSQXsvym7P4Z86nGUeDS6aYg86qGLyUK2zEJGpQRSE3oKFLsQ4ntVjU3XffYU0XTv3KbEf0kIW4nGRbcTsZnyXWO8zJ8TGfAwPsG_ZqL_-cEMyF6pG5JG8qKYyDVZPUV5Fp-3u1uAD/s3224/Ara%20rac_2669.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3224" data-original-width="2233" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZQvL0830io7L4n8l0wFiTcbG0Nu9EybVhbO0-OPCXyNSQXsvym7P4Z86nGUeDS6aYg86qGLyUK2zEJGpQRSE3oKFLsQ4ntVjU3XffYU0XTv3KbEf0kIW4nGRbcTsZnyXWO8zJ8TGfAwPsG_ZqL_-cEMyF6pG5JG8qKYyDVZPUV5Fp-3u1uAD/w444-h640/Ara%20rac_2669.jpeg" width="444" /></a></div>Here, among asters, goldenrods, and others are the berries of Spikenard (purple) and Doll's Eyes (white and red). We let the birds eat some, and we gather some. Indeed we annually gather hundreds of gallons of rare seeds, those little "packages of the future" representing hundreds of species of plants. Then we broadcast them where they're not. That's how diversity gets new starts.<br /><div><br /></div></div><div>Remember those deer-eaten Forked Asters? They are Endangered in the Illinois and Wisconsin woodlands. The photo below is from a previous year with fewer deer:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNQ1OoW75mEFk0Q6tjQvvi_3Gyeqlynt4Qhp5XlL1IoDgneZ_wceeHexsY3ISbmnJnWmxJrwz16eJ-xj8YJOLWz93ew78wofz3UKN-xo0paGrNv9EboeO4nIjBrkL3T3dsnUmniXwHpKg8p0bzq76CuYU5gFLYRqsl62g825HRLcGVjkXthwM/s3264/two%20stems.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNQ1OoW75mEFk0Q6tjQvvi_3Gyeqlynt4Qhp5XlL1IoDgneZ_wceeHexsY3ISbmnJnWmxJrwz16eJ-xj8YJOLWz93ew78wofz3UKN-xo0paGrNv9EboeO4nIjBrkL3T3dsnUmniXwHpKg8p0bzq76CuYU5gFLYRqsl62g825HRLcGVjkXthwM/w480-h640/two%20stems.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Forked Aster is a surprise. I'd never seen it until Tom Vanderpoel found a little patch in a rich woods near Barrington. <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-somme-prairie-grove-experiment.html">According to our approved plan</a></span>, we restored this <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2017/09/plant-refugees.html">refugee species</a></span> to Somme by throwing a few seeds in the right places at the right times. Now it's thriving by the thousands. The photo below shows a new patch just getting started:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21p0AXR-HMfGyoD0nmL40wC8YGi7h3kBNsXkW6riSao2jamm1_9PJE3I95EMgZtCKcnyznEQzwwC4w0pHo6BTuD1cRQItYwVh4aiHUnW0IL3QazdWqBWcCF103zEEBW9X1cuLJ3eR5P3ntmHqAgO_JPss4jdrL3W510tQajn0M7CO6Skbr0ON/s3264/semi-bare.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21p0AXR-HMfGyoD0nmL40wC8YGi7h3kBNsXkW6riSao2jamm1_9PJE3I95EMgZtCKcnyznEQzwwC4w0pHo6BTuD1cRQItYwVh4aiHUnW0IL3QazdWqBWcCF103zEEBW9X1cuLJ3eR5P3ntmHqAgO_JPss4jdrL3W510tQajn0M7CO6Skbr0ON/w480-h640/semi-bare.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>After brush control and a burn, on mostly bare soil, it's flowering next to an irruption of weedy Beggars' Ticks. But the weeds are very temporary. Conservative sedges, asters, and others will soon out-compete them. <br /><div><br /><div>On the other hand, we've found that the Forked Aster will do this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0oW2Ew_VhZBbrQrInChnEn9xL_SEjnHhBUl2OfK9RfnxQkQAIkSBvwNY9W4nJ73Du71hZ9s0Xz-mTsu2WrOvlABFPwWOZQTSlAFi0FUXm0CRSn7s2AUNQSGXLJtEY7Xd2gyai3nTDSq43HD89g4UW4N-KRLuDMi-t6sLUkvBra2BCxWX9113/s4032/Ast%20fur%20clone_2867.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0oW2Ew_VhZBbrQrInChnEn9xL_SEjnHhBUl2OfK9RfnxQkQAIkSBvwNY9W4nJ73Du71hZ9s0Xz-mTsu2WrOvlABFPwWOZQTSlAFi0FUXm0CRSn7s2AUNQSGXLJtEY7Xd2gyai3nTDSq43HD89g4UW4N-KRLuDMi-t6sLUkvBra2BCxWX9113/w640-h480/Ast%20fur%20clone_2867.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>The whole middle of this photo is Forked Aster, having wiped out all competition as it spread. <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/03/discovering-oak-ecosystems-history-and.html">Our hope, goal, and expectation</a></span> is for diversity, not the monopoly of a species or two. And sure enough, as the restoration matures, the Endangered but temporarily over-exuberant Forked Aster increasingly plays well with others.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not to suggest that all is well, or all goes according to plan, in this early stage of oak woodland restoration science. The photo below is from a series taken along a trail in 2013:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DQ1TOUo1wIfD39oJbVvMB8jd_yJRtWjlvpcIH0Fs1cWpq_c6k3lGx5i-0uyplS0XSU8KcODXg_eeJeXJvGWWgRkfMbcOJ9fBLQrsBjmalZpayR09fBAOaF1c5kHJGovhTusypEh_T6NTztT2MKd9FCwchnOdNKO8TnCDF823eQk_eP7IZZNK/s2198/cropped%20B13_4863.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="2198" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DQ1TOUo1wIfD39oJbVvMB8jd_yJRtWjlvpcIH0Fs1cWpq_c6k3lGx5i-0uyplS0XSU8KcODXg_eeJeXJvGWWgRkfMbcOJ9fBLQrsBjmalZpayR09fBAOaF1c5kHJGovhTusypEh_T6NTztT2MKd9FCwchnOdNKO8TnCDF823eQk_eP7IZZNK/w640-h460/cropped%20B13_4863.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>In this area, thanks to increased sunlight and lack of sufficient seed, the weedy Tall Goldenrod (<a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-way-to-judge-ecosystem-health.html">C = 1</a>) has taken over and suppressed most other species. We monitor it. When we photographed the same area again, in 2019 ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsLd01w-7T4_XohTga5zzaYzRT5s59rV2izPvxuzoPdb9GMD6ORl4MyU7yJ1WWvd0AcMNi7nFlvm-QdK3RAHdIpXMgKcK1Bxrot_7UsHF1lUTewP2feHaYA1XIMtr-Ldib3mT8OXBwE7C94i0qwQXDQjdNXkc_EZ9s5h2n3y8fWh-dSxBjXkr/s2288/Cropped%20B19_0342.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1741" data-original-width="2288" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsLd01w-7T4_XohTga5zzaYzRT5s59rV2izPvxuzoPdb9GMD6ORl4MyU7yJ1WWvd0AcMNi7nFlvm-QdK3RAHdIpXMgKcK1Bxrot_7UsHF1lUTewP2feHaYA1XIMtr-Ldib3mT8OXBwE7C94i0qwQXDQjdNXkc_EZ9s5h2n3y8fWh-dSxBjXkr/w640-h488/Cropped%20B19_0342.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>... it was pretty much the same. <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-battle-of-aggressive-sunflower.html">Experiments are under way</a></span> to deal with various monopolistic species. Bit by bit, we seem to be better and better ecosystem medics.<div><br /></div><div>One last photo: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogKT6XoL51PC94jfJCxDx86Wd2Bq6Cn2q0_CkXZsc1OEJbLEIoCSdcjXwISpZWp54yEFt3QI196FV1L4CORH9SnlQWSoJxJkxcFaYLdwnQr9qgdsOw-7SSd9TP1rGk2OAF4K-fj0vvCNe6wRThDL77ekvH4f4lNm6SCjv5SuWt2XDJguPMOCv/s4032/big%20oaks%20coffee%20etc_2818.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogKT6XoL51PC94jfJCxDx86Wd2Bq6Cn2q0_CkXZsc1OEJbLEIoCSdcjXwISpZWp54yEFt3QI196FV1L4CORH9SnlQWSoJxJkxcFaYLdwnQr9qgdsOw-7SSd9TP1rGk2OAF4K-fj0vvCNe6wRThDL77ekvH4f4lNm6SCjv5SuWt2XDJguPMOCv/w640-h480/big%20oaks%20coffee%20etc_2818.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>They're gone - the bison and elk that once lived off the vegetation under our oldest oaks. But most of the species that once lived here are recovering a rich biodiversity that will be our generation's contribution to the people and planet of the future. <br /><div><br /></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-72088406379326626782023-07-16T06:48:00.004-07:002023-07-26T05:49:29.473-07:00The Wild is Calling, and I Must Go.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Dan Delaney </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">“The mountains are calling, and I must go” is an oft-quoted statement by the naturalist and mountaineer John Muir. It’s a motto of those who want to get out there, to be immersed in nature, and often they head West.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></span></p></blockquote><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was born in Chicago and love it but lived for four years in the Rockies during graduate school. The wildness of that place never left me. I was surrounded by people who were passionate about the mountains. Every Monday morning at school or work began with each of us recounting what we had done and where they had gone that weekend. For all of us, “the mountains” were shorthand for this total immersion in nature.</span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I’ve been back in Chicago I’ve hiked and camped the Midwest, canoed, become a windsurfer, become a birder. All of which has been great, but I had not in 40 years found the same immersion in the wild with others of a similar passion. That was until a good friend told me, “Dan, volunteer at this place called Somme. You’ll love it; it’s full of people like you – birders, backpackers, canoeists. Hurry up.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eighteen months ago, I followed him to Somme Woods, met that day’s team, and within minutes I was marching deep into the woods carrying a bow saw and a lopper. I spent three hours cutting down invasive buckthorn, sectioning dead ash trees and building up bonfires under the guidance of smart, friendly people. I was hooked. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbSz6xL6z8TJJlalIA62YzOf647UaPv-VOt0a7uMchaF-aS3l24amdDPPwqwRZ88-zZhHiHphYiTpdEZ3Pe_WZfnEgopYQwSYNaLI25ohiYBrUe7HV62Hs7dyr5-wevBoqiZmSXdIvrk2pPGroD9OLMB682o__JuEDx4duXN-SUQQHT2Zg9eU/s4032/feeding%20fire_8739.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbSz6xL6z8TJJlalIA62YzOf647UaPv-VOt0a7uMchaF-aS3l24amdDPPwqwRZ88-zZhHiHphYiTpdEZ3Pe_WZfnEgopYQwSYNaLI25ohiYBrUe7HV62Hs7dyr5-wevBoqiZmSXdIvrk2pPGroD9OLMB682o__JuEDx4duXN-SUQQHT2Zg9eU/w640-h480/feeding%20fire_8739.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Surprisingly to me, one of the main ecological priorities at Somme is to remove invasive trees and burn them in bonfires. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, each week my mind puts a different spin on Muir’s words. For me, it’s: The Wild is calling, and I must go.</span><p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what is Somme and what’s so special about it? </span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Somme is nature, big enough to function for most species – and for me to get lost in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s a combination of woodland, savanna, and prairie that totals 410 acres. And it’s in Northbrook! I had driven past it on Dundee Road many times and assumed it was a clutch of trees that would give way to houses in 30 yards or so. Far from it. It’s deep nature with rare ecosystems, endangered species, and mystery. East of Waukegan Road, it’s an open woodland, where we cut invasive brush to restore enough light for reproduction of the oaks, some of which are 200-300 years old. West of Waukegan is Somme Prairie Grove, where scattered oaks mingle with grasses that by August every year are taller than we are. Increasing numbers of rare animals and plants there show what 40 years of care by this team can do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Somme is a cool culture<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We come from all walks of life and all ages, from 16 to 80ish. It’s a warm and welcoming culture, and a learning culture, too. Your colleagues know a lot and can do a lot, but no one knows everything. We all encourage and need each other, so there are no dumb questions. You’re surprised at how much and how quickly you learn. Every workday has a ‘break time’ – an opportunity to sit on a stump or log and get to know each other. A core group comes regularly; others come when they can. When is the last time you made a new friend? I’ve made <span lang="NL">a dozen</span> (and counting) at Somme.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Somme is a mission<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We work together to restore ecosystems and biodiversity. Climate change and environmental degradation are massive global and national issues. Somme gives us a chance to take care of our part of the planet. We are restoring a prairie/savanna/woodland system so we’re keen to identify rare and native tree, shrub, wildflower, and grass species and help them thrive. Because we need to, we study. Muir’s full quote is, “The mountains are calling and I must go and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly.” At Somme we learn incessantly and put what we learn to work. We’re in touch with people at other sites doing similar work and discovering new ways to restore habitats and ecosystems.<br /> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cJBEKm_ZEIMOVKBRGi6MMNisnxUD6OyKwrNQAUzPEEq4V981zn17XY-DA2yckbGQYT2mwT_PcK-rKmfmCXWVWvfABgKs7ZVnSg9BYz2zfFnzzCnvQwBCi_v0PekGQoV2F5_BsH5SzShCKL11oeI0Yk2hvyBsNlvI92Zma1_kKpbzrcne5PK4/s3264/gather%20seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cJBEKm_ZEIMOVKBRGi6MMNisnxUD6OyKwrNQAUzPEEq4V981zn17XY-DA2yckbGQYT2mwT_PcK-rKmfmCXWVWvfABgKs7ZVnSg9BYz2zfFnzzCnvQwBCi_v0PekGQoV2F5_BsH5SzShCKL11oeI0Yk2hvyBsNlvI92Zma1_kKpbzrcne5PK4/w480-h640/gather%20seeds.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This photo shows the crew gathering seeds.<br />It also shows the majesty of a thriving oak woodland.<br />Nice trees. Nice biodiversity. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;"><span lang="NL">Somme is rugged</span></span><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Somme gives you a chance to find your “inner Jack London.” Unlike London, writer of <i>The Call of the Wild</i>, you might at first see wilderness work in winter as challenging. But dress warm and you’ll find the experience initially thrilling, and then soon comfortable, to march into snowy woods from the trailhead with a bowsaw slung over your shoulder. We burn brush in bonfires and some of us actually cook food on them. Summer is for harvesting seeds and also the time for scything tall goldenrod, which can take over an area and blot out most other species. I was inspired to sketch the scene below to show how we work on such an area, bordered by railroad tracks frequented by freight trains. Falcons raising their young scream over our heads while we work. Laboring with an old scythe as a freight train passes does make you feel like you’re in a Jack London story. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaBgyC1FzyA9-qRqiiDF7be1U4vzePjV3I2CUU2zIzrZDfDwtRD3A33Q_i8BIrOUXzcws6926AfXYWbROp8loksq17k3IkoOfB0Eo7gMmo7R8lrvwE_typsK0NfVP0qYtYCaUsU17dNAymz1zUgbABcyqS6n-NNAu5WLb8oGShUzqrBmdztig/s912/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-13%20at%2011.50.26%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="912" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaBgyC1FzyA9-qRqiiDF7be1U4vzePjV3I2CUU2zIzrZDfDwtRD3A33Q_i8BIrOUXzcws6926AfXYWbROp8loksq17k3IkoOfB0Eo7gMmo7R8lrvwE_typsK0NfVP0qYtYCaUsU17dNAymz1zUgbABcyqS6n-NNAu5WLb8oGShUzqrBmdztig/w640-h360/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-13%20at%2011.50.26%20AM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Somme feels easy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Volunteer work in Somme is well organized, by us volunteers. Each week there are three or four two- or three-hour “workdays”, and we’re notified by email about what’s planned for the coming week, together with compelling photos of the previous week’s sessions. Signing up for workdays via a simple reply couldn’t be easier. Some folks come every time. others come every couple months. Either way, your colleagues are always glad to see you.</span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Somme feels successful<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="DE">Somme</span>’s leaders have a plan, and it’s inspiring to feel a sense of progress week after week. Sometimes that feeling comes after a session when we’ve cleared the brush from a surprisingly large area. Other times, it comes when you return to an area where we spent months working and you’re almost shocked at the change: this former buckthorn thicket is now a riot of wildflowers and butterflies. Either way, Somme feels like a team sport, and we never lose. At the end of each session, we declare victory as a team.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6hVO31u2pk9eodTJjIIWW4XB5Z6IQgjM8cnXAvt0PAojElZwzPbbxCU44nbQdnV3up9Jxf1Cu4130KWOdNzUeyspFl57Hik9DXR3x5PvqLOsxzylFDG7AmTkRnPjqnr8Op4AUBM91FmtQjdZPM5f5lJlMyrRYrqq2NJN_4tqcDi0bGDGq8as/s640/donna%20estelle%20loosestrife.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="640" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6hVO31u2pk9eodTJjIIWW4XB5Z6IQgjM8cnXAvt0PAojElZwzPbbxCU44nbQdnV3up9Jxf1Cu4130KWOdNzUeyspFl57Hik9DXR3x5PvqLOsxzylFDG7AmTkRnPjqnr8Op4AUBM91FmtQjdZPM5f5lJlMyrRYrqq2NJN_4tqcDi0bGDGq8as/w640-h564/donna%20estelle%20loosestrife.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna and Estelle hauling off a bag of invasive and malignant purple loosestrife.<br />It's a nasty invader, and they feel triumphant about conquering it.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;">Why Somme? </span><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;"><span lang="FR">Observations </span></span><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;">from the Crew : <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;">The </span><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;"><span lang="IT">Mission</span></span><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I’ve been hanging out in the woods ever since I was a kid. I used to ride my bike to the bike trails from Skokie to the North Branch trails. I ran away from home once, to the woods. I always enjoyed going to them. Now it’s a good way to contribute to making it nicer.”<span lang="NL"> Russ</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“More than anything. When I am outdoors, or camping and you know that feeling of awe, wonder or appreciation of beauty that you feel, when you are looking at a beautiful natural space. And I feel that that sensation sort of demands a response. And so, Somme is my way to do something about that feeling. Where I can help, I can act on it, I can get to know it better. It feels good to have a small tangible way that I can help serve the ecosystem of the whole world, but in my one tiny little way.” Steph<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I’ve been interested and concerned about climate change and I had always had a more global and super large scale view about fossil fuels and emissions. It just seemed so big, like I can vote about it but I can’t do much else except put my faith in the institutions to fix it. The knowledge that my presence there, my labor is going to restore an ecosystem; that’s something that I care about deeply. The knowledge that that’s what my three hours is going towards is great.” Josh<span lang="ES-TRAD">, Jones Prep</span> High School<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“It was very hard to get my head around that there was no finishing point. And now I’m so accepting that this is just going to go on forever. We are never going to finish this job. We’re going to hand this off to Josh’s children. That took me a while to get that into my head, that this is so big.”<span lang="IT"> Estelle</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“When I go to college this fall, I’ll be studying Environmental Science. <span lang="DE">Somme</span> changed me. It helped me find a field I could be really interested in and take a chance on in college. It did that because it combined learning about the ecosystem and hands-on work.” Andrew, Jones Prep High School<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“When we are in an areas like Somme Prairie Grove and I hear, ‘This all used to be buckthorn’ it’s amazing to see beautiful areas of wild prairie plants growing. It awes me that it used to be so degraded and now is hugely beautiful. It sends shivers down my spine, the feeling that we’ve really made an improvement.” <span lang="PT">Steve</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;">The Experience</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I really like working with people. At Somme we talk a lot about what we’ve accomplished. I like collaborating a lot, especially to problem solve. It’s just so super exciting. When I come to Somme, I’m working with all these people who are super passionate, nice, and are thinking really hard about what we’re doing. I never doubt whether or not I am spending my time well. It feels like I’m doing the most important thing in the world.” <span lang="IT"> Rebeccah</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I had no idea what this entailed at first, but it was outside and sounded appealing. And I showed up and we picked stone seed in the Eagle Pond area. The seed made this delicious plinking sound when you put it in your bag. It was summer and I couldn’t hear or see any traffic. I was out in the middle of this big, beautiful place that I couldn’t believe was close to Chicago. I was pretty hooked.” Steph<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“It’s cool that it reveals a whole other world that I never knew even existed before I started coming. It’s like you are united with all these people and everyone feels the same way about it that I do. Which is so cool, and you meet all these incredible people who bring their own expertise to it. It’s something special.” Josh, Jones Prep High School<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“When grade schools and high schools bring students out to Somme, there is a lot of opportunity for us to share our knowledge with the younger generation – to show them, teach them, work with them. I find that interesting, too.” Steve<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;">The Community</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“You work with people from all different walks of life, from everywhere. People you wouldn’t normally run into. Different age groups, different <span lang="FR">religions,</span> and races. I like the broad range of people. You can sit and talk to a high school kid like normal. When can you ever do that?” Russ<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh my gosh, we have real friends that we’ve made out there. These are people I trust, enjoy being with, and if something came up and they needed something, I think that we’d all jump in and do whatever. It’s so cool.”<span lang="IT"> Estelle</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I think that people today are missing that sense of community, that something feels lacking. Somme fills that gap.” Steph<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Without a doubt the community draws me to Somme. When you go there it’s a great mix of regulars and new volunteers. And you can clearly see them having a ball. They are working hard, but also catching up on the week. It’s like they are just hanging out with their friends. And that is really my favorite part, that you can do this cool work and also find a new community.”<span lang="DE"> Andrew</span>, Jones Prep High School<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="EmphasisA" style="font-style: italic;">Somme is calling</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You don’t have to travel far to experience a total immersion in nature and heal a bit of Mother Earth with a group of fun and exceptional people. When I tell people what I’m doing, they often assume I’m volunteering in some other state. They can’t believe this is all so close to home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Are you interested?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just go down the road a little bit to Somme.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s a bow saw and a seed bag waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn2uHo3tY_qPpR93cG-LA4D40ueczShbguBfCnTzEF3zCn3SWIbWL68SUcGsHYKIGeNltq-0gOLSv3Cwe-AqN9S8POqpx4XGdrJFe_q4wFF2bpcDGljz84EbCZErixtSDYXhqR9OEd77Kcg7EXOyDsxcyxuOZFpyDQr3qOoxCeaG-044xWhNq/s4032/carrot%20cake_1157.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn2uHo3tY_qPpR93cG-LA4D40ueczShbguBfCnTzEF3zCn3SWIbWL68SUcGsHYKIGeNltq-0gOLSv3Cwe-AqN9S8POqpx4XGdrJFe_q4wFF2bpcDGljz84EbCZErixtSDYXhqR9OEd77Kcg7EXOyDsxcyxuOZFpyDQr3qOoxCeaG-044xWhNq/w640-h480/carrot%20cake_1157.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One last photo<br />celebrating our break time treats<br />and a few of this post's characters.<br />The fellow who invited me to Somme, Fred Ciba, is serving the carrot cake.<br />I'm just above him and to the left.<br />To my left in the red coat is the quotable Steph Place.<br />Also quoted above, to her left, wearing the Indiana Jones hat, is Russ Sala.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-21863347727145669782023-07-13T08:05:00.000-07:002023-07-13T08:05:56.291-07:00Rare Plant Pops Up From Nowhere - Short Green Milkweed<p>A curious story.</p><p>Somme Prairie Grove has harbored one individual of this rare milkweed for decades. Normally, we would have paid more attention to such a plant. </p><p>But we mostly forgot about it, because it seemed like a mistake. It's a plant of specialized habitats - dry prairie or sand areas. We have no dry prairie or sand at Somme. </p><p>We did keep an eye on it, as sort of a curiosity. Year after year one or a few stems emerged - connected underground - all one plant. The other vegetation near it was initially short, old pasture plants, mostly poverty oats, Canada bluegrass, and daisy. </p><p>It was not our goal to focus especially on rare species, especially rare species not part of this community. We were trying to restore a natural prairie ecosystem. Our major historic source, H.S.Pepoon's Flora of the Chicago Region (1920) gives this region's habitats for short green milkweed only as "sand dunes" of Indiana and "the Waukegan moorland" - today Illinois Beach - another sand habitat. We continued to mostly ignore it. </p><p>One year Jim Steffen from the Chicago Botanic Garden came by to compare notes on our parallel experiments. When I pointed out the curious milkweed, he recommended that we plant another; that was the only way it would make seed and increase its numbers; he could give us a plant raised from seed gathered not too far away, and not from sand but from a gravelly moraine. Could it be legitimate here? We accepted the gift, planted it in a sunnier area, and it died, or at least we never saw it again. </p><p>Over the years, with fire and the restoration of seed, the vegetation around the original plant grew thicker and more competitive, and the number of stems decreased. Some years a cursory search revealed none, though it may have produced only a few leaves, and we may have looked in the wrong places. Milkweeds are big travelers, at least over short distances. They move by roots, underground, sending rhizomes many feet to explore possibilities, putting up stems in various spots from year to year. </p><p>Eriko Kojima frequently gathers rare seed in the area of this milkweed. The prairie vegetation here has been growing increasingly impressive (prairie coreopsis, white and purple prairie clovers, prairie gentian, prairie lily, Leiberg's panic grass, prairie dropseed, and others). And as nearby trees grew, the area was increasingly in semi-shade and harbored Seneca snakeroot, New Jersey tea, Maryland sanicle, and meadow parsnip (<i>Thaspium trifoliatum</i>) - savanna plants that thrive in dappled shade. We especially wanted seed from that group because, belatedly, we'd figured out that Somme Prairie Grove was indeed originally mostly savanna rather than prairie. All prairie plants also grow in savannas, but many of the non-prairie savanna plants are especially hard to find. </p><p>This June while harvesting Seneca snakeroot, Eriko noticed that two stems of the short green milkweed had emerged, one about ten feet farther out into full sun. Interesting. We still mostly forgot about it.</p><p>But our slumbering interest was awakened dramatically when we noticed the plant below, a quarter-mile away in the area called Middle Slope:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVj_3IjhelsVOd-fyqfgsTmDjgGMtB6adHN7kjpmPbnHQJfoV19J1QcOjB_osJnGsHCuQtCCP9y_y0Jl9jKKcuhd-XX93ts6_dxBzx9EoZk-yh-MPoHFQjimQcIA39fkkPulZYRJKsVrWB7S4NjwTuejaYnk96sAXwB1niMKqaiMvCM2KVwvE6/s4032/short%20green%20milkweed_1863.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVj_3IjhelsVOd-fyqfgsTmDjgGMtB6adHN7kjpmPbnHQJfoV19J1QcOjB_osJnGsHCuQtCCP9y_y0Jl9jKKcuhd-XX93ts6_dxBzx9EoZk-yh-MPoHFQjimQcIA39fkkPulZYRJKsVrWB7S4NjwTuejaYnk96sAXwB1niMKqaiMvCM2KVwvE6/w480-h640/short%20green%20milkweed_1863.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiding behind a leadplant are two stems and three flower umbels of the short green milkweed. <br />Where did they come from? </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We've identified 486 species of native plants at Somme Prairie Grove. Perhaps we can be forgiven for not keeping up to date on every one. But this new find prompted us to review the latest info in Wilhelm and Rericha (<i>Flora of the Chicago Region</i>, 2017). The habitats they list for short green milkweed are not limited to sand but include gravelly savannas. Somme is on the Lake Border Moraine; indeed it includes some gravelly areas. Short green milkweed reasonably belongs here. Has this "new" plant been lurking, unseen until now, throughout our 43 years of stewardship? Especially if not flowering, the plant would be easy to miss. Even in glorious full bloom, its green flowers hardly pop. Or is it new? Could Jim Steffen's plant have produced flowers and seeds, and one blew to Middle Slope? Or is it even possible that some green milkweed seed from miles to the west, like at Shoe Factory Road Nature Preserve where there are quite a few green milkweeds on a dry gravel hill, blew miraculously in a collaborative wind all this way? Very unlikely. But possible. </p><p>We'll never know how it got there ... and really don't care all that much. We're about biodiversity conservation. A potentially reproducing short green milkweed population is now on the team. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-9152885201174703072023-07-07T08:30:00.003-07:002023-07-07T08:46:28.310-07:00Protection From Chiggers, Ticks, and Lyme Disease<p>I know a lot of people who spend a lot of time in nature, who have not gotten lyme disease. But I know some who have, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3375794/#:~:text=burgdorferi–infected%20I.,(population%20≈7%20million).">lyme disease in the Chicago region is said to be increasing</a>. </p><p>For many years I sprayed my ankles and legs with bug repellent. It has always worked to ward off the bugs I fear most, ticks and chiggers.</p><p>But more recently I've relied on pants treated by the commercial company <a href="https://www.insectshield.com">Insect Shield</a>. That works too, and I don't have to think about it. </p><div><br /></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-57214016657383965162023-06-09T05:40:00.011-07:002023-06-16T06:08:48.030-07:00Woodcock, Woodhen, and Woodchick Drama - March through June<span style="font-family: inherit;">This post takes us from eggs ... laid early, surviving iffily through snow, rain, coyotes, and people ... and on to heroic, noble success.</span><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday, April 28, monitoring an endangered wetland plant, we flushed a woodhen and four woodchicks. The fledgling four flew tolerably well compared to the mom who could barely, laboriously, hover - slowly heading in a different direction. Of course, the woodhen was luring us away from her chicks.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were just another challenge she had to negotiate. Her nest, like all woodhen nests, had been on the ground. She and the eggs need camouflage to disappear into the background, when foxes or coyotes come by.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqDBTjV1XC7-WE2vHlSiAtukq8aaGssVuFHCc4aD9HCnqVoFlpycP3tb6GiCN3vk77Uwv5YJs0NOwc0GVrc41HrQNa5nJoyZe9mwi7hZ6aUYQfAuhr-V39J7KTUiDv3NG7Zki2V5_gAjVduMPJP0r5TreLEMyW2Pen-Z6TbBxC3x38gLGEw/s2327/four%20eggs_5229.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2163" data-original-width="2327" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqDBTjV1XC7-WE2vHlSiAtukq8aaGssVuFHCc4aD9HCnqVoFlpycP3tb6GiCN3vk77Uwv5YJs0NOwc0GVrc41HrQNa5nJoyZe9mwi7hZ6aUYQfAuhr-V39J7KTUiDv3NG7Zki2V5_gAjVduMPJP0r5TreLEMyW2Pen-Z6TbBxC3x38gLGEw/w640-h596/four%20eggs_5229.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div>To give their chicks an early start, they're among the first migrants to return and nest each spring. Often the hens and their nests get snowed on. See photos, below. Few people see them, other than in photos like this, though they're one of the commonest nesting birds of the Sommes. Mostly nocturnal. </span></div><div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">On April 3rd, as we cut brush, we scared a hen off a nest with those four eggs shown above. We marked its place, mentally, so we could avoid it and do our work elsewhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1h0d-QKRS8qJc9HE6568htVjvuNSkF4og7zqT984sSS1zTyCetcdoC3958bP6ziz-I5Mxdq2byBbPBvxK_Da5fDhYs6NiFekUav7VQgiQ-LBLx-mNBzr-RGdf1_W5tuZOZKP/s1600/eggs+in+thicket5231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1h0d-QKRS8qJc9HE6568htVjvuNSkF4og7zqT984sSS1zTyCetcdoC3958bP6ziz-I5Mxdq2byBbPBvxK_Da5fDhYs6NiFekUav7VQgiQ-LBLx-mNBzr-RGdf1_W5tuZOZKP/s640/eggs+in+thicket5231.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But if you scare a hen off her nest, especially early in the season, she may choose to abandon the eggs. Many nests also get destroyed by fire or predators. If her first nest fails, she'll start another. Next day, I brought binoculars so I could check from a distance without disturbing her again. But no. She was gone. We felt bad about that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet 60 yards away, that same disappointing day, I happened across another nest, by another hen, which had just three eggs in it: <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxaFn9ZDj7tAZ47AAVobS5L9P7Cl9tR8c6GlC1gi72vJC9LSTlihDumDc5owGQqVHBT9GFeUBCK0wCZxxjhSlNiFQmlV651wv1atAoilTo5ookwgA_wyEptkr6u2r-iNsbYED/s1600/eggs+in+prairie+grass5259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxaFn9ZDj7tAZ47AAVobS5L9P7Cl9tR8c6GlC1gi72vJC9LSTlihDumDc5owGQqVHBT9GFeUBCK0wCZxxjhSlNiFQmlV651wv1atAoilTo5ookwgA_wyEptkr6u2r-iNsbYED/s640/eggs+in+prairie+grass5259.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This second nest was in prairie grass. </span>A woodhen lays a total of four eggs in her nest - one a day - and begins to incubate when the fourth is laid. She wants the four to hatch at the same time, so these precocial birds can head off with her right away. They're able to walk and feed themselves when they hatch. <span style="font-family: inherit;">She should lay her last egg and begin incubating on April 5th. I memorized her position so I could try to document her story from a distance.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Consider this "Where's Waldo photo" from my return on April 5<span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span>, of the woodhen sitting on this nest:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXlW8NDLji6pruoaIVl9sSB-1ppfvfv-QYKj4D-qFkJUI1wuQ7cSruxHQtQmhY54Oc32XCBcG0MeiPWKkUTD_UqyzptZnIADrVRY4TabFKQg4du6xbrsd0cC28tlwN2SjsYKc/s1600/nest+somewhere.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXlW8NDLji6pruoaIVl9sSB-1ppfvfv-QYKj4D-qFkJUI1wuQ7cSruxHQtQmhY54Oc32XCBcG0MeiPWKkUTD_UqyzptZnIADrVRY4TabFKQg4du6xbrsd0cC28tlwN2SjsYKc/s640/nest+somewhere.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Can you find her? I can assure you that's she's in this photo. I was looking at her when I took it, hoping to make a point about camouflage in this post. In the photo, I can't find her, despite looking very hard. </span>I kept my distance. <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I returned on April 8th, with a longer lens. Here she is again; can you find her now? I can.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFu_3cgUw_-PjvzwYxuO-rOQ-TViNfHGCZt9k4IZElFVC79ml9qKKNZLD7asz9I20DTy0NvL0ARfQrgLgQcQ_2jtQqlPqIQFERLBi77RsXR1EzJa8qF_3BfBUm11faQlVPJ9g/s1600/woodhen+on+nest+Apr+9+2020+ms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFu_3cgUw_-PjvzwYxuO-rOQ-TViNfHGCZt9k4IZElFVC79ml9qKKNZLD7asz9I20DTy0NvL0ARfQrgLgQcQ_2jtQqlPqIQFERLBi77RsXR1EzJa8qF_3BfBUm11faQlVPJ9g/s640/woodhen+on+nest+Apr+9+2020+ms.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Try looking toward the right, about a third of the way up the photo, and about two-thirds of the way to the right. You would not likely see her if you were just walking along. A zoomed-in photo is below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhqNbHVOpyFCmxBz9L-htEWn7XU-sEdsgV4Mdq_55JKyhxygcTQXh4Ey-_ciLJdLnSIV9TuUBTdP7s_sXcMyRXpLvdZ37yJJtwBPaNwMcQv-j3wWvtqR1GcxUTHEeb-gx6h9O/s1600/woodhen+on+nest+Apr+9+2020+close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhqNbHVOpyFCmxBz9L-htEWn7XU-sEdsgV4Mdq_55JKyhxygcTQXh4Ey-_ciLJdLnSIV9TuUBTdP7s_sXcMyRXpLvdZ37yJJtwBPaNwMcQv-j3wWvtqR1GcxUTHEeb-gx6h9O/s640/woodhen+on+nest+Apr+9+2020+close.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span>On the 13th day, a light snow came.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>This test did not faze her.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1873CvbRKd83ZztHgA-LepBuOj6vADAB_HNGKoXKew9XPQx7X3XvpPU5hWyzQO-2Wu0HXcD_Jx3CFd6fssxep9k4kdvXTcwO4oADnH9g7wk6y6_oE4JMN2aGN8BBlns9oZS-/s1600/Apr14+closer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1873CvbRKd83ZztHgA-LepBuOj6vADAB_HNGKoXKew9XPQx7X3XvpPU5hWyzQO-2Wu0HXcD_Jx3CFd6fssxep9k4kdvXTcwO4oADnH9g7wk6y6_oE4JMN2aGN8BBlns9oZS-/s640/Apr14+closer.jpg" width="640" /><br /></span></a><span>She inspires: <span style="font-family: inherit;">Skilled. Faithful. Strong. Generous. Hardy. Devoted. Capable. Resilient. </span></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you were hiking off trail, you wouldn't see her until too late. If you don't have some crucial steward work, it's best to stay on the paths. Of course, the deer stomp around. The bison once did. But there are a small number of acres of woodcock habitat left here - and millions of human feet, so close.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Through rain and snow, thunderstorms, cold, and wind - for those four eggs to hatch takes 20 to 21 days. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">By April 14th, this snow had melted, and in another part of the preserve, another woodhen fluttering up heavily made me freeze my feet - to discover the four fuzzballs below:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKWOzRb5-zSc5F8s31s9F29wRMaG1OiVctXkmn19OGzCYOcb6WhQ2IJ2D-GvwftDtCCt41kW1HI6FMn1Wj9jElItijLsIu4EFKFaWHNFt21ubEnYnCffleqRa6cpUmM-lA7FODkgdUa7FHB4o15WEhV_joTfJUt3HnDwSdMXYMDFUESKtyw/s3233/April%2013%202020_5324.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3233" data-original-width="2544" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKWOzRb5-zSc5F8s31s9F29wRMaG1OiVctXkmn19OGzCYOcb6WhQ2IJ2D-GvwftDtCCt41kW1HI6FMn1Wj9jElItijLsIu4EFKFaWHNFt21ubEnYnCffleqRa6cpUmM-lA7FODkgdUa7FHB4o15WEhV_joTfJUt3HnDwSdMXYMDFUESKtyw/w504-h640/April%2013%202020_5324.jpeg" width="504" /></a></div>The one in the middle got tipped over when the woodhen burst up. It stayed frozen, upside down. Powerful instincts protect them. But these chicks being here on the 14th meant that the hen had to have started incubating her clutch of eggs by March 25<span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span>. The chicks fledge (meaning they can fly) 14 days after hatching. They'll be relatively safe then. <br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">But, for the nest I was monitoring, on</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> April 16 three more inches of snow were predicted, and they came.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span>As I approached the nest, passing ten feet away were the fresh tracks of a coyote, perhaps an hour earlier.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7kP9NlJskWDTtBw4lNuNbBkV7yKuT5KnIIAT8rxJslqP9IfrmMk4yKXenijs4Zo_NuApPXd72bsT1Yko5Pvw0jdZTZQ_JPI8CG3NxpEf86Mua1eckYRPXysqKzny8josq9Dj/s1600/coyote+tracks+near+nest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7kP9NlJskWDTtBw4lNuNbBkV7yKuT5KnIIAT8rxJslqP9IfrmMk4yKXenijs4Zo_NuApPXd72bsT1Yko5Pvw0jdZTZQ_JPI8CG3NxpEf86Mua1eckYRPXysqKzny8josq9Dj/s640/coyote+tracks+near+nest.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span><div>But sure enough, neither snow nor coyote nor I fazed that woodhen. There she is:</div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL4xCL2ksz4QW9JE66A0k1qa6ketaXPDOaRGuwGsilq-VvHE996mQQuRE7903MvwbldS4-CnZ9oiVGcYLUqCqnU7NqWJf7kSz6elOQBuupWuWOviBgHntWggWIM7u9d2YkbMS/s1600/Apr17cu+D_0363.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL4xCL2ksz4QW9JE66A0k1qa6ketaXPDOaRGuwGsilq-VvHE996mQQuRE7903MvwbldS4-CnZ9oiVGcYLUqCqnU7NqWJf7kSz6elOQBuupWuWOviBgHntWggWIM7u9d2YkbMS/s640/Apr17cu+D_0363.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This later-nesting hen is nearly buried, but, bless her, she perseveres. Her eggs stay warm again. I wonder, h</span>ow often does she have to eat? For how long could she stay away from those precious eggs? With an incubation time of 20 days, she has eight days left until they hatch. (<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday's four fluffballs we can suppose are snuggled under their mom and the snow too.) </span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Then other demands on my time lured me away. I never saw her on her nest again. <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">But she or one of her sisters successfully fledged the four chicks we saw yesterday. It's an accomplishment any woodhen could be proud of. She's still tending them and trying to lure me away. By mid June, they'll be on their own, and she'll finally, truly, be an empty-nester, so to speak. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stewards can also be proud of our work to restore their habitat. We can also treasure the intimate relationship we've come to have with them, coming across eggs and chicks as we do our work, many times every year in Somme Prairie Grove. And in recent years, especially gratifyingly, thanks to woodland restoration under way there, they've also returned to breed and protect eggs and chicks in Somme Woods.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">More about Somme's woodcocks is at <a href="http://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/04/dont-hurt-woodcocks.html">http://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/04/dont-hurt-woodcocks.html</a></span>. For more about why not to go look for birds' nests, see <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2012/05/egg-blog.html">Egg Blog</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Two final tidbits:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>This spring in the burned areas there seemed to be a few woodcock holes in every square foot of the open savanna. But none visible in the woods or unburned areas. On the rare occasions I've seen these birds feeding, their bills go up and down so fast they look like sewing machines. </li><li>Woodhens winter in southern U.S. "where they're a popular game bird" - which means that people shoot them for pleasure. Hunting and gathering are part of our heritage. We have yet to well work out what that means here today. </li></ul></div><div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Endnotes</b></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Endnote 1: woodhen?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is it appropriate to call a female woodcock a woodhen? According to the dictionary, no. She's just a "hen woodcock." But I'm sorry, a "cock" is a male, and times have changed. Woodcock males provide nothing to the family beyond sperm and pizazz (in their fancy nuptial flights and serenading), so they're hardly worthy of foisting their macho names on the females.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTrTXyCk08fKMjj6HDWI-svmdtto_EWJujXAQKFtepudY7btW0gO9Fjw5hzjjlxEZlg5qAx4MrXxScUaMsZiTonDl3E4ePh1aPRafKKed_7w1P-fSnRRdlvzP6k7nO69M8249/s1600/DSC_5458+Woodcock+A.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTrTXyCk08fKMjj6HDWI-svmdtto_EWJujXAQKFtepudY7btW0gO9Fjw5hzjjlxEZlg5qAx4MrXxScUaMsZiTonDl3E4ePh1aPRafKKed_7w1P-fSnRRdlvzP6k7nO69M8249/s640/DSC_5458+Woodcock+A.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hen on her nest thinks about her chicks, not him! <br />If you notice her before she flies and approach cautiously, she'll sit tight. <br />You can slowly photograph her from one foot away.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b>Endnote 2: dates?</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of these photos and experiences are from various years. The year dates seemed distracting, so they're gone. All the abandoned nest and snow photos are from 2022. Woodhens and their families are cosmic and eternal, if that's okay with us. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Acknowledgements</b></div><div><div>Written April 29th.</div><div>Posted June 9th.</div></div><div>Thanks to Eriko Kojima, Christos Economou and Rebeccah Hartz for proofing.</div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-21335142110583788302023-05-23T08:33:00.004-07:002023-05-24T05:23:09.715-07:00It Takes A Village ("Almost a Religious Experience")<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The planet and its biodiversity need more Friends.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Communities of care are coming together around the Earth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this example, a conservation community was honored by state, county, and local elected officials. In the process, much was revealed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The newspaper headline invoked the sacred - referring to the feeling a person can get by being able to do this much good! Stewards feel honor as we work. But some elected officials also saw a helpful opportunity to celebrate something very American, in the best sense.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">With food, work, and speeches, instead of recognizing a person or two, the elected officials wisely honored eighty-three individuals (see below) - cited with specifics of their accomplishments. Thousands more were honored indirectly, for decades of work to restore biodiversity to the 410-acre Somme preserves. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Northbrook village President was there, along with many other local, county, and state officials. Presenting the award proclamation was Commissioner Scott Britton of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUuR9nD0DHHUrQNPyyb5b1aQMHuORGWu3WQDLk2qjBTZlZ-YRRJEU4zJJ8wxVVDzKV7GqGeMiZJOKPNbYBpCEDc9KC2hgstajJF9RG26RLavLG0Uos3Fo86aTfK_KY89lmbpZ7p9KCKAVGnTY-l13mH88d7ubNVjYhQt4si2ij5GHR4g0Eg/s2417/Newspaper%20main%20article.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2417" data-original-width="2381" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUuR9nD0DHHUrQNPyyb5b1aQMHuORGWu3WQDLk2qjBTZlZ-YRRJEU4zJJ8wxVVDzKV7GqGeMiZJOKPNbYBpCEDc9KC2hgstajJF9RG26RLavLG0Uos3Fo86aTfK_KY89lmbpZ7p9KCKAVGnTY-l13mH88d7ubNVjYhQt4si2ij5GHR4g0Eg/w632-h640/Newspaper%20main%20article.jpg" width="632" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">John McCabe, the Forest Preserve director of resource management told Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press reporter, "If it wasn't for these volunteers, some of these most critical sites would have been lost to us." The volunteers work collaboratively with Preserve staff on these challenges. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Biodiversity in the world today does not survive without care. Species populations fade miserably away, despite being on "protected" conservation lands. Indeed whole communities of plants, birds, pollinators and all need to be saved from extinction at many sites. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWDoLyiaFXUuoRY7vGHcrxMGA-9J4P1bBkSzvPWGTD2RhLjhQmqyLhu25lUlujaeupIMQc_9MdtcuxirDd2j-bTJ5mgg_XZ4aWPKatDPTJK_K4tHei97ZE58tuTMUTquq__ZFQHoDC1iLK3lL-VI7TPIbnyqvradM-Nn6rX-86TuvPhdJBQ/s3264/IMG_2995.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWDoLyiaFXUuoRY7vGHcrxMGA-9J4P1bBkSzvPWGTD2RhLjhQmqyLhu25lUlujaeupIMQc_9MdtcuxirDd2j-bTJ5mgg_XZ4aWPKatDPTJK_K4tHei97ZE58tuTMUTquq__ZFQHoDC1iLK3lL-VI7TPIbnyqvradM-Nn6rX-86TuvPhdJBQ/w640-h480/IMG_2995.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">An oak woodland choked with buckthorn, old oaks dying, little biota at all, except the invasive buckthorn.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">After</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpXImQXfBZocrN0vZOY2bGGuVsPoXlBP3AOtvhoWx4aVrqieZG_uRpL3AKC6GYxWE-1NEdJbsbKpREqrMEfhJWF6yDShrMiK6GcjiamajrkiiJX_XrGgABm5ewMIiTRBEjdEVoMFKX-BMW0OQ-eKp3wD7BTjXs3-EOyjhD1-4_OWaNZJ6-w/s2265/oak%20in%20buck%20after_4097.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="2209" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpXImQXfBZocrN0vZOY2bGGuVsPoXlBP3AOtvhoWx4aVrqieZG_uRpL3AKC6GYxWE-1NEdJbsbKpREqrMEfhJWF6yDShrMiK6GcjiamajrkiiJX_XrGgABm5ewMIiTRBEjdEVoMFKX-BMW0OQ-eKp3wD7BTjXs3-EOyjhD1-4_OWaNZJ6-w/w624-h640/oak%20in%20buck%20after_4097.jpg" width="624" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hundreds of species of animals and plants of the oak woodland are now coming back. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The resolution by which Forest Preserve President Preckwinkle and the Board recognized the Somme stewards and Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves is below: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZOTmZ7gsUIKzznv-M1IxsjfAGWXYuWKOgS8jkAqeu79huwBXk5a3iR1ORGUnBwLPEnK6OIYmcJ2P56h8NixC3DmWlq1IKD9tcaEct03y_mq1GCnUYY7allQz_CXmpZyTZQJA6nT9kyhMWkW5JHg5x1t3mKySKthLSqMNd7u6uNEaT6kygg/s2800/RESOLUTION%201ST.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="1700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZOTmZ7gsUIKzznv-M1IxsjfAGWXYuWKOgS8jkAqeu79huwBXk5a3iR1ORGUnBwLPEnK6OIYmcJ2P56h8NixC3DmWlq1IKD9tcaEct03y_mq1GCnUYY7allQz_CXmpZyTZQJA6nT9kyhMWkW5JHg5x1t3mKySKthLSqMNd7u6uNEaT6kygg/w390-h640/RESOLUTION%201ST.jpg" width="390" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD8yN3K36CPK4lzPCBtalrHDR3mlESE0G345BBisGTEX4SPcaeI8ntnoC2PMA8x2CVGp1gOIghewgN538G3E_2D_krCyoWagwO-zIR4_9LPeGs1tE7HQC6D64CSH_rGFFSo9G8epmn618rHBay1To-UDqdk3ijVy152u-uTGD4a284gJvEQ/s2800/RESOLUTION%202nd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="1700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD8yN3K36CPK4lzPCBtalrHDR3mlESE0G345BBisGTEX4SPcaeI8ntnoC2PMA8x2CVGp1gOIghewgN538G3E_2D_krCyoWagwO-zIR4_9LPeGs1tE7HQC6D64CSH_rGFFSo9G8epmn618rHBay1To-UDqdk3ijVy152u-uTGD4a284gJvEQ/w388-h640/RESOLUTION%202nd.jpg" width="388" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBiRZc36SHjHD32qpC-UppKxNN-BSZmKGjQ4meaVC62jhTs-3trgLJX8tjZa4BNGbv1XXuOhbQQy2x57PkKANaCkzZ5KrzrGOIGdCRZ7UtikiLJt5ruCKuuCwEke4HuoiPd6LkkE7hCNqdXipBBJxbxPpUFbLG5Boeb5PEogHoS3iMTKIHQ/s1711/RESOLUTION%203rd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="1697" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBiRZc36SHjHD32qpC-UppKxNN-BSZmKGjQ4meaVC62jhTs-3trgLJX8tjZa4BNGbv1XXuOhbQQy2x57PkKANaCkzZ5KrzrGOIGdCRZ7UtikiLJt5ruCKuuCwEke4HuoiPd6LkkE7hCNqdXipBBJxbxPpUFbLG5Boeb5PEogHoS3iMTKIHQ/w398-h400/RESOLUTION%203rd.jpg" width="398" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_etVx5QHgJNpwNxD12mN4gUNH4AB5av0N1r0JehVJcjswUmqFszPN0QegFvhVsmha4nK8VdSBeO_fotc2Aip9PhpDbYU6xEEeVjep-ymGRWxZxr5SzTuI9jICYQhyGqrbfKK1v-dv_weXCYlQkSXrLbjPIP_tvNv2ePhcDevdoOSwqFBt4Q/s3532/photog_1311.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="3532" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_etVx5QHgJNpwNxD12mN4gUNH4AB5av0N1r0JehVJcjswUmqFszPN0QegFvhVsmha4nK8VdSBeO_fotc2Aip9PhpDbYU6xEEeVjep-ymGRWxZxr5SzTuI9jICYQhyGqrbfKK1v-dv_weXCYlQkSXrLbjPIP_tvNv2ePhcDevdoOSwqFBt4Q/w640-h384/photog_1311.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">The event started out in the woods We cut and burned invasive pole trees, while Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press photographer Karie Angell Luc documented the day.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91xWPCW_0ebcywtgHLz0gH1CU1N9brXSlox0rzP_xbc-CMs5HY2Rgqk5xAoaWPmwNomXAoItOmVDbFjrTDbIWA7up4wLKXwGQCxKLpmIbU2lAAyXWJWRz_ygDhF5llbt47qyJOnjgnrmExgXvgoVz4oKW3xUlvT8DugF2pPjvY8R54fIckA/s3029/salamanders%20in%20hands_1312.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3029" data-original-width="3012" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91xWPCW_0ebcywtgHLz0gH1CU1N9brXSlox0rzP_xbc-CMs5HY2Rgqk5xAoaWPmwNomXAoItOmVDbFjrTDbIWA7up4wLKXwGQCxKLpmIbU2lAAyXWJWRz_ygDhF5llbt47qyJOnjgnrmExgXvgoVz4oKW3xUlvT8DugF2pPjvY8R54fIckA/w636-h640/salamanders%20in%20hands_1312.jpeg" width="636" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being in the woods, we had adventures. Someone found a pile of blue-spotted salamanders under a log, too near the fire.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsUk3cNZWdJxjaabVyIG0_sIqfgzw_Z8XUdPCHI4McJOE4P5oHQRFZ5SnKNPGCZWLao44XJe7eXFozyhT7qhCjQkcGFswd8DgjemSKRLDGxUDZpPXyhSBMjXHzpUXtOrxJRU2BEWcHnv1sa3AB0u0oubR5E0Ob-GQe7MjQdvTohPPYkpiQw/s4032/salamanders%20and%20folks_1314.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsUk3cNZWdJxjaabVyIG0_sIqfgzw_Z8XUdPCHI4McJOE4P5oHQRFZ5SnKNPGCZWLao44XJe7eXFozyhT7qhCjQkcGFswd8DgjemSKRLDGxUDZpPXyhSBMjXHzpUXtOrxJRU2BEWcHnv1sa3AB0u0oubR5E0Ob-GQe7MjQdvTohPPYkpiQw/w640-h480/salamanders%20and%20folks_1314.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We moved them away, of course, allowing opportunities for education, awe, and ecology. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At break time, we repaired to the shelter ...</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1926" data-original-width="4022" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yF1Hpo77SgAwhG57HYM0f4iPovu3SyCh8Rxj7nqFHA3UJ8hxo9lX3wESwgrJ13GR4nbmahsBnCWuCtMmJtnskOr8hIishauiBDCryzjxmEy-ix7fHX9xr1oHf54XdAkVii8JHfPZqdeHOzHNBMyEJqpSVpURcAdfI_SU4L6-X8OiHzX_Kg/w640-h308/break%20time_1317.jpeg" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238); color: #0000ee; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;" width="640" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">... where a feast was laid out, sociability ensued, and then the proclamation was presented.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKmgnfmlZO46vuAVhOa-bomZf0ht8_bfU9xm3D_7oWlFjUlao1D1FSMdyKFiluYdNF8ECeO2g5ZyDg8x5_Dt7RF7NU2huw2973splAGQTEMTB_usJukjCDo8iZTf-wLzlzHrG3f_EsqgLh8tIfaUL6RAfcXjgcHkUznAxyeY0knC03Ssa9g/s640/group%20and%20resolution-7536.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKmgnfmlZO46vuAVhOa-bomZf0ht8_bfU9xm3D_7oWlFjUlao1D1FSMdyKFiluYdNF8ECeO2g5ZyDg8x5_Dt7RF7NU2huw2973splAGQTEMTB_usJukjCDo8iZTf-wLzlzHrG3f_EsqgLh8tIfaUL6RAfcXjgcHkUznAxyeY0knC03Ssa9g/w640-h480/group%20and%20resolution-7536.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Posing above are 18 volunteers, Commissioner Scott Britton (holding the proclamation) and Northbrook President Kathryn Ciesla (third to Scott's right). </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was a sweet day. Some saw it as a questionable interruption of our urgent work. But events like this are "political" in the best sense. American democracy has an iffy rep these days, but through its processes the Forest Preserves and Nature Preserves System were established. They prosper or decline in proportion to what kind of stewardship they get. Today's celebration affirmed a model for how humans can organize ourselves for something good, for species other than us - collective action motivated by something beyond ego and selfishness. It generated understanding, support, and friends. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Earth needs more of this.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhNjb5eFnJd5mSqhikezcg0Qh6UiIlsRoc-XwxEAXUtgsW5L4WnqCoMtgSvlkHz3xDMHAlQQqN1DydM3nb9nlCcCyfLHB8agfD6mACscDKT9vainQkkQw1zq5ibnoO_SbSDQC3h_w2KEFXdlWDJ289mp_oCtGSG8OgGRToQKRwZOZI8gZPQ/s830/Northbrook%20Work%20Day%20Invite%20v2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="824" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhNjb5eFnJd5mSqhikezcg0Qh6UiIlsRoc-XwxEAXUtgsW5L4WnqCoMtgSvlkHz3xDMHAlQQqN1DydM3nb9nlCcCyfLHB8agfD6mACscDKT9vainQkkQw1zq5ibnoO_SbSDQC3h_w2KEFXdlWDJ289mp_oCtGSG8OgGRToQKRwZOZI8gZPQ/w636-h640/Northbrook%20Work%20Day%20Invite%20v2.jpg" width="636" /></span></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6omPAx-Bp2xLrMnHPMRLj_2aOF4DWHOLdNzjbk6QM6ahsgy2Q82pLHMUFlgYLShjzNAmtQL6A3YCkfD4FXzi4HZWmG3dhEGZtGSQenh4BJZHu8X_l4kcUV5Ywjd3J4iZCJA_Qkz0Buynldf_jvCE5J32G2S5xe8PmLZ_fOkZthBYxjuj-g/s1947/NB%20Star%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1947" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6omPAx-Bp2xLrMnHPMRLj_2aOF4DWHOLdNzjbk6QM6ahsgy2Q82pLHMUFlgYLShjzNAmtQL6A3YCkfD4FXzi4HZWmG3dhEGZtGSQenh4BJZHu8X_l4kcUV5Ywjd3J4iZCJA_Qkz0Buynldf_jvCE5J32G2S5xe8PmLZ_fOkZthBYxjuj-g/w640-h524/NB%20Star%20cover.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCzN2RSrFKwqHhTbP0zKRTFFNr4Xjr4LP_BRpM0NFg1SG-P2Gh8Nv7l6OZWZJBjdctYokAS4pkLX9eQnsuNRPcELfDpbGBS9vCMJkEaoiIENenSyzFXeVUqzqFOtKJ13TYI18ZgRKkfTjicMSoWdWY8g8CInlZZ3H658M6FZ8dQXCPXDWFg/s2081/NB%20Star.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="1497" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCzN2RSrFKwqHhTbP0zKRTFFNr4Xjr4LP_BRpM0NFg1SG-P2Gh8Nv7l6OZWZJBjdctYokAS4pkLX9eQnsuNRPcELfDpbGBS9vCMJkEaoiIENenSyzFXeVUqzqFOtKJ13TYI18ZgRKkfTjicMSoWdWY8g8CInlZZ3H658M6FZ8dQXCPXDWFg/w460-h640/NB%20Star.jpg" width="460" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwP4NFspj6x0I6JPMwEVfmP32XOwcTy53kMBQbOSQLhrfFRw8ZBjXXEw96vD2k-YYAr8Vvm6CNvwyVP4l_UHtlChwXQJVebR8TqQmsxB8kuiNcDl9zNgAe-7PRXzM_MqcAYo16ZP3af0TEC8OkAnOPLw25wyn2x6HgdVeL-02lQw40bKtYQ/s1987/NB%20Star%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1987" data-original-width="1543" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwP4NFspj6x0I6JPMwEVfmP32XOwcTy53kMBQbOSQLhrfFRw8ZBjXXEw96vD2k-YYAr8Vvm6CNvwyVP4l_UHtlChwXQJVebR8TqQmsxB8kuiNcDl9zNgAe-7PRXzM_MqcAYo16ZP3af0TEC8OkAnOPLw25wyn2x6HgdVeL-02lQw40bKtYQ/w496-h640/NB%20Star%201.jpg" width="496" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The </span>righteous<span style="font-family: inherit;"> List of People who take Special Initiative<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">April 2023<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stewards are a team. We try to resist hierarchy among ourselves as much as practical. We collaborate, and many help at much more than what’s shown below. But this list attempts to indicate many of the principal contributions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Certifications and authorizations come principally from the Cook County Forest Preserves. Trainings are by CCFP staff and stewards with specialized training from Chicago Botanic Garden - Plants of Concern Program, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Agriculture (herbicide certification), Bird Conservation Network, Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network of the Chicago Academy of Sciences and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Calling Frog Survey, and the Chicago Wilderness Alliance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stewards<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Chipilly Woods</b>: John Cherry <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Somme Prairie Nature Preserve</b>: Laurel Ross and Lisa Musgrave<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Somme Grove Prairie Nature Preserve</b>: Stephen Packard and Eriko Kojima<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Somme Woods</b>: Linda Masters with zone stewards Christos Economou, Stephanie Place, Rebeccah Hartz, Eriko Kojima, Sai Ramakrishna, John Paterson, Jim Hensel, Matt Evans, Emma Leavens, Katie Kucera, Paul Swanson, Donna Wittert, Paula Kessler, Carole Ortiz, Diana Economou, Stone Hansard, Beata Fiszer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Certified chain sawyers</b>: John McMartin, Joe Handwerker, Tom Bragiel, John Mahal, Lew Brashares, Estelle Ure, Sai Ramakrishna, Allen Giedraitis, Jonathan Sladek, Rett Donnely, Erin Faulkner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Brush Pile Burn Leader certification</b>: Kathy Wassman, John McMartin, Paula Kessler and many others<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Seed harvest, prep, and broadcast</b>: Christos Economou, Rebeccah Hartz, Steph Place, Carole Ortiz, Donna Wittert, Paula Kessler, Amy Broussard, Diana Economou, Sai Ramakrishna, Matt Evans, Beata Fiszer, Jim Hensel, Fred Ciba, Linda Masters, John Paterson, Russ Sala<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Herbicide license</b>: John McMartin, Russ Sala, Paula Kessler, George Westlund, John Paterson, and many others<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Workday leader certification:</b> Linda Masters, Stephen Packard, Laurel Ross, Lisa Musgrave, Eriko Kojima, Sai Ramakrishna, Paul Swanson, Steph Place, Jim Hensel, Matt Evans, Katie Kucera, Estelle Ure, Christos Economou, Diana Economou<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Safety task force: </b>Ed Samson, Steph Place, Matt Evans, Sai Ramakrishna, John McMartin, Estelle Ure<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Trails maintenance</b>: Estelle Ure, Russ Sala, Tom Dallinger, John McMartin, Bob Miller, Joe Handwerker, John Mahal, Jim Hensel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Representatives to FPD Key Stewards meetings</b>: Paul Swanson, Lisa Musgrave, Sai Ramakrishna, Eriko Kojima, Linda Masters<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Plant Monitors: </b>Lisa Musgrave, Laurel Ross, Stephen Packard, Emma Leavens, Sai Ramakrishna, John Cherry, Eriko Kojima <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Individual Plant Species Stewards: </b>Mike Zarski, Sheila Hollins, Lisa Musgrave, Emma Leavens, Eriko Kojima,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Bird Monitors: </b>Danny Leggio, Stephen Packard, Melissa Foster, Chris Monaghan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Butterfly Monitors: </b>Ryan Chew, Laurie Leibowitz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Calling Frog Monitors: </b>Eriko Kojima, Rebeccah Hartz<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Shrub and young oak stewardship: </b>Sai Ramakrishna, Matt Evans, Steph Place, Eriko Kojima<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Instagram task force:</b> Josh Breer, Andrew Condrell, Kaitlin Cywinski, Sofie Richter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Tool maintenance task force:</b> Ed Samson, Jim Hensel, Matt Evans, Linda Masters, Russ Sala, Bob Miller, Estelle Ure<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>New Year’s Bonfire Celebration team: </b>Ed Samson, Jim Hensel, Steve Tattleman, Russ Sala, Linda Masters, Rebeccah Hartz, Marty Maneck (bagpipe), John Paterson (art), Eriko Kojima<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Friends of the Chicago River’s Chicago River Day Somme Woods site captain:</b> Jim Hensel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Treat Bakers at volunteer events:</b> George Westlund, Jim Hensel, Carole Ortiz, Donna Wittert, Linda Masters, Kim Ciba<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves organizers and convenors: </b>Stephanie Place, Jim Hensel, Pat Johns, Linda Masters, Mike Piskel, Rob Sulski, Donna Wittert, Carole Ortiz, Russ Sala, Ed Samson, <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Eco-hike leaders: </b> Rob Sulski, Steph Place, Stephen Packard, Donna Wittert<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Recruiters</b>: Jim Hensel, Rae Goodman-Lucker and family, Josh Breer, Andrew Condrell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Media and communications:</b> Steph Place, Jim Hensel, Steve Tattleman, Pat Johns, Eriko Kojima, Carole Ortiz, Donna Wittert</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our apologies to the many people who deserve more mention. But we hope this list gives you a flavor of how this community thrives. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acknowledgements</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post benefitted from</span> edits and proofing<span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Emma Leavens and Eriko Kojima. </span></div><br />Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-90895820480523331302023-04-10T10:09:00.011-07:002023-04-11T07:15:57.488-07:00How We Burned Kishwaukee Fen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>This is a shortened, step by step, story.</p><p>For a lot more detail, see <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/04/how-to-burn-details-from-april-8.html">the Strategies for Stewards post</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JG07i-SLDQNSD7_g111yWf60ZvAWsQQDI3KMFJq202L4mA6mW8PdlAO4stfPD4Ye-0RISdi7N42jX4YxXAszsuVwrdU1OwmE_KXJHLc7Wft7-w2QlrHz0C6H0ONSvRzh1E0553AF8sm2PnqKWDfS_6d80RUtIWMAySr1GC64Uyll4jYRaQ/s4032/IMG_1185.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JG07i-SLDQNSD7_g111yWf60ZvAWsQQDI3KMFJq202L4mA6mW8PdlAO4stfPD4Ye-0RISdi7N42jX4YxXAszsuVwrdU1OwmE_KXJHLc7Wft7-w2QlrHz0C6H0ONSvRzh1E0553AF8sm2PnqKWDfS_6d80RUtIWMAySr1GC64Uyll4jYRaQ/w640-h480/IMG_1185.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The plan was prepared by Illinois Nature Preserves staff John Nelson. As shown on John's map (below), with a wind from the southwest, we would start at A and carefully complete a backfire to B. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48eWD0gQGdTRpWSR1DUKdV-4rtYpc3E6Bg6Z7BV28BKgq5BKUHHZTdkd5jcUi7h3L9NZKj8xGHvv0j1z22EcXT4SWn_K9iUNBIfsgbuwNjqG1zhchTkQ3nTyNl59zDRQxlWoQC0vO3AmCI5oSzl8vpbX3__2OWBQVgivLZU-rL214705eIA/s4032/map_1186.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48eWD0gQGdTRpWSR1DUKdV-4rtYpc3E6Bg6Z7BV28BKgq5BKUHHZTdkd5jcUi7h3L9NZKj8xGHvv0j1z22EcXT4SWn_K9iUNBIfsgbuwNjqG1zhchTkQ3nTyNl59zDRQxlWoQC0vO3AmCI5oSzl8vpbX3__2OWBQVgivLZU-rL214705eIA/w640-h480/map_1186.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SOJL9gpnBky3hJJl1WUqfd0neaEOxoBSoDnyYD9bi8pWHHirV_KCtYGeq3BBdOEaOpH-Av_NQLQihI5VosAeqLlo_Obm2cZmj1Bw0EDNds4c3ZDGI80ZyqDnkqJSAYq27WjFwlvWJJ46yN_GO50cjZtHzMMHXATOVGcUoo3iTPWlHGEHpA/s4032/IMG_1194.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SOJL9gpnBky3hJJl1WUqfd0neaEOxoBSoDnyYD9bi8pWHHirV_KCtYGeq3BBdOEaOpH-Av_NQLQihI5VosAeqLlo_Obm2cZmj1Bw0EDNds4c3ZDGI80ZyqDnkqJSAYq27WjFwlvWJJ46yN_GO50cjZtHzMMHXATOVGcUoo3iTPWlHGEHpA/w640-h480/IMG_1194.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Before we start, the area looks like the above. A-B is in the foreground: a degraded, early-stage prairie restoration with not much fuel. In the background are the fens and sedge meadows, with lots of fuel. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuL3uYc_6V6cFwLJXPfSU72PaZjYeL9qJG1lNAUnKg7SsqOKGyMGy6CskNv9y8qlAekGLTj8_6_QFy3cPVV_viyQLhO33SpYf1NR4xdQfKhTt0zWIPu6k2oe9pCpMJ_MfpkMVwO_YkcXNek347B4MI3_N3di4GYhj6lvua2PJSf6RKIeSXQ/s4032/ignite_1198.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuL3uYc_6V6cFwLJXPfSU72PaZjYeL9qJG1lNAUnKg7SsqOKGyMGy6CskNv9y8qlAekGLTj8_6_QFy3cPVV_viyQLhO33SpYf1NR4xdQfKhTt0zWIPu6k2oe9pCpMJ_MfpkMVwO_YkcXNek347B4MI3_N3di4GYhj6lvua2PJSf6RKIeSXQ/w640-h480/ignite_1198.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>John Nelson ignites the fire. On the north, our fire break is the Kishwaukee River headwaters. <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4L0XD61q3VV2A5XQwH1fYhjWbwuONHXoJ6oVbOAWBg6b7nlw46VdAi_1OpZTcGQH6ADCsg1g2V3RPUBXIdhnY_34m5KeO7JRV18W_c6XcPx5RSoQNxluHOX4IeV0zOpv8cexbKyWeOjuDTnQ9HSFBu-dIfY6B6ZvT2_aFk8IVPaEavOS6nA/s4032/2strips_1206.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4L0XD61q3VV2A5XQwH1fYhjWbwuONHXoJ6oVbOAWBg6b7nlw46VdAi_1OpZTcGQH6ADCsg1g2V3RPUBXIdhnY_34m5KeO7JRV18W_c6XcPx5RSoQNxluHOX4IeV0zOpv8cexbKyWeOjuDTnQ9HSFBu-dIfY6B6ZvT2_aFk8IVPaEavOS6nA/w640-h480/2strips_1206.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Next, John lights a backfire. The rest of us make sure it doesn't cross the break. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6n_x_jpqvR1IZf8tPraFK7yC5arbSfnGa8mqTrFffAL6_aOAkjmQ6nApr9DqHLboy5SOJ_BDsuVXVfQBj6J0Z4ZTX71KJcVOuDB9dnz_dvJzObV455NJB49CeY2yui8IRlV4ZtM3nsfhCUfrEEVovH_Uz6cx5QCGzmV5xl3o0Bv9dO_fhw/s2867/to%20golf_1209.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2179" data-original-width="2867" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6n_x_jpqvR1IZf8tPraFK7yC5arbSfnGa8mqTrFffAL6_aOAkjmQ6nApr9DqHLboy5SOJ_BDsuVXVfQBj6J0Z4ZTX71KJcVOuDB9dnz_dvJzObV455NJB49CeY2yui8IRlV4ZtM3nsfhCUfrEEVovH_Uz6cx5QCGzmV5xl3o0Bv9dO_fhw/w640-h488/to%20golf_1209.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Once the fire has consumed the fuel in a strip all the way to the green grass of the golf course, that break is complete. <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal42RDGWsw5_j68rd_c2enfqepW25wN81AquTJ1kJCUXdDfrjPoV0q8UpoFV1ucwPwwrT1umP1ka6wOnFFmKVYKYNqNX3nWJt0Y2iyUjRpxPL1WWvYAj7GIYwfuwJFOx22SWlUFy-XwPrFRvnmCgEv_IEFpfmedzC52RQJpRxGZ8tsGAiTw/s4032/start%20along%20Kish_1216.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal42RDGWsw5_j68rd_c2enfqepW25wN81AquTJ1kJCUXdDfrjPoV0q8UpoFV1ucwPwwrT1umP1ka6wOnFFmKVYKYNqNX3nWJt0Y2iyUjRpxPL1WWvYAj7GIYwfuwJFOx22SWlUFy-XwPrFRvnmCgEv_IEFpfmedzC52RQJpRxGZ8tsGAiTw/w640-h480/start%20along%20Kish_1216.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Now we start the backfire through heavier fuel along the south bank of the creek. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKAL2jyURj3luzcJm8CO3oT5sfa7bahpj3iJwGA0-QsY_1s79VeyA8SCeBHeAtuC1LlzLj2h0OiO1ZEZX0y3QL-kIeC1AbNBArSEMNDvysQUmxaGiqHjAHBg7gljrjKQM0sjjoRTSb-UUOIPIGfAnhBi5c0xZvo4ibQmhjUpNJaYyxgkLvw/s4032/wet_1229.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKAL2jyURj3luzcJm8CO3oT5sfa7bahpj3iJwGA0-QsY_1s79VeyA8SCeBHeAtuC1LlzLj2h0OiO1ZEZX0y3QL-kIeC1AbNBArSEMNDvysQUmxaGiqHjAHBg7gljrjKQM0sjjoRTSb-UUOIPIGfAnhBi5c0xZvo4ibQmhjUpNJaYyxgkLvw/w640-h480/wet_1229.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>At some points, where the fuel was wet and burned poorly, we made a number of strips ... until there was a complete burn wide enough to protect the other side of the creek from the headfire when it came. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NOaGkF4QHDtGpmtzPzOiEhsZkUOZMm00-h_K7vUGrGLRu7YJxrMuiYDutlOb1gaIfiGPlv_kWvRBXkFyXVgELZDf25jyI8UKbMOIi6I1oWwuOvYass3MTWQZJ7An_11xw_-mDEwTzzXYXbIrapufFG7DCvOxCI0dHRsn0NdSlGpSoNI2Og/s4032/difficult_1228.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NOaGkF4QHDtGpmtzPzOiEhsZkUOZMm00-h_K7vUGrGLRu7YJxrMuiYDutlOb1gaIfiGPlv_kWvRBXkFyXVgELZDf25jyI8UKbMOIi6I1oWwuOvYass3MTWQZJ7An_11xw_-mDEwTzzXYXbIrapufFG7DCvOxCI0dHRsn0NdSlGpSoNI2Og/w640-h480/difficult_1228.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Some areas were somewhat difficult, as downed trees made passage difficult.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK799YQTCVxo-TRuxMnfHzPCuaKKIwvVtjLmv8LwlX-bpsc8-axnS08Z_ZzAPYMbp1U-9ye9vdTCPNsrRMVbWuXzDuAh_nc_nshHPw-aUvjWcdkcTOpG3efghRfunogD0rt1Jc14QP837Os9zk_z5F5eqQxgkrnaZPbQtwdTQvyVwCCzarxQ/s4032/watch_1217.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK799YQTCVxo-TRuxMnfHzPCuaKKIwvVtjLmv8LwlX-bpsc8-axnS08Z_ZzAPYMbp1U-9ye9vdTCPNsrRMVbWuXzDuAh_nc_nshHPw-aUvjWcdkcTOpG3efghRfunogD0rt1Jc14QP837Os9zk_z5F5eqQxgkrnaZPbQtwdTQvyVwCCzarxQ/w640-h480/watch_1217.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>We watched such areas carefully. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI4lmXWtb7K5TB1mN4kthT_YNw1UeKuYdTUZf0UfZIkimIpPLtKSIh32tnfmiYrC0d8HztyKbt6Yf3LsFI6UQcaVyqYgZWv9d8Z6-eAL9F2Kh2rigMA4a3UYANNuai5ka44sqP7s_ilpSrGYTmPhsLFMalKPKa3_-xuhA0_uYkvbtRLdUdQ/s4032/impossible_1234.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI4lmXWtb7K5TB1mN4kthT_YNw1UeKuYdTUZf0UfZIkimIpPLtKSIh32tnfmiYrC0d8HztyKbt6Yf3LsFI6UQcaVyqYgZWv9d8Z6-eAL9F2Kh2rigMA4a3UYANNuai5ka44sqP7s_ilpSrGYTmPhsLFMalKPKa3_-xuhA0_uYkvbtRLdUdQ/w640-h480/impossible_1234.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Other areas were impossible. There was no practical way to keep the fire from jumping the creek in such a place. At this point we reminded ourselves that an important objective before the next burn would be to clear those downed trees away from the firebreak. But for today, with a bit more effort, we moved the break back to a deer path.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TAcbdRwdMED6pXAt3fWEuaYfHqNdAWgBC9nN6BEy7RbsKVMgmvqzfM3KpxaCeJZ33RKU1byopL_oNN9ZJOw5LBD_ZAOgLcr6YYkAjYKUu6OqgFFWNaSUYBngTRbUyLrpRsWqMW0AGAT-_mCpZ0lDXLLqRVHlqH8hnUA464jQe8r8zAJ8TA/s4032/care_1239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TAcbdRwdMED6pXAt3fWEuaYfHqNdAWgBC9nN6BEy7RbsKVMgmvqzfM3KpxaCeJZ33RKU1byopL_oNN9ZJOw5LBD_ZAOgLcr6YYkAjYKUu6OqgFFWNaSUYBngTRbUyLrpRsWqMW0AGAT-_mCpZ0lDXLLqRVHlqH8hnUA464jQe8r8zAJ8TA/w640-h480/care_1239.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Here, with a bit of care, it worked fine.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-WOq62EbwpQS0CM3eMbXUyRu8RMF0p51quYC_ncEe08LW0aRRX6-P7CHMAqrNuF1H1IK0UpBacLS_4gX4m5HnNSdltr9x0K4ROPYArzON0FoUf1oCUhfQzAPP_CMNun7Z3Tc7TubYcirYcd0wiE5gYk5gC0RornMUXzcyEYslhh92EsNkQ/s2887/IMG_1240.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1882" data-original-width="2887" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-WOq62EbwpQS0CM3eMbXUyRu8RMF0p51quYC_ncEe08LW0aRRX6-P7CHMAqrNuF1H1IK0UpBacLS_4gX4m5HnNSdltr9x0K4ROPYArzON0FoUf1oCUhfQzAPP_CMNun7Z3Tc7TubYcirYcd0wiE5gYk5gC0RornMUXzcyEYslhh92EsNkQ/w640-h420/IMG_1240.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>This was the hardest work we had to do.We moved slowly. Many of the crew were relatively new to fire control, and we all learned more by doing. <br /><div><br /></div><div>And now, we've reached point D on the plan. For a refresher, see below.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWfoR8yIDsUDzHh3QTNamfLhAE2FVKq4oKNC3Xji1ZJnW1PNihU4tiNoEpqDSg8GZ-S95gUMtdupr6qZ6kjQNXwebhr6NbDIt7mV1ur9tZTlvKnjCgoojSRAgsp8o0R0BzBZTDNRqLv5uHHTs3zQv8jkYnPCnhiaMweCiZjUWi_vWejzk_Q/s4032/map_1186.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWfoR8yIDsUDzHh3QTNamfLhAE2FVKq4oKNC3Xji1ZJnW1PNihU4tiNoEpqDSg8GZ-S95gUMtdupr6qZ6kjQNXwebhr6NbDIt7mV1ur9tZTlvKnjCgoojSRAgsp8o0R0BzBZTDNRqLv5uHHTs3zQv8jkYnPCnhiaMweCiZjUWi_vWejzk_Q/w640-h480/map_1186.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Once we've finished this break down to the golf course, we're done with the hard work.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdtgZcs66d0x8GcEkHhewmWl8sk0_ExvLrEEECO8hBOWD2jwpvLxhCzxeLmUia8QiZsph2WkR16Xxbwh4h6yICNbyP9ujhNF7OCIAfz6pKMMCf8VcUm09BZ4FJb-jN9lmi3PN8KCxIQhOwUekoe2rIEqzjCUbP7Hne6eGoJguBQdrpCggdg/s2813/finish%20west_1244.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="2813" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdtgZcs66d0x8GcEkHhewmWl8sk0_ExvLrEEECO8hBOWD2jwpvLxhCzxeLmUia8QiZsph2WkR16Xxbwh4h6yICNbyP9ujhNF7OCIAfz6pKMMCf8VcUm09BZ4FJb-jN9lmi3PN8KCxIQhOwUekoe2rIEqzjCUbP7Hne6eGoJguBQdrpCggdg/w640-h472/finish%20west_1244.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>This west break was especially quick to complete, because of a pre-prepared break and a hose in case we needed water. <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9ksbPmFGujbLEbTooQ9thSrJq97TipywGLrbHOXbYRGUPHe4T5xcZQA3U59codJXZhcWeooXy9J-eLFQKk96CM_BSIv29GX07jXxsYJ9WSzmSBeBO1rfmVifvMBQ-D0CBMw4xaucY32fyMjk78Dn2LoP-ZurBEpmYqG5h_d7Tee34gIwBw/s3508/IMG_1245.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1827" data-original-width="3508" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9ksbPmFGujbLEbTooQ9thSrJq97TipywGLrbHOXbYRGUPHe4T5xcZQA3U59codJXZhcWeooXy9J-eLFQKk96CM_BSIv29GX07jXxsYJ9WSzmSBeBO1rfmVifvMBQ-D0CBMw4xaucY32fyMjk78Dn2LoP-ZurBEpmYqG5h_d7Tee34gIwBw/w640-h336/IMG_1245.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Now the work is done, and the headfire is lit.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9g_HdH7Wf_zTyya5QFJaohcfWjzp0HgPkvTBTVDfo3-J7pzUKnrw77eNJlCHOfLcApBdPFBlPsIHleTDqVmZa19nn1mlo4i9Bdr5Cm91GEGlvwdyG1ZOW7dlojPxZaoEcTUZqHrZiUj612A_0PBuJWQkUeDvWFyqN016_Fx3VWptTf6_iA/s4032/IMG_1246.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9g_HdH7Wf_zTyya5QFJaohcfWjzp0HgPkvTBTVDfo3-J7pzUKnrw77eNJlCHOfLcApBdPFBlPsIHleTDqVmZa19nn1mlo4i9Bdr5Cm91GEGlvwdyG1ZOW7dlojPxZaoEcTUZqHrZiUj612A_0PBuJWQkUeDvWFyqN016_Fx3VWptTf6_iA/w640-h480/IMG_1246.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Here, the fire doesn't reach the edge of the golf course, because it stops at the no-fuel area where we've been cutting the buckthorn (and collecting stray golf balls). <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp07WJHJwP7wp1CzHgxb7D1vmaXKrpJTQX-3MUauo7bhuaKpU62UMDxvSd4q5Uw2NL_i6UAmej8ksJYatP9c-bVt_zdA74xwqrCtcNDEUNPu5h6PG7qtqgjKgc6OYbEw26o_XDMqxq_z_pUkCHZKePPj9XTbKII8QFZoQ2aclUXfby9oS47w/s4032/IMG_1259.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp07WJHJwP7wp1CzHgxb7D1vmaXKrpJTQX-3MUauo7bhuaKpU62UMDxvSd4q5Uw2NL_i6UAmej8ksJYatP9c-bVt_zdA74xwqrCtcNDEUNPu5h6PG7qtqgjKgc6OYbEw26o_XDMqxq_z_pUkCHZKePPj9XTbKII8QFZoQ2aclUXfby9oS47w/w640-h480/IMG_1259.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>In a few minutes, fire does the work that otherwise takes us days and weeks, where lack of fire had allowed brush to grow dense. Fire keeps the grassland healthy, and a healthy grassland resists invasion by brush. <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflsC7EKshB9rB2jfO2sQR59JgVyr1CypDftylIVW6Y27U9rST34nOE6xV1U9pwNXV_3KuQYHR2WwzpvaNp9KKRj03asAjLpTIxpUisyRSbgMm9qE8Kqk-ZNd0lVpvglo0lA4V0Lgjmc-OkZk2rBQC6KKOuVcWz94D-QxxE1oB7RENCuZWnQ/s4032/IMG_1252.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflsC7EKshB9rB2jfO2sQR59JgVyr1CypDftylIVW6Y27U9rST34nOE6xV1U9pwNXV_3KuQYHR2WwzpvaNp9KKRj03asAjLpTIxpUisyRSbgMm9qE8Kqk-ZNd0lVpvglo0lA4V0Lgjmc-OkZk2rBQC6KKOuVcWz94D-QxxE1oB7RENCuZWnQ/w640-h480/IMG_1252.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Then, within secure firebreaks, the flames wandered around for some time, going out in wet areas of little fuel, and flaming high where the fuel was dense. </div><div><br /></div><div>The drone video below by David Martin gives a "hawk's eye view." Note how much bigger the headfire can be, compared to the backfire.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='687' height='573' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwNlLApTX-ZOycH6zP-h4F49jGbhpXKDwNlqND7UoS2R_nKTCHIJVeUn7fEN0_FzIZV_Qz0nlalIec' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bKbc1_FJN4eCPTd-0_w9j8B3myGAhGkeKyAF7H7jle00JtlfjpPTVnee6TBbYBpKHhnZ5qpOcPYS11N0inkSYBsVwDsWpjw2UBuRjR9brnD75QMObc0dXzIFG4omQSt8h9tCExQn0vswBOsJynruEWZGAjbHwlzsmVFFDn6ZuMy3WhB9cg/s4032/IMG_1272.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bKbc1_FJN4eCPTd-0_w9j8B3myGAhGkeKyAF7H7jle00JtlfjpPTVnee6TBbYBpKHhnZ5qpOcPYS11N0inkSYBsVwDsWpjw2UBuRjR9brnD75QMObc0dXzIFG4omQSt8h9tCExQn0vswBOsJynruEWZGAjbHwlzsmVFFDn6ZuMy3WhB9cg/w640-h480/IMG_1272.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>At this point we noticed that one of the raised fens had entirely escaped the burn. The sedge meadow that surrounded it was wet and had little fuel, as last year we had sprayed out the invasive Reed Canary Grass that had been thick there. But it was the fens that were the priority to enrich by burning, so Ben Davies hiked back down with the drip torch and touched it off. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnW0b-QgS_yPsVpEJcdJv_FnCaIaZkmUVAyOVlWTYD3GsB7daLdcslV2KDrGkfjUkLUlceJYsahYJw9EBUo9mRTi6paiRpt33I1MM2TUHOo_RqS-VIhSobPS9fPZpyCn9B_9QFTzpVPIf8ctRwRLUllF1BNXZAnBR6gp0HNoWdZomzXJ5eA/s4032/IMG_1266.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnW0b-QgS_yPsVpEJcdJv_FnCaIaZkmUVAyOVlWTYD3GsB7daLdcslV2KDrGkfjUkLUlceJYsahYJw9EBUo9mRTi6paiRpt33I1MM2TUHOo_RqS-VIhSobPS9fPZpyCn9B_9QFTzpVPIf8ctRwRLUllF1BNXZAnBR6gp0HNoWdZomzXJ5eA/w640-h480/IMG_1266.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Here, at the top of the high hanging fen, springs pour out of the moraine. Parts didn't burn simply because of the character of the fen. Those unburned areas we were happy to leave naturally unburned. <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh5RmA9f4YumJe0S_Pjhu3Emw3M78WjBg67OECoyoFScLaDrU3rUUkR7o7CDygtjDfE2Buk7QXeUHl_hv5MeivIOiJ3Y9Ualrz3FjJq4VEmJzRMr7OnIvtcsYU6GOasOr3zvfUsL4fXguiMtjebpR1Le7Un5wxwFy1s57ww2dY3vha2epXA/s4032/IMG_1277.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh5RmA9f4YumJe0S_Pjhu3Emw3M78WjBg67OECoyoFScLaDrU3rUUkR7o7CDygtjDfE2Buk7QXeUHl_hv5MeivIOiJ3Y9Ualrz3FjJq4VEmJzRMr7OnIvtcsYU6GOasOr3zvfUsL4fXguiMtjebpR1Le7Un5wxwFy1s57ww2dY3vha2epXA/w640-h480/IMG_1277.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>At the end, we gathered for an "after action review." We discuss options, ask questions, explore suggestions, and definitely committed to deal with those nasty invading brush that had given us a hard time along the stream. We need more trained burn leaders and crew, so education and experience are another high priority. Public relations is also important. The golf course was busy, and one of Amy's jobs was to talk with golfers as they came by and answer questions. <div><br /><div><b>Honor Roll</b></div><div><br /></div><div>People deserving recognition:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>For preparations</b>: Rebeccah Hartz, Eriko Kojima, Amy Doll, and John Nelson<br /><div><br /></div><div><b>Burn boss</b> for the day: John Nelson</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Crew</b>: John Nelson (INPC), Patti West (Kish volunteer), Ben Davies (Boone County Conservation District and Kish volunteer), Kent Beernink (Kish Volunteer), Sadie Dainko (Kane County Forest Preserves and Kish volunteer), Rebeccah Hartz (Shaw and Somme Woods volunteer), Amy Doll (Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves director and Kish volunteer), Dave Griffith (ILDNR), Ellie Krall (Shaw volunteer), Athena Knisley (Plank Road Prairie volunteer), Justin Hunger (Plank Road Prairie volunteer), and drone videographer David Martin (friend of Amy). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZrZOJUgpPvoRezEcAwACmyy3IRFDnesaOHrFvIqorZQLeYRhvPpsvBeTJbyfmbCj4KJZ1MG9jXFe-R-7lIbuwXZA3-wxDpuMgT6L4kZEsauvwUI9Zzkjq4vUdeOySASX_WiS24iCVkOpJMgur9Gd1GUAMARmvDPu3sh1vL38OVtCPGdE6Q/s4032/IMG_1291.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZrZOJUgpPvoRezEcAwACmyy3IRFDnesaOHrFvIqorZQLeYRhvPpsvBeTJbyfmbCj4KJZ1MG9jXFe-R-7lIbuwXZA3-wxDpuMgT6L4kZEsauvwUI9Zzkjq4vUdeOySASX_WiS24iCVkOpJMgur9Gd1GUAMARmvDPu3sh1vL38OVtCPGdE6Q/w640-h480/IMG_1291.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div>After the burn, we did a bit more planning for what comes next.</div><div><br /></div><div>Life is good. <br /><div><br /><div><b>Acknowledgements</b></div><div>Thanks to Amy Doll and Eriko Kojima for edits and proofing.</div><div>Thanks to David Martin for the drone video.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-12718933842608515642023-04-06T11:33:00.015-07:002023-04-09T06:43:04.915-07:00One Growing Season - in 48 Consecutive Images <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: center;"><b>Prelude</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;">“The prararies in the summer present one vast natural garden of delights spreding before the aye such a butiful and varagated senery decked with flowers of evry shape, sise, hugh, that they that could not admire them must be destitute of a sence of beauty and elegance.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">The spelling is iffy. But this 1839 letter from James and Sarah Smith, captured the prairie. The rest of that letter is about commerce, sickness, relatives, hard work, and land prices (see Endnote 1). But forever, a bit of the ancient grassland lives in those words.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">Settlers did not leave us photos, or drawings, or even much prairie itself. But haunting, suggestive descriptions from many let us know that the writers recognized something beyond the experience of Europeans and easterners - the tallgrass prairies, savannas, and woodlands - richest natural ecosystem of the temperate world. But, indeed, they would understand it and see it less and less as the decades passed. In recent years, restoration has begun to reveal nearly-lost, ancient nature once again. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">A first photo below may suggest what the 1839 language sought to convey. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tPlHlX1mnR8m3j8FZ-jIDW8rViUvlDARfb5EDUmDSRNQvw3U_zcCzsv2KTuooeVg385PQ9Il1SdpogNe6OzbZ9muyVYfG_DvIeoT-jJFcROsvKgljgyjL2yWOs3EZpPxc_DXVKfN3Jo0KUs4RQhnR8mpg3Txl4HaNiKx9tAueTfNt8JgdA/s4032/MS%20of%20flora_7651.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tPlHlX1mnR8m3j8FZ-jIDW8rViUvlDARfb5EDUmDSRNQvw3U_zcCzsv2KTuooeVg385PQ9Il1SdpogNe6OzbZ9muyVYfG_DvIeoT-jJFcROsvKgljgyjL2yWOs3EZpPxc_DXVKfN3Jo0KUs4RQhnR8mpg3Txl4HaNiKx9tAueTfNt8JgdA/w640-h480/MS%20of%20flora_7651.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White - wild quinine. Yellow - black-eyed Susan. Orange - butterfly-weed. Wide leaves - prairie dock. The grass here is mostly Indiangrass and prairie dropseed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The rest of this post shows a year at Somme Prairie Grove, a prairie-savanna-woodland ecosystem trying to recover something nearly lost from the Earth. (Really? Lost from the planet? See Endnote 2.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now, The Post Itself</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>One Growing Season of Images from Somme Prairie Grove</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seven Months in a Restored Grassland Garden of Eden</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWS5gPdVEehhw6elCpc6ksAC6a5JaeM4XdDQND6yjoLRlNpkGnK63qUHS23AvPujxSgtPm1-7IrpUYDeIzF8s_k2d6admzI4ny_Lw0rlhlVm-QWiJIE0Czg_9YvHAn-a1W0M76IP-IDRVVEePPBqSiqcHm4pX_s_jTppiJzdCDTXIpWtwkw/s3264/snow%20on%20burs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWS5gPdVEehhw6elCpc6ksAC6a5JaeM4XdDQND6yjoLRlNpkGnK63qUHS23AvPujxSgtPm1-7IrpUYDeIzF8s_k2d6admzI4ny_Lw0rlhlVm-QWiJIE0Czg_9YvHAn-a1W0M76IP-IDRVVEePPBqSiqcHm4pX_s_jTppiJzdCDTXIpWtwkw/w640-h480/snow%20on%20burs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Every year, April gives us a snowstorm or two.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CCFfCk3l3viqeNZ9ahPJEuqwd6S10e8PvJFWa4qdKq9EnPalonE9hkOa9DARjbQk5Bbbri-QkXMeI3Y_muhF8_fd2ALZOcXrHcpl9ZGjT586BcL4u6UvSBza_t0lNH3D0gYU4tkwUhybffw3qoZsyBDGgxwG3xZRTVjxj4WLp9p6iTcQGw/s3264/bellwort%20snow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CCFfCk3l3viqeNZ9ahPJEuqwd6S10e8PvJFWa4qdKq9EnPalonE9hkOa9DARjbQk5Bbbri-QkXMeI3Y_muhF8_fd2ALZOcXrHcpl9ZGjT586BcL4u6UvSBza_t0lNH3D0gYU4tkwUhybffw3qoZsyBDGgxwG3xZRTVjxj4WLp9p6iTcQGw/w640-h480/bellwort%20snow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>The early plants are not fazed. </div><div>This one is bellwort. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECEEoR93F6U6AUdjC2GsiM_5LVUwUk6V5di6_JImDe0HJGC5bzNzvEDWjlKxap7H9D9p0cmoPBCYANgVsv3h3xPfJ403iQAoronlUY46H7NxEBckXWsDR-9mbEE47AX1jwyeSsWZP7YG0flmrd-iBsaBy6nQ7m2KGfSxT4yD7M5tLGwUEOw/s2386/April%2027%20snow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1679" data-original-width="2386" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECEEoR93F6U6AUdjC2GsiM_5LVUwUk6V5di6_JImDe0HJGC5bzNzvEDWjlKxap7H9D9p0cmoPBCYANgVsv3h3xPfJ403iQAoronlUY46H7NxEBckXWsDR-9mbEE47AX1jwyeSsWZP7YG0flmrd-iBsaBy6nQ7m2KGfSxT4yD7M5tLGwUEOw/w640-h452/April%2027%20snow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We stewards aren't fazed either. Snow doesn't stop us. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Month by month, year by year, the deadly invasives retreat and burn.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7ObuqfWBvQVojXBZGvdG2wLMT3ex7UOnULj0fzqN_uk4oXyVshMxE77kdnpXHYQFvVy98h5fRCuERAIFPZbDYzp1scMdiO_VJ7f-_GvBaP61DBfqbAyqiH9k76l_bI4pjHVZ8mMxkNUKQpZDJDcgD-IlRvyvmnMms3bttHliiXWUYb-YLg/s2791/April%2012%20leeks_5315.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="2704" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7ObuqfWBvQVojXBZGvdG2wLMT3ex7UOnULj0fzqN_uk4oXyVshMxE77kdnpXHYQFvVy98h5fRCuERAIFPZbDYzp1scMdiO_VJ7f-_GvBaP61DBfqbAyqiH9k76l_bI4pjHVZ8mMxkNUKQpZDJDcgD-IlRvyvmnMms3bttHliiXWUYb-YLg/w620-h640/April%2012%20leeks_5315.jpeg" width="620" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">April 12 - in the woods</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bloodroot in bloom. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The thin leaves are Toothwort, which will bloom next.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The big leaves are Wild Leek, which won't bloom till mid-summer. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kHBGuTV7N1GA5TozA956CB_jmKsJZjdnP4cbsmJrsS6zegdh_aed1xV31_pimsHKsHOoWLmLimEjENxWXV6CQH2dwwIYBhGtx_j_3ITqdDXz7Z_iVbdCCGaRdWL_NtH_8pR729iqNTS_SlAYR2t9BkIyYA-I13GVgShZwJhNPQtpTEwyqw/s3182/April%2028_5372.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3182" data-original-width="2908" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kHBGuTV7N1GA5TozA956CB_jmKsJZjdnP4cbsmJrsS6zegdh_aed1xV31_pimsHKsHOoWLmLimEjENxWXV6CQH2dwwIYBhGtx_j_3ITqdDXz7Z_iVbdCCGaRdWL_NtH_8pR729iqNTS_SlAYR2t9BkIyYA-I13GVgShZwJhNPQtpTEwyqw/w584-h640/April%2028_5372.jpeg" width="584" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">April 28 - in the woods</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the woodland, the early plants are in full swing.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Toothwort blooms by the hundreds.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bloodroot long past bloom, one lobed leaf showing here at bottom of photo.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yellow woodland violet blooming in center with wrinkled leaves. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The woodland blooms weeks before the prairie and open savanna. As if the grassland were scared of a late fire. Woodland wildflowers get much photosynthesis done before the leaves appear on the trees to capture most light. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwAOYRQ3cdgFQ84ZY-cz9rN-lNt3_lJoY7ciNuZLzc5jGjn4jJHX7aID6r09hkDXe-TTGbRiT19kjblzTC0T-owloFLFaEV8-l8HOPoXffPn8pLD005i3q6MwMIt3og605LWlPqa1_gD-k9Ky9uC5QDf_zAFx60kvRaNIdxwDdk-Ae1NMBg/s4032/Oxavio%20Vioped_7208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwAOYRQ3cdgFQ84ZY-cz9rN-lNt3_lJoY7ciNuZLzc5jGjn4jJHX7aID6r09hkDXe-TTGbRiT19kjblzTC0T-owloFLFaEV8-l8HOPoXffPn8pLD005i3q6MwMIt3og605LWlPqa1_gD-k9Ky9uC5QDf_zAFx60kvRaNIdxwDdk-Ae1NMBg/w640-h480/Oxavio%20Vioped_7208.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>May 3 - in the savanna</div><div>In the nearby grassland, early bloomers rise just an inch or three from the ground. Here: the rare Prairie Violet (note blue flowers and deeply cut leaves) and the five-petaled Violet Wood Sorrel, a rare plant of of fine woodlands, savannas, and prairies. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8e6VK8EELXUuimOtOvW0e2oQWUZOdDBYQQdqMcDFY3U_2fEktbOgqGIpGLLV9B2Db2ClRLUDaoxM6znuG3mVtE2M920KSnROPCGutem2JQCH0GLzjPaLQegcq3cw24vXjyAUFfgRKEWxr_39pjLgqVPk3E8B06oIymPrlA8o4pQuRkoL4xg/s4032/May%207%2020_5424.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8e6VK8EELXUuimOtOvW0e2oQWUZOdDBYQQdqMcDFY3U_2fEktbOgqGIpGLLV9B2Db2ClRLUDaoxM6znuG3mVtE2M920KSnROPCGutem2JQCH0GLzjPaLQegcq3cw24vXjyAUFfgRKEWxr_39pjLgqVPk3E8B06oIymPrlA8o4pQuRkoL4xg/w480-h640/May%207%2020_5424.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">May 7 - in the woods</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blooming: Bellwort (yellow) and Large White Trillium. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Leaves of Wild Leek, Cow Parsnip, Toothwort, and Penn Sedge. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfoQoRPF8YMLDMcZsn8FuizxDyUIM_dyr0fCY_dVHgRaCE3sZ8TI5rYdwlRrXlGk9cfVyiP2G1w6gJj9jUfEY8lDTJmKkcHkei-ROZN2S1YkKh7MxIQSvgLHQnJIa2BXrbL-008PrO4I1jIX6o7jAyrfeKKS0511QY18bdO-OB-UzOaJxRA/s3241/Rue%20violet%20May%2012%2022_9270.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3241" data-original-width="2991" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfoQoRPF8YMLDMcZsn8FuizxDyUIM_dyr0fCY_dVHgRaCE3sZ8TI5rYdwlRrXlGk9cfVyiP2G1w6gJj9jUfEY8lDTJmKkcHkei-ROZN2S1YkKh7MxIQSvgLHQnJIa2BXrbL-008PrO4I1jIX6o7jAyrfeKKS0511QY18bdO-OB-UzOaJxRA/w592-h640/Rue%20violet%20May%2012%2022_9270.jpeg" width="592" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">May 12 - in the woods</div><div style="text-align: center;">Shown above: Rue Anemone (white), Yellow Woodland Violet (yellow), and the leaves of Shooting Star, appearing huge here, next to sweet little rue and violet. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCOFKFl9Fna7KVmzwd0ybYCZZ4c3qtp-koe3ILtzukaB8YzSo-norLda8qtNmShtOeheaqo_miT8b7zhUff9Avi6JJn_1jwndJR8qbr7w1a-EciLnFuXFKkqSxnBrCJ7k8GOUEe7JWmE1SyacsGWCTj8dfDP_5vBB2XyAJKEqBRcttKct5Q/s4032/May%2014prairie_5452.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCOFKFl9Fna7KVmzwd0ybYCZZ4c3qtp-koe3ILtzukaB8YzSo-norLda8qtNmShtOeheaqo_miT8b7zhUff9Avi6JJn_1jwndJR8qbr7w1a-EciLnFuXFKkqSxnBrCJ7k8GOUEe7JWmE1SyacsGWCTj8dfDP_5vBB2XyAJKEqBRcttKct5Q/w480-h640/May%2014prairie_5452.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">May 14 - in the prairie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh how agonizingly slowly emerges the prairie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We - for inspiration by the miracles of life - in early May mostly remain in the woodland.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yet, there's much to learn in this photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The big wide leaves are Shooting Star, soon to bloom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The clusters of small wide leaves nearby are young Shooting Stars.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Most of these too-dense plants won't survive to adulthood; they live for a while where the seed of the mother plant fells densely. As this is a young restoration (only four decades old), it's still in the early stages of diversity re-establishing itself, a slow process, profound and awesome to watch. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgCLzm7M0Lq1fhheJ3Fb6u0S3OfNoX4h4ky4LRusqaMOwd6puUXe4FTwigoASDcKcLPm04Y2gZQADMglZx9Ye5BLc7lkJeoC0duPES0yA2J8VLfxnAlf6pJR9BETwpSEZ7vIcQMH0AclZQ6XqDApYVsinCMGifydRMd93WPHbUdBENumxbw/s4032/May%2012Pr%20Violet_9284.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgCLzm7M0Lq1fhheJ3Fb6u0S3OfNoX4h4ky4LRusqaMOwd6puUXe4FTwigoASDcKcLPm04Y2gZQADMglZx9Ye5BLc7lkJeoC0duPES0yA2J8VLfxnAlf6pJR9BETwpSEZ7vIcQMH0AclZQ6XqDApYVsinCMGifydRMd93WPHbUdBENumxbw/w640-h480/May%2012Pr%20Violet_9284.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A companion to the photo above - in the prairie or open savanna.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here Prairie Violet is everywhere - but Shooting Star nowhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One hundred years from now it seems reasonable to predict that both plants will be in every square yard, or at least in every square meter, if we're metric by then. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These species are that common in fine prairie and open savanna.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Other species visible here, indicating progress toward recovery, include Bastard Toadflax, Compass Plant, Prairie Dropseed, and Rough Blazing Star. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There's also wild strawberry, Indiangrass, and rigid goldenrod, which are nothing to write home about, but do contribute to diversity in the long run. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>A Note on Dates</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">These photos are dated when I have the dates handy. They're the real dates of these photos. But don't expect them to be accurate for all years. Bloom dates differ from year to year and place to place, partly in response to that year's weather, partly in response to landforms (for example south-facing slopes bloom before north-facing) and recent fire history: a burned prairie emerges and blooms a couple of weeks earlier than when unburned. </div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQWBncZruWyY6HuCHjcsnPS-eVe91_DXSKw2Nc9PWTpTbFR_b5Q53w65EWHthkp1ePEn5bTNKgkAxXJlildnEIxL_nk-D2zMYy_zSEqloypcYfDfVnNkOLXiwMnkcCvyAf-4RoiVancrGjJh4kub9LCPikZeF5g_ObKd-lslJ0uXEMcr-0A/s800/bluebird%20on%20bur.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQWBncZruWyY6HuCHjcsnPS-eVe91_DXSKw2Nc9PWTpTbFR_b5Q53w65EWHthkp1ePEn5bTNKgkAxXJlildnEIxL_nk-D2zMYy_zSEqloypcYfDfVnNkOLXiwMnkcCvyAf-4RoiVancrGjJh4kub9LCPikZeF5g_ObKd-lslJ0uXEMcr-0A/w640-h428/bluebird%20on%20bur.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Note on Animals</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">This post focuses on the vegetation.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Occasional photos of animals (like this Eastern Bluebird) are reminders that animals, fungi, rare bacteria, and all manner of other biota worth conserving thrive in this recovering habitat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyhdOrtL581SPWt6rXJa4EfUKqGUZFsDaar7qYTnI6U57qjhJ4PQIX15iohJ3h4NHAOj3QysOX9gF0goSdsghHqkuqHKn22TJH0IrnoF57LlpcGMShy23v7PCqer2DeEsG9P1Lsvta8WYBq-Cdrt_h55uIfGcw8J2S-yuUeZ8GPCXP5MCsQ/s4032/May%2017%20Ladyslipper_9397.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyhdOrtL581SPWt6rXJa4EfUKqGUZFsDaar7qYTnI6U57qjhJ4PQIX15iohJ3h4NHAOj3QysOX9gF0goSdsghHqkuqHKn22TJH0IrnoF57LlpcGMShy23v7PCqer2DeEsG9P1Lsvta8WYBq-Cdrt_h55uIfGcw8J2S-yuUeZ8GPCXP5MCsQ/w640-h480/May%2017%20Ladyslipper_9397.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">May 17 - in the prairie </div><div style="text-align: center;">Small White Ladyslipper blooming with Violet Wood Sorrel and Yellow Stargrass.</div><div style="text-align: center;">In a good season, this lady-slipper clump would have a dozen blooms. This year it had one. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The previous growing season presented two challenges, no burn and poor rains during the lady-slipper's prime growing season. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Next year we may well see it at full strength again. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OdWQjIDSP3EDJkLlQfLq-AEvBgoW4kGu7IS4l7-9pDt_yShLM2WLkxdshTfVJb9tT3hl9Qyq8_jddN47sqFq8AzUHwLX0wuqs6LRo9OGIgjKwPm9RKyIvC-dAGI0irzSwQO4BXuVQcjXqtncsOMCQBv-KNGtmS6RpGKIyjKHRhI0BE_sQw/s1973/clumps%20ms.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1699" data-original-width="1973" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OdWQjIDSP3EDJkLlQfLq-AEvBgoW4kGu7IS4l7-9pDt_yShLM2WLkxdshTfVJb9tT3hl9Qyq8_jddN47sqFq8AzUHwLX0wuqs6LRo9OGIgjKwPm9RKyIvC-dAGI0irzSwQO4BXuVQcjXqtncsOMCQBv-KNGtmS6RpGKIyjKHRhI0BE_sQw/w640-h552/clumps%20ms.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2L0ESP9GWDr8x-rQR--kui6qETMwyfm2qwLjYnBa1Z3jdNrVgAqfXN7DewIo6KIVYvCFJU7P6Lqwh110jhM7KgSmXpleNk0uJqeopCubcExn6LbxQ5q6yJPduXO5ZPQyN6T3TdlG-Ox5pe2TPe9G1E096x_tULDSh6XsrRu9MZgKrgewIg/s4032/May25%20ss_9523.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2L0ESP9GWDr8x-rQR--kui6qETMwyfm2qwLjYnBa1Z3jdNrVgAqfXN7DewIo6KIVYvCFJU7P6Lqwh110jhM7KgSmXpleNk0uJqeopCubcExn6LbxQ5q6yJPduXO5ZPQyN6T3TdlG-Ox5pe2TPe9G1E096x_tULDSh6XsrRu9MZgKrgewIg/w640-h480/May25%20ss_9523.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">May 26 - in the savanna</div><div>Shooting Star </div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDinHHHmDlPRrMl1IOMHsqpc3PkbxjXNGIc977b_qoXjDt2IG8YQKadDvPUhUWKEZl7_8HB2Z6Yz1ZhBuRvRidiCzYbcxqFiuKBDAAc1vOmOf_ZutkCto88FbRdSB0bP5Zld4QMoqYnlB6G--3JWZ5dAY5SZ6hdkDCk7pKboVNEmKmsyOzpw/s4032/May27%20bastard%20puccoon_5607.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDinHHHmDlPRrMl1IOMHsqpc3PkbxjXNGIc977b_qoXjDt2IG8YQKadDvPUhUWKEZl7_8HB2Z6Yz1ZhBuRvRidiCzYbcxqFiuKBDAAc1vOmOf_ZutkCto88FbRdSB0bP5Zld4QMoqYnlB6G--3JWZ5dAY5SZ6hdkDCk7pKboVNEmKmsyOzpw/w640-h480/May27%20bastard%20puccoon_5607.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">May 27</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hoary Puccoon (yellow-orange), Bastard Toadflax (white), and Blue-eyed Grass (pale blue).</div><div style="text-align: center;">Leaves of Prairie Violet, Prairie Rose, and Prairie Dropseed Grass.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljSwRBZEXYtq64LxuRdFfz5rB2wqEDGR1FuQNh29NFNkvdtHxYZGxnZcE4OA8CVgqJ6jpbr4aFf9wwafpyA5kdu2a8tZzySbW1iGwng6gErji8ewb0r_LycE9Xixfi30MtFJK0yE9zvfJyBuScry8wemV-PRBAJvW74a5xHZ13QK21Zyfow/s1280/columbine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljSwRBZEXYtq64LxuRdFfz5rB2wqEDGR1FuQNh29NFNkvdtHxYZGxnZcE4OA8CVgqJ6jpbr4aFf9wwafpyA5kdu2a8tZzySbW1iGwng6gErji8ewb0r_LycE9Xixfi30MtFJK0yE9zvfJyBuScry8wemV-PRBAJvW74a5xHZ13QK21Zyfow/w640-h428/columbine.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wild Columbine (red) grows mostly in the dappled shade of the savanna.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Golden Alexanders (yellow) grows in prairie, savanna, and woods. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2bvyNW3LAvGwkkT5kxQX1IvbvtyEIXb1bT-qFOmF05VBp9MX27rOjBujO6yzbfYoed3IjE5FTbV1lN4MsoUAoH9ZLiqntCkAqJaQtdprVgfEQaWD8c5i-BJgpssC2pQ5faXz4DvkcChHptcChNokHEs6i0uGdl1wqEd0rJgWaP9hhsDEww/s4032/May%2029HypoxisOxalisPer_5613.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2bvyNW3LAvGwkkT5kxQX1IvbvtyEIXb1bT-qFOmF05VBp9MX27rOjBujO6yzbfYoed3IjE5FTbV1lN4MsoUAoH9ZLiqntCkAqJaQtdprVgfEQaWD8c5i-BJgpssC2pQ5faXz4DvkcChHptcChNokHEs6i0uGdl1wqEd0rJgWaP9hhsDEww/w480-h640/May%2029HypoxisOxalisPer_5613.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">May 29</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Violet Wood Sorrel and Yellow Stargrass in bloom, both happy in prairie, savanna, or woodland.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The carrot-looking leaves to the right belong to the less-broadly-adapted Thicket Parsley, telling us that this photo is from open woods. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17OB2gflmJuZpcNnE4n6N_wERehe7kZL4tJcgbHSbPB5LUED1m975BEhryR2Y1aHySp-W4ARpUTTmBR4bP2lyuBSIe6SlAzAsEcBGJEhU-TD3OPqtbIbl0F-yrrHi242KpErepajPZ6LCJ-iVweqdWpyuQAlLKIj8V4sjVKs5MJxHTn_VWw/s4608/Bap%20leuco%20scene.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4608" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17OB2gflmJuZpcNnE4n6N_wERehe7kZL4tJcgbHSbPB5LUED1m975BEhryR2Y1aHySp-W4ARpUTTmBR4bP2lyuBSIe6SlAzAsEcBGJEhU-TD3OPqtbIbl0F-yrrHi242KpErepajPZ6LCJ-iVweqdWpyuQAlLKIj8V4sjVKs5MJxHTn_VWw/w640-h428/Bap%20leuco%20scene.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">As Shooting Star begins to mature seed, the burly Cream False Indigo bursts up, fully formed when the shoots leave the ground and the leaves and flowers quickly unfurl. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3sDhhbp4mJk38UWslHnAZEw58Fhc5saUZ2dyzyEOETiMEIfOzUewkolTLpTKUtX0Xq0VQbhlBLYYDOZVdoa9BgoNab7xFGm7WTApU8lRYXKU9dbrPwQCyh7kNpDYw_JEB5beU_-GxinXNXugT5RBn1fN2-COXYPshOoSfbVxVJHUizzCew/s3264/June%208%202019_9125.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3sDhhbp4mJk38UWslHnAZEw58Fhc5saUZ2dyzyEOETiMEIfOzUewkolTLpTKUtX0Xq0VQbhlBLYYDOZVdoa9BgoNab7xFGm7WTApU8lRYXKU9dbrPwQCyh7kNpDYw_JEB5beU_-GxinXNXugT5RBn1fN2-COXYPshOoSfbVxVJHUizzCew/w640-h480/June%208%202019_9125.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">June 8 </div><div style="text-align: center;">Cream False Indigo and Downy Phlox</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkqCgrsf-YMdOUL_XZuB5sWfYMXdtcAoGtnbpuBGTd3dIZixO3PFAUXqErgkxmOHtJaPKlvMwRcqbVnRDTkgj2kqhAP_lO0pEBKJtqspsxGdHpRy2NckC50tfV8VtcIZfs3NmXE1YuQCag6TSPPxXfJ-qa32eopN8rM6oqJ8NYlNQZqpgQQ/s2771/Anemone%20can.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="2771" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkqCgrsf-YMdOUL_XZuB5sWfYMXdtcAoGtnbpuBGTd3dIZixO3PFAUXqErgkxmOHtJaPKlvMwRcqbVnRDTkgj2kqhAP_lO0pEBKJtqspsxGdHpRy2NckC50tfV8VtcIZfs3NmXE1YuQCag6TSPPxXfJ-qa32eopN8rM6oqJ8NYlNQZqpgQQ/w640-h508/Anemone%20can.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Canada Anemone, Wild Geranium, and slithering vine of River Grape.</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the savanna, vines mix with wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31khdpNCOrwLdYLTdJoHwwT2Xy2TtR4aiMuv_p5c3-ctjFWrziF8F2E5xAv3Vp02rkysV4fGhAKIsPwvqV3stcOZMDkMHxz42-LWcrSQTN0L1Yc6oDoGIlb5-lJnKRApP6ZETq2NDxc9X9tHe0ORDIWMr2CbRSp0TNpCllyaxd-HBm6C4tA/s3264/June%209%202019_9130.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31khdpNCOrwLdYLTdJoHwwT2Xy2TtR4aiMuv_p5c3-ctjFWrziF8F2E5xAv3Vp02rkysV4fGhAKIsPwvqV3stcOZMDkMHxz42-LWcrSQTN0L1Yc6oDoGIlb5-lJnKRApP6ZETq2NDxc9X9tHe0ORDIWMr2CbRSp0TNpCllyaxd-HBm6C4tA/w480-h640/June%209%202019_9130.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">June 9 - in the savanna</div><div style="text-align: center;">Purple Twayblade orchid </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhg3nhFI1EHHvZt13Lik-02HL3NEuVsI6VDWinx36neuKIxBWoUEmJ8A-_tcKfxWylwjZEk1pmvMwSYN1HJcB6rSAqP_ezBrZ8vh8mXKzon1tpm_MMvWXW8L4kaGdWxouDOv_BYLREpfWRy_21EFc4cjs8PTmG-s3qVrhNi07AXvlRSiH3g/s4032/Pr%20Lily%20June25_9675.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhg3nhFI1EHHvZt13Lik-02HL3NEuVsI6VDWinx36neuKIxBWoUEmJ8A-_tcKfxWylwjZEk1pmvMwSYN1HJcB6rSAqP_ezBrZ8vh8mXKzon1tpm_MMvWXW8L4kaGdWxouDOv_BYLREpfWRy_21EFc4cjs8PTmG-s3qVrhNi07AXvlRSiH3g/w480-h640/Pr%20Lily%20June25_9675.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">June 25 - in open savanna</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prairie Lily is one of the most <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html">conservative</a></span> prairie and savanna plants. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Few prairies today have even one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWgM3MW-YsIw7vZx3pokUmIai39CXfReHMAn8J09xOQPg7JD7BcRDstKSGlLXSAAXlEISAslL5973gdlJqZVLZ4ev3OR6ZQuBkWw6KBbrEz3Nk-n3vfIn9MiJCM-CCC6ZC9DwGPTkin2Oo1K1Pb-7QHESCeSgg0zMM_V6G5JV_1cHbjHKSg/s4032/Pr%20Lily%20caged_9673.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWgM3MW-YsIw7vZx3pokUmIai39CXfReHMAn8J09xOQPg7JD7BcRDstKSGlLXSAAXlEISAslL5973gdlJqZVLZ4ev3OR6ZQuBkWw6KBbrEz3Nk-n3vfIn9MiJCM-CCC6ZC9DwGPTkin2Oo1K1Pb-7QHESCeSgg0zMM_V6G5JV_1cHbjHKSg/w480-h640/Pr%20Lily%20caged_9673.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Guantanamo For Conservatives</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The rarity of some species may be caused in part by our region's out-of-balance deer populations. Some species are so sought by deer, that every plant gets eaten entirely. Their roots survive, but not forever, with that assault annually. We cage them, reluctantly, with two potential hopes. The first is that our culture will increasingly decide that we need to substantially reduce excessive deer populations. The second is that we can foster population increases of the rare plants to such a level that the deer can't eat them all. Actually, we hope for both. See Endnotes 3 and 4. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1HBfARsbSWczRiSxu0OwB6le4xedM4vTFK1N8kLZsVM9HlMAwm4iI1Sm8_gsCy-1nfgkY9BC-yrsixf_jiLVwLyiRDd9FcX67iMm1QNvTnkdOXkrvosPLG1ouoEDeYt2Ebnm7DahTx2mIbnS5VDNeLXuKYUmeDQBpPlh1HPZJAMGyZFApA/s4032/Pr%20Lily%20w%20coreopsis_9686.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1HBfARsbSWczRiSxu0OwB6le4xedM4vTFK1N8kLZsVM9HlMAwm4iI1Sm8_gsCy-1nfgkY9BC-yrsixf_jiLVwLyiRDd9FcX67iMm1QNvTnkdOXkrvosPLG1ouoEDeYt2Ebnm7DahTx2mIbnS5VDNeLXuKYUmeDQBpPlh1HPZJAMGyZFApA/w640-h480/Pr%20Lily%20w%20coreopsis_9686.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In 2007, two prairie lilies bloomed in Somme Prairie. We started caging and propagating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Numbers in Somme Prairie Grove are up from zero in 2002, when we first planted them, to more than 50 plants in bloom last year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of them, shown above, blooms with Prairie Coreopsis, Leadplant, and Wild Quinine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Leaves of Compasplant, Prairie Dock, Indiangrass, and Prairie Dropseed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBNKNQ2iF0n7UzTsQAiNn_amPFZmfoytUV2lei30U3aKZYVPcCFuw5UA1C6Ge-SFh_Uf1qzUSGKTx8Eji9EkNjcfg1r6_18FnlwGBI7vs9WB-caqqvZFmsrUKf-kyQgxrnOVIDIsJvPfynaCrslC5Umm0EOFibPJpdxD5rqS_7GlHBigdPQ/s4032/June28DeadTreesDiversity_7679.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBNKNQ2iF0n7UzTsQAiNn_amPFZmfoytUV2lei30U3aKZYVPcCFuw5UA1C6Ge-SFh_Uf1qzUSGKTx8Eji9EkNjcfg1r6_18FnlwGBI7vs9WB-caqqvZFmsrUKf-kyQgxrnOVIDIsJvPfynaCrslC5Umm0EOFibPJpdxD5rqS_7GlHBigdPQ/w640-h480/June28DeadTreesDiversity_7679.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">June 28</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dead trees in the background are likely invasive species, killed by fire.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On the left are burned, shrubby clumps of Hill's Oak - a species that is natural in the savanna but tends to frequently burn off and start over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the savanna, scattered fire-surviving trees (mostly Bur Oaks) leave plenty of light for other vegetation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blooming above, from the bottom, Leadplant, Black-eyed Susan, Butterflyweed, Wild Quinine, and Compasplant. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocSUTDREi36k8gvJZAMFMWhz-ARGr22FN9ljBrk3NpYivwtC-mY863eoyaQYPUYJ93MjNPYPr_mG00bouXJlxGhlbJ3Vs3OW15yv5rQ0bXxV-19KsNyEFzl4rRdLfUwfNyDoo8eRfIKEL1yH9rr7hE_kTrPMQClktUpubheX85YgZNZDSnw/s3630/Middle%20slope%20orchid%20top.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="2420" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocSUTDREi36k8gvJZAMFMWhz-ARGr22FN9ljBrk3NpYivwtC-mY863eoyaQYPUYJ93MjNPYPr_mG00bouXJlxGhlbJ3Vs3OW15yv5rQ0bXxV-19KsNyEFzl4rRdLfUwfNyDoo8eRfIKEL1yH9rr7hE_kTrPMQClktUpubheX85YgZNZDSnw/w428-h640/Middle%20slope%20orchid%20top.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">July 4</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prairie White-fringed Orchid</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbL83G4dxIiyGC09rxYmJkajMxIilnFBvScGe6ED4XfVfPRBRoBbKWYs1Tglo5XY-4mrU_774wzBvvv-pR_6CRKgEwfZxbGhzje6ygTd6SYsTSbhnCeDB4ZYw8G35Se4ZDEofCbvjD1S8FSGPSc91lxuHoDj4rUjxe4gk79E8ImqsYdDz8qg/s2249/July%209%202019_9320.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2066" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbL83G4dxIiyGC09rxYmJkajMxIilnFBvScGe6ED4XfVfPRBRoBbKWYs1Tglo5XY-4mrU_774wzBvvv-pR_6CRKgEwfZxbGhzje6ygTd6SYsTSbhnCeDB4ZYw8G35Se4ZDEofCbvjD1S8FSGPSc91lxuHoDj4rUjxe4gk79E8ImqsYdDz8qg/w588-h640/July%209%202019_9320.jpeg" width="588" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 9</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mating Great Spangled Fritillaries.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Caterpillars of this savanna species feed on the leaves of violets.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Adults seem to love the nectar of any beautiful flower. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj-c5olaq2X_AVEbw5__m3tNYJRQ7-KGm4FY7ekJ-6mg7pOqvJFXO-CI0V1Mw-ujl5eYqgwcsk-CZxUf8t16AtBN-qaZyuQHQTqsaWB5qKEjI4pwZmEYyk9wbqucKR-uXiCJmipJJihlb98WRclED-qXE2F6wPGaukhVwcTLJwho9TzBzzA/s3431/asc%20pur_7555.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2386" data-original-width="3431" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj-c5olaq2X_AVEbw5__m3tNYJRQ7-KGm4FY7ekJ-6mg7pOqvJFXO-CI0V1Mw-ujl5eYqgwcsk-CZxUf8t16AtBN-qaZyuQHQTqsaWB5qKEjI4pwZmEYyk9wbqucKR-uXiCJmipJJihlb98WRclED-qXE2F6wPGaukhVwcTLJwho9TzBzzA/w640-h448/asc%20pur_7555.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Purple Milkweed is one the Fritillary's favorites. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnzgptutAu4FRNYs2a06X2k0lAEB30epsrQhg6WGsYugRCXThMM7pioaT5idXfbngC1N1o0eo3NfMBur1iv7JfR9AS9-hZIELOhWaADwdgM1S7ducMI8o0g5YovwmL9Rck1hzfLeKyhtsXGtvqGh60gjYOskf2FQP6AJ_30VFoXqhr3hXYA/s4032/July10%20ppc%20lead%20more_7771.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnzgptutAu4FRNYs2a06X2k0lAEB30epsrQhg6WGsYugRCXThMM7pioaT5idXfbngC1N1o0eo3NfMBur1iv7JfR9AS9-hZIELOhWaADwdgM1S7ducMI8o0g5YovwmL9Rck1hzfLeKyhtsXGtvqGh60gjYOskf2FQP6AJ_30VFoXqhr3hXYA/w480-h640/July10%20ppc%20lead%20more_7771.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 10</div><div style="text-align: center;">Purple Prairie Clover (pink), Early Goldenrod (yellow), Mountain Mint (white), and Wild Bergamot (lavender) blooming among Prairie Dropseed grass. Leadplant was purple, now making seeds, and looking kind of gray. </div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRVsWyU3N4jHe8h9hUgIFEdc4zKjCfsYKFFBrVIuS9jTOZM2VTkUI-2Mw46-aCoZCvTzyInogoFJEXTt3dE3lCL3XZ05k54foRy1pfNkwtas7K8yMmO9h21qiBHfrGqPNqG6rvkgAddVV6YBjZpjBw3TjyiTTIHCENfWqM6LuWWSHEP9aZg/s4032/July%2010%20both%20prairie%20clovers_7751.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRVsWyU3N4jHe8h9hUgIFEdc4zKjCfsYKFFBrVIuS9jTOZM2VTkUI-2Mw46-aCoZCvTzyInogoFJEXTt3dE3lCL3XZ05k54foRy1pfNkwtas7K8yMmO9h21qiBHfrGqPNqG6rvkgAddVV6YBjZpjBw3TjyiTTIHCENfWqM6LuWWSHEP9aZg/w640-h480/July%2010%20both%20prairie%20clovers_7751.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 10</div></div><div>In the foreground is a big Compassplant. But the stars of this photo are the prairie clovers. Purple Prairie Clover is a rare and conservative plant. But White Prairie Clover is a <i><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html">very rare and conservative</a></i> plant. A gratifying triumph of the Somme Prairie Grove restoration is the fact that the quality plants year after year get more abundant. White Prairie Clover started very slow. We had found very little seed. But bit by bit, year by year, it has flourished and spread. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7H6je_okgeaewe0Hp7SlPKMbT3K2YDRW6-rdFBdX9bPGGBydu-l6y6ACGUWxD9gz4BD7Rb9MomZ5ptaYeLKuQzYSoqMv1MtHyb0YvbybsUWIki-U3PoWds2gHO818DukpBLrcexuaKJkw05XHoNYJbpPcIKpROo7OuJUEqJrRH8prTaNTxw/s4032/July%2010%20Path%20Prairie%20Trees_7759.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7H6je_okgeaewe0Hp7SlPKMbT3K2YDRW6-rdFBdX9bPGGBydu-l6y6ACGUWxD9gz4BD7Rb9MomZ5ptaYeLKuQzYSoqMv1MtHyb0YvbybsUWIki-U3PoWds2gHO818DukpBLrcexuaKJkw05XHoNYJbpPcIKpROo7OuJUEqJrRH8prTaNTxw/w640-h480/July%2010%20Path%20Prairie%20Trees_7759.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This photo deserves the longer comments below, as it shows three important features of the site. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the right is the Inner Loop footpath. If you like "being in nature" - these paths may be for you. If you prefer a wide mowed or paved trail, well, what can we say?</div><div><br /></div><div>On the near horizon is a strip of large trees. Those planted trees are <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-somme-prairie-grove-experiment.html">unnatural to this site</a>. In recent years we've spent time gradually thinning them to savanna density and encouraging young bur oaks there. Dense trees are common in untended wild lands. The tallgrass savanna, with its well-spaced trees and associated species, is globally rare, barely at the level of sustainability. Expanding this savanna habitat (and thus increasing the populations of savanna plants, animals, and other biota) is a priority for us and for global conservation generally. Endnote 2 has more on this. </div><div><br /></div><div>A third feature is visible through that little gap between the trees. Prairie begins toward the west edge of Somme Prairie Grove (see aerial photo, below) and continues beyond it through Somme Prairie on the west. Especially for species that need more than one habitat, the combined presence of prairie, savanna, and woodland here is an important feature of these three preserves.</div><div><br /></div><div>As Greg Spyreas put it in a publication of the Illinois Natural History Survey:</div><div> </div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">Narrow foot trails that cover 3.5 miles through Somme Prairie Grove's 85 acres (east of the train tracks), pass through hazelnut and viburnum thickets, with ancient bur and scarlet oaks overhead, and purple Joe-pye-weed and bottlebrush grass below. At Somme Prairie (70 acres, west of the tracks) the sharp, green boundary between the best preserved prairie and the grassier, less diverse sections illustrates where the prairie lost wildflower species after years of farming ... Excellent trail guides to these areas can be found online. Along with the 250-acre Somme Woods Forest to the east, the slow return to health with prescribed fire, seeding reintroductions, and invasive species removal in this preserve has been breathtaking to behold.</div></blockquote><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbSJXokluhJ07EvOdwi9httVFRyZRVuA39Db2Oz0EdBcoe68CBuA9sd5xICbPkESaX89LFY_k9OeplvCUr7zEUlL5mQKs1rtJuaNYDBJ9yu7vtUAjaKdzT8Xr6EmitcKyPU357lb3s6enY0t4Hglu9mRYJl5l-d4TV581tQtPdq2Cwf_UbQ/s1106/SP:SPG:SW%20area.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="1106" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbSJXokluhJ07EvOdwi9httVFRyZRVuA39Db2Oz0EdBcoe68CBuA9sd5xICbPkESaX89LFY_k9OeplvCUr7zEUlL5mQKs1rtJuaNYDBJ9yu7vtUAjaKdzT8Xr6EmitcKyPU357lb3s6enY0t4Hglu9mRYJl5l-d4TV581tQtPdq2Cwf_UbQ/w640-h296/SP:SPG:SW%20area.png" width="640" /></a></div>If you don't know the site, this aerial might be helpful. Somme Prairie (originally all prairie) is on the left, behind the Northbrook Post Office. East of the railroad tracks is Somme Prairie Grove (originally mostly savanna). East of Waukegan Road is the larger Somme Woods (originally savanna in its western third and mostly woodlands to the east).<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjN5bZ55YHAtcxq3UdNtM_oBJlWm11eYAyIubuJjnmZGiZxmp83sQMsCD6b9eTOa7YZ7XXx5gDpGJ9fygurjUaTe-XNZQdzaVNr7gfRL_KrTw8DOLs4WKzAsVuyCkUR10Vu7MUYYp5qCdWx7__R3EOD3WlB6uOcW0NJzytkkXGaq1VAvp4A/s2458/July%2013%20Illinois%20Rose_9357.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2458" data-original-width="2408" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjN5bZ55YHAtcxq3UdNtM_oBJlWm11eYAyIubuJjnmZGiZxmp83sQMsCD6b9eTOa7YZ7XXx5gDpGJ9fygurjUaTe-XNZQdzaVNr7gfRL_KrTw8DOLs4WKzAsVuyCkUR10Vu7MUYYp5qCdWx7__R3EOD3WlB6uOcW0NJzytkkXGaq1VAvp4A/w628-h640/July%2013%20Illinois%20Rose_9357.jpeg" width="628" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 13</div><div style="text-align: center;">Illinois Rose</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blooming in impenetrable thickets near the edges of woodlands. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9hzsh_-Z7ssabtF3YD78X5ZJnsY9v2M7zMhdorVxYOzns29CewQb1slgSIRliI8pt0Yq6TqyyPxclR62xtWy295xGuKAL-B86-ft0vfj4dEYI5bay62LjPxQcuM5ZIWDdeIHj8qeAuYgQCrsLfRYaN53m1o2Vo90l4tiQo9CNXirGgiDVA/s3264/NJTea_9368.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9hzsh_-Z7ssabtF3YD78X5ZJnsY9v2M7zMhdorVxYOzns29CewQb1slgSIRliI8pt0Yq6TqyyPxclR62xtWy295xGuKAL-B86-ft0vfj4dEYI5bay62LjPxQcuM5ZIWDdeIHj8qeAuYgQCrsLfRYaN53m1o2Vo90l4tiQo9CNXirGgiDVA/w480-h640/NJTea_9368.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 13 - in the savanna</div><div style="text-align: center;">New Jersey Tea (white, top left) blooms with Butterflyweed, Wild Quinine, and Leadplant.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Foliage includes Cream Gentian, Hill's Oak, Prairie Dropseed, Kalm's Brome, Tall Coreopsis, Woodland Sunflower, and Meadow Rue.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZZ6txFaL5So3OlFjrccelHzz4mjypV-96z4l5OvVOjWqVhkC0b_sci3P_rpIa-y_MCd546Hmbn-b8FOUn9ozIsTJ9Km3aLr-eaVTvrGbWCQ6biAZCwE7rsSZ8WI9kVgrfmZ0azq0wdUzZLizdXoX2lrEsD3M2Ihzc_QFDH10ddPo0x1bwg/s3264/amo%20can%20par%20int%20etc_6590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZZ6txFaL5So3OlFjrccelHzz4mjypV-96z4l5OvVOjWqVhkC0b_sci3P_rpIa-y_MCd546Hmbn-b8FOUn9ozIsTJ9Km3aLr-eaVTvrGbWCQ6biAZCwE7rsSZ8WI9kVgrfmZ0azq0wdUzZLizdXoX2lrEsD3M2Ihzc_QFDH10ddPo0x1bwg/w480-h640/amo%20can%20par%20int%20etc_6590.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">In open savanna.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Above, starting close and working back:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Leadplant, Wild Quinine, Butterflyweed, Rattlesnake Master, Black-eyed Susan, and Early Goldenrod.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7tkLqOZhE0fsDKRDaB19TMyNUpgaO-ONeOyM2d4uDf_dgpH9ttKWnnHBQWkgC2jZ5Jv6iY-wdJVo3OfKWViLFDYwOB7oBCahDPIUkEH9jk_NYli3PjkptMgb2hpz7denSvWt-60pUlr3jUAH3smiQKcjdxjP5xzK8VxeqWKIyMsJIB6HKQ/s4032/IMG_7798.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7tkLqOZhE0fsDKRDaB19TMyNUpgaO-ONeOyM2d4uDf_dgpH9ttKWnnHBQWkgC2jZ5Jv6iY-wdJVo3OfKWViLFDYwOB7oBCahDPIUkEH9jk_NYli3PjkptMgb2hpz7denSvWt-60pUlr3jUAH3smiQKcjdxjP5xzK8VxeqWKIyMsJIB6HKQ/w480-h640/IMG_7798.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Canada Milk Vetch blooms in open savanna near the edge of the woodland. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH0_h9_Y5DYiryB30O8PLfqZV03TGQDJpT478yxI5wgmVWGPdU079-0FiYnz5nfncjUecp1n8IGITVo90Y2J3kG8vvbAPPU-34pT-fqKT2O4V_adELiqcbR9FG8xVWkS0gkzZUnMVCuBAX2Wl0O3B7HU9FhEErQ9CIeItI5orO1hK0TF9CA/s4608/savanna%20with%20compas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4608" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH0_h9_Y5DYiryB30O8PLfqZV03TGQDJpT478yxI5wgmVWGPdU079-0FiYnz5nfncjUecp1n8IGITVo90Y2J3kG8vvbAPPU-34pT-fqKT2O4V_adELiqcbR9FG8xVWkS0gkzZUnMVCuBAX2Wl0O3B7HU9FhEErQ9CIeItI5orO1hK0TF9CA/w640-h428/savanna%20with%20compas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Compass Plant, Gayfeather, Rattlesnake Master, Mountain Mint, Early Goldenrod, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, Big bluestem.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlk-IjyXZX9IIDUBjcodlJiN2TeSz_McFDCKCtWo8XVY9cRfIUIwF1hNdnaLH5iySRK4GglAmGlRz70L_2dxlkhBujebwhnYLd1wD6_uGHrwGGqjbYSnB2G1qwzjbJSzeuTabjSPiHaQp6zbEpFYgO5cdg4Qtoi4UWMeNPBPJsFIIj3PX9g/s4032/Sol%20jun_0164.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlk-IjyXZX9IIDUBjcodlJiN2TeSz_McFDCKCtWo8XVY9cRfIUIwF1hNdnaLH5iySRK4GglAmGlRz70L_2dxlkhBujebwhnYLd1wD6_uGHrwGGqjbYSnB2G1qwzjbJSzeuTabjSPiHaQp6zbEpFYgO5cdg4Qtoi4UWMeNPBPJsFIIj3PX9g/w640-h480/Sol%20jun_0164.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 24</div><div style="text-align: center;">Purple Prairie Clover, Rattlesnake Master, and the dainty Early Goldenrod.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Somme has fifteen species of goldenrods. Only one is a big weedy pest. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The conservative ones deserve more appreciation than they often get. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AhqG5OORQWHW7xq673FSg8oQ9C9zQs7YNG7-sHKGyoLRGUxaX-1JLZETXll56QqfOFeekmRxLO-SfuvsvxHc4wWVZr6w_uFxNEJKkAv53b0I2nrpOy5acXOXHLMNTx51NcJ3D2szpIPvflWmiNeRusdi38opLQCvcCych_O1YXPerkoMIQ/s3077/July%2031%20tiger%20swallowtail_5858.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3077" data-original-width="2734" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AhqG5OORQWHW7xq673FSg8oQ9C9zQs7YNG7-sHKGyoLRGUxaX-1JLZETXll56QqfOFeekmRxLO-SfuvsvxHc4wWVZr6w_uFxNEJKkAv53b0I2nrpOy5acXOXHLMNTx51NcJ3D2szpIPvflWmiNeRusdi38opLQCvcCych_O1YXPerkoMIQ/w568-h640/July%2031%20tiger%20swallowtail_5858.jpeg" width="568" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">July 31</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tiger Swallowtail on Rattlesnake Master.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Its caterpillars eat the leaves of willows, cottonwoods, and cherries.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZ-wHAFttq1n-PRAz5wNgTaa3L0ZbUuEcZ1ACgqBz1vuI09mG-06bEFlAi4XngeYO9kvvcvjbxv9DGT7k90l_hdK2C8S246NONfWteS5mpZd4SmEiBF7QyZmwbtqKLc8zZD_BFn7LLvQBjBloseZzK9n06bGXD3YeD-hLzUP9CQdgo3B3Vg/s3264/Aug%2012%202019_9961.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZ-wHAFttq1n-PRAz5wNgTaa3L0ZbUuEcZ1ACgqBz1vuI09mG-06bEFlAi4XngeYO9kvvcvjbxv9DGT7k90l_hdK2C8S246NONfWteS5mpZd4SmEiBF7QyZmwbtqKLc8zZD_BFn7LLvQBjBloseZzK9n06bGXD3YeD-hLzUP9CQdgo3B3Vg/w640-h480/Aug%2012%202019_9961.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Vestal Grove</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Woodland Joe Pye Weed, Woodland Sunflower, Bur Oak.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJa6gmzvxsTHlxIwa7Mbr2SPv6wHqq6SHxFXZc33dnYp0r3nMFASIRsW0jFLzaohxd0RwySih_4wtRh8Hxg7JGEcHPRSqpim8ZGkuavHVDUQtUljBLmy_UcXYUFeGhus6G4sCdjoxMwLhpyodRZG5UQagLkx6g-tMuzkxJ_K3z1HuQeMJLRQ/s3264/Aug%2012_9926.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJa6gmzvxsTHlxIwa7Mbr2SPv6wHqq6SHxFXZc33dnYp0r3nMFASIRsW0jFLzaohxd0RwySih_4wtRh8Hxg7JGEcHPRSqpim8ZGkuavHVDUQtUljBLmy_UcXYUFeGhus6G4sCdjoxMwLhpyodRZG5UQagLkx6g-tMuzkxJ_K3z1HuQeMJLRQ/w640-h480/Aug%2012_9926.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">August 12</div><div style="text-align: center;">In young wet-mesic prairie.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sweet Black-eyed Susan (yellow) blooms with Culver's Root (white), Ironweed (purple), and Riverbank Wild Rye (pale green). It's colorful but a bit rank. It will become more diverse in conservative species - and more restrained and complex in structure - in time.</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFFZmtuVMb7xwtgoGFKwHArN0pnnP8r8VSAzcxXkwdMNkPZ6aotiJrvVD0ERqCSaQSbb8dGZuo6YF-6EyDBgWN8_SMhHWGdWwds6LPRZp5NEZieTWWksDnwZ6C7zeuERKOowOX9QXhDSYbMeEpm_zWDyQHIHTZ2PuJlY2NbOX456uRjtrsg/s3264/SW%20Meadow%20forbs_7478.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFFZmtuVMb7xwtgoGFKwHArN0pnnP8r8VSAzcxXkwdMNkPZ6aotiJrvVD0ERqCSaQSbb8dGZuo6YF-6EyDBgWN8_SMhHWGdWwds6LPRZp5NEZieTWWksDnwZ6C7zeuERKOowOX9QXhDSYbMeEpm_zWDyQHIHTZ2PuJlY2NbOX456uRjtrsg/w640-h480/SW%20Meadow%20forbs_7478.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Near the previous photo, the prairie merges into the savanna.</div><div style="text-align: center;">In bloom: Cowbane (white), Spotted Joe Pye Weed (pink), Sweet Black-eyed Susan (yellow). </div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">The closest tree is an elm. Those on the ridge are Hill's oaks. </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF3_vhd_QhUPTYojOWTQXNTlN2sf1Ka8669KiVIaPQ4enXWRfEqHr8osUQ0QVPhBfb2SR8ayomzv2TDq-Rkq7AMNVPKo9RocikgeASviaF8tqo__20sp_nGT8m3AE5RDSbSF4WNa7z8BlFEsWedYiG0jyPToI2SnuVR6fUREKQFOBVu9lYg/s2444/forked%20aster_0181.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2335" data-original-width="2444" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF3_vhd_QhUPTYojOWTQXNTlN2sf1Ka8669KiVIaPQ4enXWRfEqHr8osUQ0QVPhBfb2SR8ayomzv2TDq-Rkq7AMNVPKo9RocikgeASviaF8tqo__20sp_nGT8m3AE5RDSbSF4WNa7z8BlFEsWedYiG0jyPToI2SnuVR6fUREKQFOBVu9lYg/w640-h612/forked%20aster_0181.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">August 24</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Forked Aster (an Endangered species)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">As with goldenrods, there are more species of aster than most people have the patience to learn.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Some are white, some pink, some blue.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Once you've learned them though, they do enrich. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpgecCLLsfF_aN4Frh9lpNRU6Uvi7I5t76eEYBZQ0NAdAZjuCXx86w-6fTunTLVzuOq7NArK2zcgz068zVYpPU7YAKVWtocYVjWVhl7NzLmhsQVEfFajvi6BlqVNFTAu6nXkN_4_bq_FMjFXDQn0yT-cWLtU9mATvMEfl9Orj2rRMzdG8ag/s3264/forked%20aster_0227.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpgecCLLsfF_aN4Frh9lpNRU6Uvi7I5t76eEYBZQ0NAdAZjuCXx86w-6fTunTLVzuOq7NArK2zcgz068zVYpPU7YAKVWtocYVjWVhl7NzLmhsQVEfFajvi6BlqVNFTAu6nXkN_4_bq_FMjFXDQn0yT-cWLtU9mATvMEfl9Orj2rRMzdG8ag/w640-h480/forked%20aster_0227.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">September 1</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Forked Aster blooms among Elm-leaved Goldenrod, Purple Joe Pye Weed, Woodland Brome, and Tall Coreopsis.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSEISbMjjwGGE5MGhiU7_PVk2i_UQgRdfo45AnOXq-8ufnh9yQldPRxxoz_isVo8SLzshTYibLiAzxedaeHeJ3d1Za03UpaqzpkvB4VXW13sjne-rLEZHPIxLgHQ32D9GY88R77hwnQ_l_Lp6ibsGq66OVlMCdyAgqpYJoTxQfvFYmG7SVg/s4032/Sept11sunset_8248.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSEISbMjjwGGE5MGhiU7_PVk2i_UQgRdfo45AnOXq-8ufnh9yQldPRxxoz_isVo8SLzshTYibLiAzxedaeHeJ3d1Za03UpaqzpkvB4VXW13sjne-rLEZHPIxLgHQ32D9GY88R77hwnQ_l_Lp6ibsGq66OVlMCdyAgqpYJoTxQfvFYmG7SVg/w640-h480/Sept11sunset_8248.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">September 11</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now the Indiangrass and Big Bluestem have reached their heights. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We feel somber as the growing season is heading for its close.</div><p></p></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILnyNlOWM6XEJ7WwgQpe28s6RT1K3TVpJMPbFKkpinO6cjAamp0mDWJo1CHwfNs4Kyunxne-wOQ3uA4Vk7JZkmEqJ0E8xyJbSSwx_EEYUbeEE7NNJwTsHu4oZryj64w_XZhlZfgM15eCCtLMbib8Lx8XXYtS6FF1AlIuscfulYReqxphxaA/s2672/prairie%20gentian_6228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2184" data-original-width="2672" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILnyNlOWM6XEJ7WwgQpe28s6RT1K3TVpJMPbFKkpinO6cjAamp0mDWJo1CHwfNs4Kyunxne-wOQ3uA4Vk7JZkmEqJ0E8xyJbSSwx_EEYUbeEE7NNJwTsHu4oZryj64w_XZhlZfgM15eCCtLMbib8Lx8XXYtS6FF1AlIuscfulYReqxphxaA/w640-h524/prairie%20gentian_6228.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><o:p><div style="text-align: center;">September 24</div><div style="text-align: center;">Prairie Gentian. </div><div style="text-align: center;">A last glorious bloom of the prairie and savanna year.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpU4JG4lyN4hcM6xLlaG5CanBjBs4JqjT3GrFn8IfR07gkMvN-yByaGclY8sTVJs2tyd_q8V9wOeYmOo7rKW3mpAEkl3HFub-k63CDyPa0M43kkWD6f8GX8oFnRjSSL7PDJdaVjGcc24AzJ1oriXlniQYFSNl1xU9E0FEzfPyzUE5rM10UtQ/s4032/bur%20Hills_6440.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpU4JG4lyN4hcM6xLlaG5CanBjBs4JqjT3GrFn8IfR07gkMvN-yByaGclY8sTVJs2tyd_q8V9wOeYmOo7rKW3mpAEkl3HFub-k63CDyPa0M43kkWD6f8GX8oFnRjSSL7PDJdaVjGcc24AzJ1oriXlniQYFSNl1xU9E0FEzfPyzUE5rM10UtQ/w640-h480/bur%20Hills_6440.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The Bur Oak (bare branches, left) drops its leaves as fall starts. Hill's (or Scarlet) Oak keeps its leaves all winter. There are contrasting strategies here. Bur oak leaves accumulating on the ground are fuel; they increase the chances that the area of that bur oak will burn. Fire is the main weapon the thick-barked bur oak uses to protect itself from overgrowth by other species of trees - none of which the bur can compete with in the absence of fire. Hill's oak has thin bark and is "top-killed" easily by a burn. By keeping its leaves off the ground, a Hill's oak may be spared injury by a creeping ground fire. But a vigorous fire will burn the whole tree - and anything above it - which is also of benefit to the Hill's oak. It too cannot compete well against most other species of trees. But it is a champion re-sprouter after fire. Hill's oaks on the savanna may live for decades as re-sprout oak bushes, like the many re-sprout clumps in this photo. Occasionally, chance occurrences allow one to graduate to life as a bigger tree, for a while. <br /><o:p><br /></o:p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Nr-FuOdmGEOtlQL08Hn-7Q7C0n4hT7PwZoE8-7UcBGX_awF96BqqhdrzC-3NCyVbqbZVcCM9XUhvpzA_XKgGnW08pO8rBXzpNYx6hUoHAxULhm9wP4WkSptXaGRaPkYruyrGNLfNwENc5ztHDdvftdSspDRtjXeE0ghbbcLegSmocd_9A/s4032/the%20shrub%20prairie_6445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Nr-FuOdmGEOtlQL08Hn-7Q7C0n4hT7PwZoE8-7UcBGX_awF96BqqhdrzC-3NCyVbqbZVcCM9XUhvpzA_XKgGnW08pO8rBXzpNYx6hUoHAxULhm9wP4WkSptXaGRaPkYruyrGNLfNwENc5ztHDdvftdSspDRtjXeE0ghbbcLegSmocd_9A/w640-h480/the%20shrub%20prairie_6445.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span face="-webkit-standard">October 22</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><span face="-webkit-standard">Nearly ready for a burn, whether in fall or the following spring.</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Prairie Dropseed grass is known by its big clumps of very fine leaves. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Little Bluestems are the reddish clumps. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">All the prairie, savanna, and woodland wildflowers are now fuel.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p>Many of us, every year, are deeply moved by the expression of planetary richness that is offered by the preserved and restored ecosystems of the tallgrass region. To paraphrase the 1839 letter that launched this post, it's a great pleasure for us to share this "</o:p>butiful and varagated senery" <o:p>with all who are not "destitute of </o:p>a sence of beauty and elegance."</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">It's been a rich and miracle-filled growing season. Indeed, they all are. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p><b>Endnotes</b></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p><b>Endnote 1.</b> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">The letter quoted at the beginning is all the more compelling in context of the challenges faced by the new immigrants. <a href="https://digital.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/niu-lincoln%3A35090">From James and Sarah Smith,</a> postmarked Elkhorn Grove, Illinois, 1839:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;">MR. DAVID PORTS,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Boonsborough, Washington County, Md.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Dear Brother, I once more take up my pen to give you some information of our afairs and the far west to which we have straid. We landed at Savanna with father the time I toled you in my last; he landed with $500 and his mair, waggon, and harness which he soled for $165 more making in all a capitol of $665; his 300 acres of land he intended to get has dwindled down to about 3/4 of an acre one of which he proffered me but I declined accepting it thinking he would kneed it himself if he lived to get olde. He built himself a log house on one of his lots into which he moved the 7th. of July without a cent to bless himself and to cap the monstrous climax he and mother ware maried the 1st of Jan. last. You may ask me what I have done (who landed with only one dollar in my pocket and $30.00 of olde debts on me) Well I will tell you I began to work, and as I worked I lived in the olde fashion way from hand to mouth at the following rates, flour $10 per barrel, bacon 14 cts, per lb. beef 9 and mutton 7 and notwithstanding we had four months sickness (dureing which time I was doctor, nurse and cook) we still live to the preys of him whose tender mercies are over all his works, and eat our own corn and pork In addition to that I have 35 acres of prararie as good as any man could wish every foot of which can be cultivated without the annoyance of stump or stone and 5 of timber and a good log caben all for $60 most of which is paid.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;">I also have 10 lots in Elkhorn city at 125 dollars on a credit of two years to pay it in. We moved to this grove the 2 of Jan. Since that time we have been in good health. Sarah Ann weighs 120 lbs. and I 183 sinse we came to this place we have done better than we ever did in twice the time before. Respecting our country I am afraid to say anything lest I should not be believed; however I will venture an expression of opinion. The prararies in the summer present one vast natural garden of delights spreding before the aye sush a butiful and varagated senery decked with flowers of evry shape, sise, and hugh, that he that could not admire them must be destitute of a sence of beauty and elegance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 7.5pt 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Levina has got 5 acres of timber and 5 of prararie for 30 dollars and the prararie broke for her bed. She has lived with us all winter within 4 weeks back when she went out for work for $2 per week. Father and mother are well ...</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 22.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><b>Endnote 2. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">Really? These ecosystems are nearly lost from the planet? What technically is the status of the tallgrass ecosystems? </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;">There exists in "The Prairie State" no very high quality prairie on good soil that is bigger than a few acres. A grassland that small is probably not sustainable as a rich ecosystem, as it misses most of its interdependent animals, especially pollinators and insect predators. It's also too small for many needed evolutionary processes that are needed to deal with climate change, acid rain, fragmentation, disease, etc. Efforts are under way at many preserves to restore as much surrounding acreage as possible to foster sustainably large populations and the capacity for continued evolution. </p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Large areas of sand prairie and sand savanna survive, and heroic efforts rightfully continue to conserve them too, as fully as possible. But this post concerns "black soil" or "rich soil" ecosystems, which once covered most of the state - but now are so much rarer. <div><br /></div><div>In even worse shape than the prairie, high quality black-soil savanna is entirely gone. But substantial acreages of degraded remnants survive. Four decades of restoration at Somme Prairie Grove Nature Preserve suggest that a great deal of <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-celebration-of-vestal-grove-study.html">the biota can revive with good care</a>. Most of the photos in this post are from the savanna portions of that prairie-savanna-woodland complex. </div><div><br /></div><div>High quality oak woodland of the tallgrass region is so rare that it has been considered by The Nature Conservancy, NatureServ, and others to be our region's only "G1S1" Globally Endangered Ecosystem. Large areas of degraded former oak woodland survive and very much deserve appreciation and restoration. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Endnote 3</b>. </span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Some of the species that suffer badly from excessive browsing by white-tailed deer:</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Prairie lily</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Prairie white-fringed orchid</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Prairie lady-slipper</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Prairie gentian</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Fringed gentian</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Eared False Foxglove</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Veiny pea</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Bur oak reproduction</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Endnote 4</b></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">What should be done about deer? </span><span style="text-align: center;">In the absence of wolves and mountain lions, there does not seem to be any practical alternative to culling them, despite opposition expressed by some. </span><span style="text-align: center;">Congratulations to Village of Northbrook and Cook County Forest Preserves for their deer-control programs. Congratulations to Lake County Forest Preserves for establishing a model of transparency and public education. All deer culled for population control by public agencies in Illinois are prepared for distribution through food banks to people who need better nutrition than they can afford. </span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Acknowledgments</b></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Thanks to the staff of the Cook County Forest Preserves for doing the controlled burns and generally being great partners with the volunteer stewards in the restoration of the Somme preserves.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Lisa Musgrave for the photo of the eastern bluebird on the bur oak branch.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </span></div><div><br /></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-4269235280475614182023-03-11T08:59:00.002-08:002023-03-20T07:21:58.042-07:00Reading Stumps for Clues<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A stunning record of violence, disease, and more is recorded in the stumps of trees.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we cut over-abundant trees to restore space for oak reproduction and to generally restore health to the woodland, a graphic history emerges.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNLlhCYc1_C1yf-tfu9Tjx-KHTWfazEGf-3JRoOAilXlvEYVPt445gQJqrdoa7_yGD2_aOuRSjLIVi_M-tz7pMldpo6qXwt9oaj6oQzxxOLrEcxcrGNCSG2Yk42S1Imr5JTmI5U368cuCuZ4fh9Et-jntyRAQfCEs2W9FP4d_57JUcRlm_b0FPWKN2Q/s2522/IMG_1054.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2182" data-original-width="2522" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNLlhCYc1_C1yf-tfu9Tjx-KHTWfazEGf-3JRoOAilXlvEYVPt445gQJqrdoa7_yGD2_aOuRSjLIVi_M-tz7pMldpo6qXwt9oaj6oQzxxOLrEcxcrGNCSG2Yk42S1Imr5JTmI5U368cuCuZ4fh9Et-jntyRAQfCEs2W9FP4d_57JUcRlm_b0FPWKN2Q/w640-h556/IMG_1054.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, in Somme Prairie Grove Nature Preserve, the stump above was the first to catch my eye. A hickory in an oak woods needs to contend with burns. This one was severely scorched twice - and then largely recovered. In those thick black areas, the living phloem and cambium were dead. If you look carefully, you can see the very wide growth rings where the tree was racing to heal the wound. </span><div><br /></div><div>Conservation note: if burns are mild (not very hot), large numbers of hickories may replace oak reproduction. Oaks win out only under the influence of hot burns. <br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSbSoYyuQPZQokD21B5uWAYdWq4_wM8P1e_6MNQSxCqTmC_tnVbE_xUpE93GR1Q8kxhwAT0SZowGya1BiDdS4qvDF85sXqT0IqtDrc5QBqdVNMumqpgjdIt0Dsg0LqI3VZMx1Xi94L7djYSuBm50PpsMDKYc4LGgooLNnpAz3hxHYm7RBb_NeplJbzA/s4032/IMG_1055.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSbSoYyuQPZQokD21B5uWAYdWq4_wM8P1e_6MNQSxCqTmC_tnVbE_xUpE93GR1Q8kxhwAT0SZowGya1BiDdS4qvDF85sXqT0IqtDrc5QBqdVNMumqpgjdIt0Dsg0LqI3VZMx1Xi94L7djYSuBm50PpsMDKYc4LGgooLNnpAz3hxHYm7RBb_NeplJbzA/w480-h640/IMG_1055.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the case of this tree, the wound was so severe that it hasn't healed yet, after more then fifty years. If those widening rings had successfully met and healed the tree's circumference, it would have ended up as a hollow tree (perhaps to the pleasure of flying squirrels, raccoons, bats, and others who like to live in them). </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqYAi-yn7mpwFzDdDN3plxAfwkBcQvxeZlPKNMtH5Jo-Eh1iDOpKkCvjnnXEMiUoJB17jKheO1Rxulb6CYlhrW8G4DKJ87e4oyos8myQIc21FD_vjuqmDCV37DBiy4CdcAC6-5wo0xwlalRMYx3ZO_rmLQFNocnhEMo5_aQs4-cun1K3JdCy4W2nzlg/s2697/IMG_1056.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="2697" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqYAi-yn7mpwFzDdDN3plxAfwkBcQvxeZlPKNMtH5Jo-Eh1iDOpKkCvjnnXEMiUoJB17jKheO1Rxulb6CYlhrW8G4DKJ87e4oyos8myQIc21FD_vjuqmDCV37DBiy4CdcAC6-5wo0xwlalRMYx3ZO_rmLQFNocnhEMo5_aQs4-cun1K3JdCy4W2nzlg/w640-h592/IMG_1056.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the case of this one, I've hyped up the contrast so we can see the rings better. After two thirds of the living outer wood was killed, it took 16 years, by my count, for the tree to heal all the way round. Where it did heal, a little black scar sticks up to mark the spot. The impacts of less severe burns now and then show up here and there.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n38z-WxBO_sLuJVAJ9OR1qfupqiIHXw2gvAtf5VLRpsJvfqywQg3jrdiEInp3yYQk1zypo0nF6ZxdpUvJN0LIcV-tLJvsotTU2_Nx2-zm1PlDErmySDoirp1U32Q_okHsjbCOm7ReE5zArnXUjwmrawZQ0tthLesBlwibEEK9sy8aU4CsITIFalfMg/s4032/IMG_1057.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n38z-WxBO_sLuJVAJ9OR1qfupqiIHXw2gvAtf5VLRpsJvfqywQg3jrdiEInp3yYQk1zypo0nF6ZxdpUvJN0LIcV-tLJvsotTU2_Nx2-zm1PlDErmySDoirp1U32Q_okHsjbCOm7ReE5zArnXUjwmrawZQ0tthLesBlwibEEK9sy8aU4CsITIFalfMg/w640-h480/IMG_1057.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This one shows a lot of purple - and many burns and many healings. The purple is herbicide - to prevent this stump from re-sprouting and healing again. Why, some people will ask, would anyone cut and herbicide trees in a Nature Preserve? Or burn the place, for that matter? For more on that, check out <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-somme-prairie-grove-experiment.html">The Somme Experiment</a> and <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2013/12/what-trees-should-we-cut.html">Why Cut Trees?</a></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvRRbDX1C96TDTZqUY9Mu6fLBguookQSjZc-BwPYhjSTw_jUYFkZqLbnytqprbpz2ZQ3HbWMtXyqflupGLiCbnceZ61bzEE7L9XrGoDC_Mh3gUOw7UpmIuOE-dLejpYkzua5cQ7U-lgIGWvXdpwXb_wxNjj1WTRlpNw6iQh4uNWFWwF0Tt-AOuOSwkA/s4032/IMG_1062.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvRRbDX1C96TDTZqUY9Mu6fLBguookQSjZc-BwPYhjSTw_jUYFkZqLbnytqprbpz2ZQ3HbWMtXyqflupGLiCbnceZ61bzEE7L9XrGoDC_Mh3gUOw7UpmIuOE-dLejpYkzua5cQ7U-lgIGWvXdpwXb_wxNjj1WTRlpNw6iQh4uNWFWwF0Tt-AOuOSwkA/w640-h480/IMG_1062.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The stump above is of a bur oak. We cut down dozens of trees - oaks (bur, white, red, and Hill's) and hickories (shagbark and bitternut). In this preserve, restoration management has gone on for just over 40 years. Decades ago we cut most of the the invasive buckthorn, box elder, black locust, and others. We didn't expect to still be cutting here, as the controlled burns would likely do all the thinning needed. But they didn't.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This "before" photo ...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0u6P4wT0V9FppOqAw15fcbGgFKoEPdgaanC-zAAYrceTFZkm88Ga5luUYvuSN0ZcKB0JTgXWo9roLD6U0EB1f3OpQiceYNal4IDDKw7TdL6-Mdb3CaRsm-Cwc3EwdnQjf5s-j1oJN6pk10RTgufEC9xPNndR64uK73nr13C1pAU3DNPuJGoZ9h009Q/s3264/vert%20and%20hor%20burs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0u6P4wT0V9FppOqAw15fcbGgFKoEPdgaanC-zAAYrceTFZkm88Ga5luUYvuSN0ZcKB0JTgXWo9roLD6U0EB1f3OpQiceYNal4IDDKw7TdL6-Mdb3CaRsm-Cwc3EwdnQjf5s-j1oJN6pk10RTgufEC9xPNndR64uK73nr13C1pAU3DNPuJGoZ9h009Q/w640-h480/vert%20and%20hor%20burs.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">... shows the problem. The old trees (wide trunks and horizontal limbs) typify the natural trees of an open oak woodland. The surrounding scores of thin, limbless young trees are a pathological result of no fire for many decades and, more recently, insufficiently hot fires. Bur oaks are much less likely to be damaged by fire as seriously as a hickory (or even most other oak species, to a lesser extent). Because of safety concerns in the metro area (or anywhere these days?) it's not possible to do prescribed burns on sufficiently hot, dry, and windy days to thin out the bur oaks. We could wait until most of them were killed off by the others, but that doesn't work for the rest of the ecosystem. The grasses, wildflowers, pollinators, ants, soil biota and myriad others that comprise the rare biodiversity of the oak woods would be increasingly lost, as some already has. Thus we cut.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIgvTg3pakYsRU0V63dsRz76XzY-xP5UCZnNGUIz2uJ6yNOWGewMMzb1v2ck5Qkd3IDkJ3Se_QdBrFgckd9Ehi9-DPeseniB_g-YojCN36lOvJKIfN_YGGDXXgVpZGSNxGIIpDsSO1nOHIKVwEg8TxWAMlCx9gX_lpw0JninkwpZYQsJ0RYxDABwhlA/s4032/IMG_1061.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIgvTg3pakYsRU0V63dsRz76XzY-xP5UCZnNGUIz2uJ6yNOWGewMMzb1v2ck5Qkd3IDkJ3Se_QdBrFgckd9Ehi9-DPeseniB_g-YojCN36lOvJKIfN_YGGDXXgVpZGSNxGIIpDsSO1nOHIKVwEg8TxWAMlCx9gX_lpw0JninkwpZYQsJ0RYxDABwhlA/w640-h480/IMG_1061.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a bur oak stump cut a few years ago, where bur oak pole trees were dense. Today I count at least 27 young, aspiring trunks rising out of it. This is what bur oaks do, after fire or saw. They're accustomed to setbacks. In the photo below of the same stump...</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqw-VDBxJFeubgwGAsPJFYCJ6E5yfUyOqptzeAmdBYsxMzSYKP9grp-3eDoOuIT0Z5JAuTCN2ecVNPBCaPPG9O1uoqholYkp14bQYm9bZTWN1wECCbTSAWrL9fCEISghLSbfpr4caVXPmeNgm8D4jpmHXQQ5OvjEB7mK_7dsNaRCRFtikcPRpU02umg/s4032/IMG_1060.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqw-VDBxJFeubgwGAsPJFYCJ6E5yfUyOqptzeAmdBYsxMzSYKP9grp-3eDoOuIT0Z5JAuTCN2ecVNPBCaPPG9O1uoqholYkp14bQYm9bZTWN1wECCbTSAWrL9fCEISghLSbfpr4caVXPmeNgm8D4jpmHXQQ5OvjEB7mK_7dsNaRCRFtikcPRpU02umg/w480-h640/IMG_1060.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">... you can see a couple of those trunks now reaching six feet high. There are still too many trees (too much shade) for a fledgling bur oak to be altogether happy. But a more natural process is under way. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi303_rl9BPIPCGHC4cEasCI9WmXbQGQpBSTkg214yuCmFh72mLBF2C7ybu_naXYJWSq5CqYylzqOwEIv0j_aF3ixvJCUi9NJePx4hnTHW6D0LgLr0CvMlW6dAOPxJXiQkJDsGWafF2nezniiFkKjWztRiPafPWpGqr3DoCWIi9SZWa3ENBCsV13luNBA/s4032/IMG_1068.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi303_rl9BPIPCGHC4cEasCI9WmXbQGQpBSTkg214yuCmFh72mLBF2C7ybu_naXYJWSq5CqYylzqOwEIv0j_aF3ixvJCUi9NJePx4hnTHW6D0LgLr0CvMlW6dAOPxJXiQkJDsGWafF2nezniiFkKjWztRiPafPWpGqr3DoCWIi9SZWa3ENBCsV13luNBA/w640-h480/IMG_1068.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>The oak above has had more adventures than I can figure out. But one story this stump tells is that early in its life it was damaged and put up two trunks. Both grew separately for a few years and then fused together. Then they burned again and recovered again. The tree before cutting looked kind of miserable. But if there weren't so many others competing with it, it may have triumphed.</div><div><br /></div><div>This hickory also had two trunks for a while, and a lot of challenges, including more burns and rot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf__drwL792ZGYSlQrEqB7B2w8y-6j5EAoSrnsYUqhMzBZNrCO02bNGbBcag3Y4M5LJaWHhJWy5kCmZkr6JmRX2wP4IJLQ4xhEWPkODaRag6CWlyiHrHOoif2tLVN98wyvDToysQTJD7NP2BuVz3NCJUqh-bhiaH5cYQRZXcGjdDanZhXJKp9azO29Tw/s4032/IMG_1072.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf__drwL792ZGYSlQrEqB7B2w8y-6j5EAoSrnsYUqhMzBZNrCO02bNGbBcag3Y4M5LJaWHhJWy5kCmZkr6JmRX2wP4IJLQ4xhEWPkODaRag6CWlyiHrHOoif2tLVN98wyvDToysQTJD7NP2BuVz3NCJUqh-bhiaH5cYQRZXcGjdDanZhXJKp9azO29Tw/w640-h480/IMG_1072.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>May it rest in peace.<br /><div><br /></div><div>This stump has another message. It has suffered ...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqvKFlGwzkLJaWyx3IbTQpwGi7wJFEWtuB60ATCBCxk_yLtbzWficIod6oyQq63MqP9t6NYYVWvlOnBDuk7ML0ZKh3TmehFXlg-CNIqp7nqNsJv5E-lHuDroAtkNcNTMv9dJkjQF3oEYXB-9tA0TTs7-pcxxAdnTvUBnhhtQ5PE2eq3xJlSJ7yPrNuQ/s4032/IMG_1069.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqvKFlGwzkLJaWyx3IbTQpwGi7wJFEWtuB60ATCBCxk_yLtbzWficIod6oyQq63MqP9t6NYYVWvlOnBDuk7ML0ZKh3TmehFXlg-CNIqp7nqNsJv5E-lHuDroAtkNcNTMv9dJkjQF3oEYXB-9tA0TTs7-pcxxAdnTvUBnhhtQ5PE2eq3xJlSJ7yPrNuQ/w480-h640/IMG_1069.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">... some fire damage over the years, but the next fire could well obliterate it. A dead tree has fallen against it that could burn with a lot more intensity than a leaf fire. In the case of ancient trees of the most precious species (to biodiversity conservation), we stewards try to clear away such hazards before the controlled burns. </div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Lrbf2ixaUPCXiMlDUE15Cqq9r0Bfj4enulzlRKOh5pOEV793KbEM0yFjuziA-y4Bw8ZmaKSj5coUMfcLX6f7HaR-_u3crfByfKTU6EyPCeoc5YiylRLYFpbrwCt9UUXO-_8DcShI-pjlvclnW3qr7MxCqptI72Pu21LMNMB3T4bYoxARxPlD88udgA/s4032/IMG_1071.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Lrbf2ixaUPCXiMlDUE15Cqq9r0Bfj4enulzlRKOh5pOEV793KbEM0yFjuziA-y4Bw8ZmaKSj5coUMfcLX6f7HaR-_u3crfByfKTU6EyPCeoc5YiylRLYFpbrwCt9UUXO-_8DcShI-pjlvclnW3qr7MxCqptI72Pu21LMNMB3T4bYoxARxPlD88udgA/w640-h480/IMG_1071.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div>This hickory stump was cut but not herbicided years ago. We thought that a more moderate approach. It's now rotting away, and out from it were growing two healthy new trunks. But bitternut hickory was probably not a substantial component of this bur oak woodland; there are way too many here. This time we'll herbicide them. <div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_BXw6TRpf8kb26ebmWbcmmNCYt4XIgrit8MI6lIlhV-9bNs8mvZfTm5GEdqlCHv_sMDiG40rnXPHR1uq0b3jDAIo9sJrcZZGd-XtiNzVsoewqzS6jrDbyclSRTBhPM4euxIsnhtrKe-tsfoVbPfHCz9OSNuAFQtpT-V5aTxLv1uolK5svRdOavB0tA/s4032/IMG_1059.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_BXw6TRpf8kb26ebmWbcmmNCYt4XIgrit8MI6lIlhV-9bNs8mvZfTm5GEdqlCHv_sMDiG40rnXPHR1uq0b3jDAIo9sJrcZZGd-XtiNzVsoewqzS6jrDbyclSRTBhPM4euxIsnhtrKe-tsfoVbPfHCz9OSNuAFQtpT-V5aTxLv1uolK5svRdOavB0tA/w640-h480/IMG_1059.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p>The photo above shows yet another approach. Here, where bur oaks were damagingly close together, we girdled some. Girdling will kill them. Woodpeckers will appreciate those standing dead trees, as will the many insects that eat such dead trees, as will the bluebirds, great crested flycatchers, and flying squirrels that will raise their young in the holes the woodpeckers abandon. </p><p>Once we thought we'd soon mostly just be "letting nature take its course." Now we find there's still more to it. </p><p><b>Acknowledgements </b></p><p>The stalwart Somme volunteers did the fine work that left these tell-tale stumps.</p><p>Thanks to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div><br /></div><p></p></div></div></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-75226899010891548382023-02-18T12:23:00.014-08:002023-03-30T06:47:14.170-07:00Northbrook Forest Preserves - 2001 <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: center;">This re-publication reflects local conservation thinking 22 years ago - during the time of <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2016/05/after-miracle.html">recovery from "The Moratorium"</a>. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It includes hard-to-find info about some Northbrook forest preserves.</span></p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Fourth Year Report</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">February 2001</span></span></p><h1 align="left" style="margin-left: 0.7in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves present this report to our neighbors, to all who are interested in the Northbrook forest preserves, and to the staff of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. We work to support the staff and volunteer stewards who do so much to care for these lands, for the benefit of the native flora and fauna and for the people of Cook County. It’s a hard and important job. We also believe that as neighbors and users of the preserves we have a special responsibility and opportunity to help out and, to that end, this report summarizes out first four years of work.</span></span></h1><h1 align="left" style="margin-left: 0.7in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This report is an informal one. Below we pull together various kinds of information and tell stories that we hope you will find interesting. We are always looking to empower other people who might like to help in any way. If you are interested in the forest preserves, please join us. We sincerely thank one and all for work and support to date, and for your interest in one of Northbrook’s most important assets, our forest preserves.</span></span></h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuJYFVYS1YZxJt0PRWMhb2z4mLKZLRfcthPLXpzDGX3r8nNHHKyNfhylDPWoC0Lh6sFeECvZVjXGFKnB8xe4IiQKYjfqLn8bEZ61ySJYLjpI8txr3uwCQ7-w3-X6SgnDmHZPkjXphpvAWN0ZC_dFmeIA6TJJauNs9pH7yk5voKfgG679eYg/s1462/ancient%20scene.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1462" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuJYFVYS1YZxJt0PRWMhb2z4mLKZLRfcthPLXpzDGX3r8nNHHKyNfhylDPWoC0Lh6sFeECvZVjXGFKnB8xe4IiQKYjfqLn8bEZ61ySJYLjpI8txr3uwCQ7-w3-X6SgnDmHZPkjXphpvAWN0ZC_dFmeIA6TJJauNs9pH7yk5voKfgG679eYg/w640-h484/ancient%20scene.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Northbrook looked like this, three hundred or three thousand years ago. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prairie to the west of the North Branch. Savanna and Woodland to the east.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><o:p><span><h1 style="font-family: inherit;">Heritage and fire<o:p></o:p></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">By Jay Risk<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">When I was growing up in Lake County in the 50’s and 60’s I dreamed of hiking the slopes of Mount McKinley in Alaska and canoeing the wilderness rivers of the Quetico in Ontario. I had no idea about the priceless natural heritage in my own backyard. I took the trillium under the oaks and the big bluestem grasses of the prairie for granted. Now, at the turn of a new millennium, I have discovered the globally rare wonders of Chicago Wilderness and the Cook County Forest Preserves. I have treasured showing my son the Cooper’s Hawk nest in Somme Nature Preserve and my daughter the endangered white fringed prairie orchid in Somme Prairie Grove. Over the past eight years, we have joined hundreds of others in the Forest Preserves around Northbrook cutting buckthorn, planting native seed and helping to care for this natural treasure in our own community. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">There is one special place, however, which requires recognition. It represents to me both the treasures of our forest preserves and the insidious danger facing them. It is a little patch of oak savanna remnant nestled between two wetlands in Somme Woods. During the 1980’s and early 90’s it was one of the scattered patches of forest preserve restored to health through prescribed burns. Volunteers joined with Forest Preserve personnel to burn away the invasive Buckthorn which killed off the native plants. Other good people planted native seed to restore the Violet Cress, Zigzag Goldenrod, Cardinal Flower, and dozens of other native plants now found in the rare oak savanna ecosystem. The prescribed burns were part of a comprehensive program of ecosystem management that was begun on the North Branch in 1977 and carried out by Forest Preserve employees and volunteers for over twenty years. In 1996, a columnist in the Chicago Sun-Times launched a series of sensational attacks on the District’s restoration program, taking issue with all activities from prescribed burning to brush control to even the pulling of invasive weeds. President John Stroger was vilified in a Sun-Times cartoon that suggested he was clear cutting the forests to replace them by prairies. His response was to impose a moratorium on all management activities, from weed pulling to garbage clean-ups, including prescribed burns. For months the District held public hearings and listened to the counsel of experts before resuming its land stewardship efforts. In the years since then the District has been slowly rebuilding its staff and volunteer efforts. The areas of Northbrook preserves that had been recovering began to slip downhill. The grove of bur oaks in Somme Woods where the Red Headed Woodpecker once nested and the Virginia Wild Rye once grew became a tangle of Buckthorn shoots.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"> We are again in danger of losing a natural heritage unique to this part of the country and which has been highlighted in the New York Times science writer William Stephens’ <u>Miracle Under the Oaks: The Revival of Nature in America</u>. That fine book is largely about the Somme Preserves and the recovery under way. That little patch of savanna in Somme Woods is representative of what we stand to lose, if prescribed burns aren’t effectively reintroduced to Somme Woods before it’s too late. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">NOTE: Prescribed fire has been safely employed in Northbrook for over twenty years, not only in the forest preserves, but also at Glenbrook North High School Prairie, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and Northbrook Park District sites. In 1999, the Forest Preserve staff once again began prescribed burns at Somme Prairie Grove and Somme Prairie Nature Preserve. But Somme Woods badly needs burns too.</p><h4 style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>The Rev. Jay Risk, in addition to volunteering with the Friends, is Rector of St. Giles Episcopal Church.</i></span></h4><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSCNCuYkA3w8m-Xu4RUVxpVJ-r1mvmDi5zKdfpmrVuUTumJ3wT8cdJdHDQ9Z2IiCVO59HfyzMIFysx-RRwrgRZS8Ga4Q89SDUW137Iu3Kc9xU95NfNfZF4cQXl_LpVu4U-DGvJDu7VbmZMODNabAMvuudIaDlQjx2W8KgGfqTuCzNEuY7Qg/s3264/fallen%20buckthorn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSCNCuYkA3w8m-Xu4RUVxpVJ-r1mvmDi5zKdfpmrVuUTumJ3wT8cdJdHDQ9Z2IiCVO59HfyzMIFysx-RRwrgRZS8Ga4Q89SDUW137Iu3Kc9xU95NfNfZF4cQXl_LpVu4U-DGvJDu7VbmZMODNabAMvuudIaDlQjx2W8KgGfqTuCzNEuY7Qg/w640-h480/fallen%20buckthorn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">When ecological restoration started in Somme Prairie Grove, </div><div style="text-align: center;">some areas were so choked with buckthorn that no other vegetation survived. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx8QWWs-Wbroy31DqWOxrZtBAdE_KGrYjVbwZF7XaW-dnhGAekiZn9GyN9PbYLcyTriYn_9K0zm3g4f7X2FfAiyrZCKZUGYgB4Px0Xg-WMfz1G_5z5WDgxG0l039_Fck-EWarelm0CAT9i2NCU07Sf4hzxpAwLPcLhGo1P7dQRTSEPIWR9Q/s4032/June%2025%20lily-lead-compas_9686.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx8QWWs-Wbroy31DqWOxrZtBAdE_KGrYjVbwZF7XaW-dnhGAekiZn9GyN9PbYLcyTriYn_9K0zm3g4f7X2FfAiyrZCKZUGYgB4Px0Xg-WMfz1G_5z5WDgxG0l039_Fck-EWarelm0CAT9i2NCU07Sf4hzxpAwLPcLhGo1P7dQRTSEPIWR9Q/w640-h480/June%2025%20lily-lead-compas_9686.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Today, where buckthorn once reigned, rich prairie and oak savanna vegetation has recovered.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></span></o:p></div><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">From Earth Day to Solstice<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">By Donna Hochberg<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span> <span> </span></span>The Friends have sought to make our forest preserves more a part of the culture of Northbrook. We sponsor events that range from fun to educational to hard work, often all three, including clean-ups, restoration work parties, tours co-sponsored by the Northbrook Park District, and family/children's events. We also assist with ecological tours of Northbrook forest preserves organized by the Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Morton Arboretum, National Audubon Society and others.<br /><span> <span> </span></span>Our two popular annual events are the Winter Solstice Bonfire and the Earth Day Salamander Fest. The Winter Solstice celebration occurs at a spiritual time of the year when people think about the past and future. We encourage people at the bonfire to pick up a twig, chose a regret, a happy memory, or a hope, and toss the twig into the bonfire to see a bit of past or future flare up (some people feel that they could fell a whole tree). Along with the mesmerizing bonfire, the event may feature a bagpiper leading our procession through the woods to the brush pile, a falconer, singing, a recorder player who could have passed for the Pied Piper, as well as home-made cookies, warm cider, and hot chocolate.<br /><span> <span> </span></span>The Salamander Fest at the Earth Day Celebration is always a big hit, especially with the children. We have our local blue-spotted salamanders on display, (kids can have their hands moistened and briefly hold their little slimy friends, an adventure that is irresistible to some), and some years we have an art table where kids create their own creative salamanders with various fun materials. <br /><span> <span> </span></span>The Friends advocate conservation education and awareness, and we promote our goals through fun and interesting events. Come out and join us!!<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>Donna Hochberg, in addition to volunteering with the Friends, is a lawyer and Northbrook resident<o:p></o:p></i></span></h4><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">New Trail <o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> The “trail system” at Somme Prairie Grove in the past was simply the trampled paths that began wherever deer or people had walked, often following vehicle wheel ruts, gaps between thorn bushes, and intermittent watercourses. Some trails became deep mud whenever it rained for a while. So people would walk along the edge of the prairie vegetation, until that vegetation too was destroyed, and then walk a little further into the prairie until a wide mud patch developed. In other places, on slopes, some of the trails turned into erosion ditches more than a foot deep. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> In August 2000, our first intentional footpath was installed, the initial work being done by scouts of Troop 64, as the Eagle Scout project of Andrew Smith. This “Indian file” foot path was designed by Friends members in consultation with FPD staff and soil scientists from the US Soil Conservation Service. Out in the open grassland, it is just a single footpath created mostly by people walking on it, with overhanging vegetation trimmed when the prairie grasses grow high. Here the key element is the avoidance of erosion by assuring that no long drainages develop. Essentially the footpath follows contours, rather than going directly up or down slopes except for short distances.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Stream crossings consist of “corduroy bridges” of black locust logs laid side by side. Some areas of soft soils were reinforced by limestone gravel, left over from the Deep Tunnel operation, a commodity of which the FPD has vast amounts. Probably the hardest work of the trail crew was cutting a way through dense buckthorn tangles. In some cases it was necessary to pass through these to avoid too much up or down hill. It also seemed like a good idea to have the trail pass through a few areas of buckthorn so people could see what this preserve once looked like – an utter ecological desert under the worst infestations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> An unusual feature of the new trail is the planting of a little plant called “path rush” throughout. This six-inch grass-like plant grows only in trampled trails. It simply is designed to take punishment and can compete nowhere else. This rush holds the soil and makes a great surface for walking. We hope to see it appear on the new trail in summer of 2001, but it may take a while. So far as we can determine, this rush has not intentionally been planted before in trail construction, although it pops up naturally to some trails in time. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> In the spring of 2001 we will fortify some of the soggy parts of the footpath with crushed limestone (that the FPD has from Deep Tunnel excavation). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">River Clean-Up<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">by Scott Ingersoll<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />The Friends have adopted the Middle Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River<br />which runs through forest preserves between the I-94 Tollway spur and Sunset Ridge Road to the south. Each year on the Annual River Rescue Day of the Friends of the Chicago River we give a section of the Middle Fork its spring cleaning.<br /><br />Over the past three years, we have collected approximately sixty bags of trash, bottles, car tires, old water tanks, lawn furniture, building materials, and oil barrels. Some of it we load into canoes and float it down to a bridge where it can be picked up.<br /><br />Mike Piscal, a Friends leader and science teacher at Glenbrook North High School, enlists students to help clean the West Fork of the North Branch. The West Fork is the river that runs through downtown Northbrook and passes through Meadowhill Park.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The work is challenging at times, but we enjoy the camaraderie and the satisfaction of cleaning up our local waterway. While it is not glamorous work, it is great exercise, fun, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">and quite fulfilling.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText2"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Scott Ingersoll, in addition to his volunteer work with the Friends, leads canoe trips with the Chicagoland Canoe Base and is a lineman crew leader with Commonwealth Edison<span>.</span><br /></i><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">New Leadership Staff at FPD</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Northbrook Friends joined the Friends of the Forest Preserves and many others in appealing to Forest Preserve President John Stroger to ask for help at the top. There was no forest preserve Land Manager, no Volunteer Coordinator, no Superintendent of Conservation. In fact all three posts had been vacant for months. Some of the District’s best staff had retired or left the District, in part due to poor morale over disarray in the District’s land stewardship program. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> We’re happy to report that the District now has excellent new leadership in those positions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Steve Bylina is now General Superintendent, and he has been very responsive to Forest Preserve needs as advocates have presented them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The new Superintendent of Conservation is Chris Merenowicz, a hard worker, problem solver, practical, effective, formerly the District’s fisheries biologist.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Volunteer Coordinator is Bill Koenig. Highly respected in his previous position as a conservation advocate with Friends of the River. Good leadership and people skills. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A Ferocious Wind<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Fire, flood, windstorm, hail, plague, drought – ferocious events are a regular part of nature. The Northbrook preserves recently experienced a major blast. A major windstorm (called a microburst by some) ripped up hundreds of large trees by their roots or snapped them off like matchsticks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Was that bad for the preserves? Or good? “It was some of both,” according to FPD ecologist John Elliott. “We hate to lose those old trees. Some of them are among that last of that generation that lived with bison and Potawatemi before Europeans ever settled here.” Elliott, who directs the River Trail Nature Center on Milwaukee Road, points out that some of the old oaks that were lost were more than 250 years old. “But clearing the way for young oaks is also a part of nature,” Elliott continued. “The preserves will be fine.” </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Citizen Science<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">By Rickie White</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">More than twenty varied ecological studies are underway in Northbrook Forest Preserves. These studies are gradually giving us more knowledge, but we still perceive only a meager glimmer of what’s there. Ecologist Frank Egler once wisely said, “Ecosystems are more complicated than we think. And more complicated than we <i>can</i> think.” Yet we have to understand them as well as we can to make the best decisions for their care. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Recent and ongoing studies designed to inform land management decisions include:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The impact of invasive species and of restoration on water chemistry and hydrology in Somme Woods by DePaul University, Steve McChesney of the Wetlands Initiative, and volunteers with the Habitat Project.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The soils and vegetation of Chipilly Woods by Christiane Rey for her Masters degree at Northeastern Illinois University.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Calling Frog Survey listening points at Somme Woods by Habitat Project volunteer Bill Leja. He found western chorus frogs, spring peepers, leopard frogs, and American toads – by listening to their calls. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Relationships between frog populations and buckthorn and various other environmental parameters by Joe Walsh from Northwestern University<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The status of endangered plant species of Chipilly Woods and the Somme preserves by Susanne Masi of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plants of Concern and many Habitat Project volunteers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Annual census of endangered plant populations (prairie white-fringed orchid, small white ladyslipper, eared gerardia, American sloughgrass, savanna blazing star, and oval milkweed) by volunteers Linda Masters and Stephen Packard. (Locations of endangered species are kept confidential, for their protection.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Deer populations in Somme and many other forest preserves by Chris Anchor of the Forest Preserve District.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Breeding birds of Somme Prairie Grove by volunteer (and later FPD assistant Land Manager) Jerry Sullivan and high-school volunteer Ben Risk (now studying at Dartmouth College).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Breeding birds of Somme Woods by Jeff Sanders of the Evanston North Shore Bird Club and the Bird Conservation Network (spoiler: he found few birds in the dense buckthorn that covers most of the site).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Butterflies of Somme Prairie Grove by Joan Palincsar and Jeff Sanders; butterflies of Chipilly Woods by Phyllis Adams – both working as volunteers with the Butterfly Monitoring Network. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">We’ve certainly learned enough to say with certainty that restoration management improves the habitat for hundreds of species in our prairies and oak woodlands. Over 95% of the acreage of Northbrook’s forest preserves are currently left without management. More studies and more management are very much needed. If you’re interested in learning how you might take part, contact the Habitat Project hotline at 965-9239.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Rickie White is Science Coordinator for National Audubon Society of the Chicago Region</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></h4><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">New apprentice stewards<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Four apprentice volunteer stewards have been accepted by the FPD. They are Krista Clark at Somme Prairie, Dennis Dreher at Somme Prairie Grove, and Linda Masters and Jay Risk at Somme Woods.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Both apprentice and co-steward positions are available. Apprentices learn all aspects of land management. The learning comes mostly through helping with the many projects that occur throughout the year. The stewards and all the volunteers are crucial to the health of our preserves, and we owe them a wonderful debt of gratitude. (On the other hand, the stewards are quick to say that this work is some of the most rewarding they’ve done. It can be fun; it can be hard; but it’s all rewarding.) Contact the Friends for more information on positions available.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Feeling Good About Anetsberger <o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Michael Beeftink</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It felt especially good to be in our community last year, when voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum for the Park District to acquire the last large open land in central Northbrook. In March of 2000 the citizens of the Village voted in favor of a $15.5 million bond issue to purchase the 60-plus-acre Anetsberger property; the referendum passed by a margin of over 70%. The Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserves did our part to help. The Friends Newsletter discussed the merits of this property; members spoke at Village meetings and worked at getting signs of support on as many lawns as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> The benefits of maintaining this area as a multi-use open space are many. The property contains a nine-hole golf course and driving range open to the public. A section of the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River runs through it. Plans call for restoration of wetland and grassland habitat for plants and animals and for paths for public use. The area also contains a small pond that for many years has been used for study by local ecology classes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In October 2000 the State of Illinois awarded a $2 million grant to the Northbrook Park District from the state’s Open Lands fund. The grant commits the Park District to restore and preserve at least 14 acres as natural habitat. The Friends look forward to the potential of this land with its planned restoration and pathway projects as a valuable piece of natural environment for recreation, nature, and aesthetics. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText2"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Michael Beeftink is a Northbrook Resident who, in addition to volunteering with the Friends, teaches at Niles North High School.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></i></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Glenbrook North Prairie<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">By Rob Sulski<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Few people know that one of Illinois’s finest prairies survives on the northwest corner of the Glenbrook North High School campus. Glenbrook North Prairie, a formally dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve, joins Somme Prairie Nature Preserve as our two gems of original prairie. (There are few other towns in Illinois that have even one top quality prairie within their limits.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> At Somme, the Nature Preserve is seventy acres. At Glenbrook it’s only two acres. But there’s another way to compare them. Somme has 2 acres of very high-quality prairie. Glenbrook has about one acre. Not a bad second.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Glenbrook harbors near saturation numbers of very rare natives such as Prairie Gentian, Cream Wild Indigo, Prairie Cinquefoil, Alum Root, Lead Plant, Sky Blue Aster, Hoary Puccoon, Violet Wood Sorrel and Prairie Dropseed Grass. It’s an irreplaceable piece of the rich ancient ecosystem that the buffalo walked on for thousands of years.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText2"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Rob Sulski, as a boy, played in Northbrook Forest Preserves. Perhaps as a result, in addition to his volunteer work with the Friends, Rob is a scientist with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Thanks to Rich DiLillo…<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">…for twice repairing broken rails and posts in the split rail fence at the entrance to Somme Prairie Grove. Mr. DiLillo is superintendent of the Skokie Division of the forest preserves. The fence materials had been donated by the <b>Northbrook Civic Foundation</b> to stop a long-term problem of preserve trashing by vehicles, garbage dumping, joy riding. Rutting and soil compaction by vehicle wheels was seriously damaging this delicate ecological preserve. One section of fence had been broken by a trespassing vehicle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><h2 align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Thanks to Andy Smith…<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">… for his work to lay out and install the new Somme Prairie Grove footpath as his Eagle Scout project. Thanks too to all the scouts of Troop 64 of Northbrook United Methodist Church. Future tours of the site – frequently sponsored by the Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Morton Arboretum, Nature Conservancy, Audubon and others – will all use Andy’s trail.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><h2 align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Thanks to Tom Tokarz…<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">… for the wood chips used by the Troop 64 scouts to mark and improve the new Somme Prairie Grove trail in wooded areas. Tom also is the one who chain-saws trees that fall across trails and fire breaks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Bittersweet Evening<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">By Stephen Packard<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I felt a bit like a nervous parent. I had gotten a call alerting me that Somme Prairie was scheduled to be burned around mid-day, if all went well, on April 13, 2000. I wasn’t free to help that day, but I was hopeful that this preserve, suffering badly from too little burning in recent years, might be perking up. As soon as I got a chance, just before dusk that evening, I took a bike ride over to see if the prairie had been burned, if the job had been a good one, if errant vehicles had rutted up the delicate turf, if the fire had been hot enough to be effective. The first answer was – no. No burn. For whatever reason, it hadn’t happened. But what a magical place to take an evening walk. Deer grazed within a dozen yards of where I entered the prairie. A meadowlark was singing his last songs of the evening in the dying light. The shoots of the very earliest prairie plants were emerging. Oooops, emerging and being eaten. Many rare stems had been eaten down to ground level. Deer are beautiful animals, very much a part of our prairies and savannas. But it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. In the absence of predators, too many deer are a close second to lack of fire as a threat to the survival of the animals and plants of the prairie. In the middle of the largest opening I stopped to count them. Seventeen deer visible at once in one opening. Experts estimate that a healthy population for our ecosystems is somewhere between 7 to 15 deer per square mile (640 acres). Seventeen deer in twenty acres is vastly too many, as we’ve long known. Many of the plants survive there now only in deer-exclusion cages; if the numbers of deer can’t be reduced in time for these species to reproduce, they’re doomed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Then I notice two spry little deer I hadn’t seen before. Oooops again. They’re coyotes, just appearing from their den. Beautiful animals, unusually tame in the thickening dusk. With a look at me over their shoulders, they trot off. The air smells sweet. Such are the joys and agonies of being a parent to rare ecosystems.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText2"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Stephen Packard, in addition to his volunteer work with the Friends, directs the National Audubon Society of the Chicago Region.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">FLORA AND FAUNA<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The charter of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County commits it to maintaining its lands “<b><i>…for the purpose of protecting and preserving the flora, fauna and scenic beauties within such district, and to restore, restock, protect, and preserve the natural forests and said lands together with their flora and fauna, as nearly as may be, in their natural state and condition, for the purpose of the education, pleasure, and recreation of the public.” </i></b>In this section we try to summarize what is known about the flora and fauna, and of nature generally, within the Northbrook forest preserves.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></b></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Trees in Our Forest<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> The Friends have identified more than forty species of native trees living in the Northbrook forest preserves. On <b>river flood plains</b>, we found silver maple, green ash, American elm, cottonwood and various willows are common. In open <b>savannas</b>, the major trees are bur and scarlet oak. The <b>open oak woodland</b> was our predominant forest type, during the thousands of years that our forests have evolved here, since the last glacier. Thus, oak woods are especially rich in the wildlife that depends on our forest preserves. Here many kinds of oaks and hickories predominate, often bur and white oak mix with shagbark and bitternut hickory and black walnut. The understory trees include hazelnut, Iowa crab apple, and American plum. <b>Denser woodlands</b> were less common in Northbrook in the past; but then as now the major trees were red oak, sugar maple, and basswood in the canopy with hop hornbeam and witch hazel in the understory.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Invasive trees are one of the major threats to our oak savannas and oak forests. Many people know that European buckthorn and certain other alien trees are major threats. But most don’t realize trees native to this region can also get out of balance in ways that reduce biodiversity. A smothering invasion of ash and box elder from the floodplain can turn an open oak woodland into the unstable and degraded community shown on Forest Preserve District planning maps as “Unassociated Woody Growth”. Sugar maple and basswood, beautiful and typical trees of ravine forests or slopes on the east sides of rivers, often join the buckthorn as the major problem invaders in the oak hickory uplands. An oak woods degraded by invasives first loses its characteristic birds, butterflies, and certain species of wildflowers. An oak woods that has no oaks in the understory is a tragic ecosystem. Well-planned restoration can bring that community back to good health. The Friends each summer host a series of tours in partnership with the Northbrook Park District to show off some of great forests of Northbrook and highlight what restoration is (and is not yet) accomplishing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Prairie Restoration (or is it savanna?)</span></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Only about two acres of Somme Prairie Nature Preserve (the seventy-acre forest preserve area behind the Northbrook Post Office) survived as Grade A prairie through the mid seventies, according to the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory. And even that pittance was badly invaded by brush when forest preserve volunteers started managing it in 1978. The buckthorn has been gradually on the retreat over the last two decades, and seed collection and broadcast have expanded the higher quality areas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The “prairie openings” in the 85-acre Somme Prairie Grove are also impressive examples of restoration. Here about twenty acres of old fields, which twenty years ago had only a few prairie species surviving in most parts, has been nurtured into a colorful kaleidoscope of rare flowers, grasses, butterflies, birds, and more.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">But was this ever prairie? Although people commonly refer to these openings as “prairies,” and many species are typical of prairies, a careful ecologist might be more likely to call them savanna openings. That distinction will become more obvious as the site’s numerous young oak trees mature. Unlike Somme Prairie to the west, this area has savanna soils, and the 1839 Public Land Survey shows scattered trees here, unlike the treeless prairie on the dark prairie soils west of the river. Many of the original trees of the opener areas were probably cut for wood when parts of this area were farmed. All savannas have many prairie species present, but the prevalence of certain indicator plants and animals (cream gentian, blue-winged warbler, Edwards hairstreak, hazelnut, for example) alert us that, aside from the oak woodland groves, the site is largely savanna. Some people are disappointed to learn that these areas aren’t prairies and never will be. But a healthy savanna is even rarer than the prairie, so let’s be thrilled with what we’ve got.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Botany Bliss</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Linda Masters</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two rare and wonderful plants came into their own at Somme Prairie Grove in 2000. The ecological restoration that has been going on there for over a decade is known for its innovative techniques and its quality, and each year more richness emerges. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year the surprises were - white prairie clover and pale Indian plantain – two species characteristic of high quality prairie and oak savanna respectively. White prairie clover is perhaps the most "conservative" of the prairie legumes, a group that includes the bush clovers, tick-trefoils, leadplant, false indigos, and milk vetches. "Conservative" plants are the ones that just can't handle disruption. They are the first to be lost when a natural prairie, woods or wetland is degraded – and the slowest to return when healthful conditions are restored. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">As long as ten years ago, one plant of white prairie clover appeared at Somme in the large grassland opening just northwest of Vestal Grove. But this plant didn't seem to want to reproduce. It just sat there. Some years it was eaten down by the deer, some years not. But restoration crews continued to gather small amounts of white prairie clover seed from a few nearby sites, grow plants in seed production gardens, and distribute the resulting seed in the best quality prairie areas along the North Branch, including Somme Prairie Grove. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">White prairie clover is slow to establish and grows slowly as well. But in 2000, it finally came through; plants are growing in at least five different areas. In time it may well join the similar purple prairie clover as one of the major herbs of our rebounding prairies. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pale Indian plantain was a common plant of the region according to some of the older texts. But as its savanna habitat was lost, it disappeared. When the restoration volunteers searched the landscape for seed sources, the closest site for pale Indian plantain was in northern McHenry County. Plants from this source grew in back-yard seed-production gardens, and eventually tens of thousands of these seeds found their way into the restoration mixes. Even so, for years, only a plant or two of this species showed up at Somme Prairie Grove. In 1999 a few more were evident, but in 2000, pale Indian plantain showed up in impressive numbers, widely scattered over the site. It appears that another nearly lost plant has found a secure home once more.</span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Linda Masters, in addition to her volunteer work with the Friends, is former director of Conservation Research Institute. She currently works with the Corporation for Open Lands (Corlands).</i></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYamEBGY3oLQ2H49QamyN-E-vAH9PDzKkaJpAR9WEozhIn6l5SkDOLS77bVl2-WEN_n-OioBd0N_p5ceOvUn64lg8j7qm2TO8zIu2VJZvU7wCfTl6zOQoNphSaF3iTY3B9-H0SycTmp-Leksecg_fZrHzIj-7pnglcKHKbKfkk96sOLN4gQ/s1818/Puccoon%20phlox%20and%20dock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="1228" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYamEBGY3oLQ2H49QamyN-E-vAH9PDzKkaJpAR9WEozhIn6l5SkDOLS77bVl2-WEN_n-OioBd0N_p5ceOvUn64lg8j7qm2TO8zIu2VJZvU7wCfTl6zOQoNphSaF3iTY3B9-H0SycTmp-Leksecg_fZrHzIj-7pnglcKHKbKfkk96sOLN4gQ/w432-h640/Puccoon%20phlox%20and%20dock.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puccoon, phlox, and golden Alexanders <br />backed up by those big prairie dock leaves</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoBodyText2"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Frogs, snakes and salamanders</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Northbrook Forest Preserves are currently known to be home to four frog species, five snake species, and one species of salamander, the blue spotted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The frogs are being monitored by volunteers of the Chicago Wilderness Calling Frog Survey. Frogs are important indicators of water and habitat quality. The four species are the western chorus frog, spring peeper, leopard frog and American toad.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Snakes seen in Northbrook Forest Preserves include the smooth green snake, plains garter snake, Chicago garter snake, midland brown snake, and the red-bellied snake. Others that are possible but have not been confirmed in recent years include the Kirtland’s snake, massassagua rattler, and fox snake. If anyone sees or knows of any other species of frog, salamander, or snake in Northbrook forest preserves, please let us know.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Breeding Birds</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">According to the Chicago Region Biodiversity Council, the most significant breeding birds of the region are the grassland and shrubland birds, followed by those of open oak savanna and woodland, and those of wetlands. Typical grassland species need at least fifty acres of grasslands to reproduce successfully. None breed here now. The only likely place for them for them to return would be Somme Prairie, if more trees and brush were cleared. The master plan there calls for the prairie to be expanded to about seventy acres through cutting back the encroaching brush. But currently the largest patch of open grassland is only about twenty acres, and the ongoing prescribed burning and brush-cutting work has only gained about an acre per year. Fire and saws and loppers eat away at some edges of brush patches each year, but others that are not burned or cut grows bigger. In fact, due to a less effective burning program recently, some years have a net loss of an acre or two.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> Shrubland, savanna and open woodland birds have about sixty acres of good habitat at Somme Prairie Grove. Breeding birds there include blue-winged warbler, yellow warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, blue-gray gnatcatcher, crested flycatcher, and field sparrow. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A significant raptor which breeds at one or another of the Somme preserves each year is the Cooper’s hawk. The red-tailed hawk breeds each year at Somme Prairie Grove, and the great horned owl often takes the previous year’s red-tail nest when it lays its eggs, amazingly, each February. Great horned owls have also been found breeding in Chipilly Woods and the Anetsberger property.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><h1><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Butterflies and Brush<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Joan Palincsar</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Two Northbrook forest preserves are very rich in the rare butterflies of grasslands and open woodlands. Somme Prairie has at least 14 species, and Somme Prairie Grove has 35. There are 14 types of skippers, a fact that is very encouraging because it means that the site maintains the necessary habitat conditions and food plants for each. Other butterflies demonstrating this diversity include the silvery checkerspot, banded hairstreak, and Appalachian brown. Most conspicuous to the casual visitor in summer are dozens of dark brown wood nymphs bouncing up and down in the meadow grasses, and great spangled fritillaries sailing above the flowers. Tiger swallowtails, monarchs and sulphurs are also easily seen. There are many different dragonflies at Somme, which Jeff Sanders and I are working on listing for the future. The site needs to be burned. Shrubs are rapidly growing taller and wider. The butterflies need the occasional burning that maintains the great diversity of food and nectar plants.</span></p><h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Joan Palincsar, in addition to her “citizen science” efforts at Somme Prairie Grove, is volunteer steward at Ryerson Woods in Lake County.</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></h4><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span><b>THE PRESERVES</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Northbrook Forest Preserves East</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWl3Iq2zLz5Qo6_f_WvNeMJDS5rutPdrz7RkU7Jpj_yTg1dex54o59x7_xM6uqgOoNA9sfG_vq9tTRKqqpgwLQ53xnUnkwHmX4cp-fGgArv7HZlTtymLx7wZsQ9F-bjLiqB3j6miTgnjosA-OPB0uzVdNFaL8EdaO_ZfRcqVAALFwS4HcTQ/s1181/Map%20NB%20preserves%20East.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1181" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWl3Iq2zLz5Qo6_f_WvNeMJDS5rutPdrz7RkU7Jpj_yTg1dex54o59x7_xM6uqgOoNA9sfG_vq9tTRKqqpgwLQ53xnUnkwHmX4cp-fGgArv7HZlTtymLx7wZsQ9F-bjLiqB3j6miTgnjosA-OPB0uzVdNFaL8EdaO_ZfRcqVAALFwS4HcTQ/w640-h432/Map%20NB%20preserves%20East.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Northbrook Forest Preserves West</span></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbqbsOSwReSep798dR2cJPW5QgH0tHA_NwUgf38VUQAtl1lGxCFCLFArJNyvf5os3YbPzp0IyOHAdTjbJXr1Xgl1QK_wUbhi8xysBA49vc14b2T4sEcRfp9jH0_IwTbJOtpTBhgYHckITRVw3rYajskPDqdg_qbjpEhORcoltCjH93pYpVQ/s841/Map%20NB%20FP%20West.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="841" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbqbsOSwReSep798dR2cJPW5QgH0tHA_NwUgf38VUQAtl1lGxCFCLFArJNyvf5os3YbPzp0IyOHAdTjbJXr1Xgl1QK_wUbhi8xysBA49vc14b2T4sEcRfp9jH0_IwTbJOtpTBhgYHckITRVw3rYajskPDqdg_qbjpEhORcoltCjH93pYpVQ/w640-h608/Map%20NB%20FP%20West.png" width="640" /></a></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>Chipilly Woods</b><br /><br /> Rich oak forest on the uplands with floodplain forest along the ditched Middle Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Popular for hiking and cross country skiing. Park where Grant road makes a right angle. In many parts, buckthorn and garlic mustard are still sparse. Needs prescribed burns and control of invasive species. Some of the species of open woods (i.e. two-flowered cynthia and New Jersey tea) and rapidly fading out due to increasing shade from invasives. Recent ecological study by Christiane Rey of Northeastern Illinois University. Bird monitoring by Margo Milde.<br /><br />Two recent unfortunate, uncontrolled fires in Chipilly Woods may have been set by kids. There is a “camp” on the western (upwind) edge of the burn area. The Northbrook Fire Department put out the Chipilly fires in both years. One fireman was injured in the spring of 2000. More coordination with the Forest Preserve District is needed. At some preserves, according to approved plans, low-level ground fires are allowed to consume the available fuel in selected areas under the control of Forest Preserve staff and volunteers. <br /><br />Chipilly is a fine woods that is deteriorating. It very much deserves a stewardship program. Garlic mustard is just getting started in the better parts; a pulling crew that worked each June for a few years could control it. Buckthorn is nearly absent in some parts; it would not be too much work to keep it that way. A fire plan could be written that would alleviate the necessity of the Northbrook Fire Department to intervene. Since fuel levels are light and fire breaks readily available, it would only take one FPD staff person and a few trained volunteers to control a fire and let it burn out.<br /><br />This kids camp is another problem, a minor one so far as the health of the preserve is concerned. But the immediate “camp” area is a mess of cans and bottles, tree-house construction, and other classic kid stuff. Kids will be kids. We’re glad they use the woods and don’t mind cleaning up after them a bit from time to time. Anyone have ideas for engaging the kids in these woods in a more positive way?<br /><br />But the real threats are the buckthorn, garlic mustard, over-populated deer, and the need for controlled burns.<br /><br /><b>Des Plaines Preserves (Potawatomi Woods and Dam # 1 Woods) </b><br /><br /> The parking lots and mowed areas are heavily used by picnickers. There are large areas of bur, white and red oak woodland along with maple-basswood forest, former wet savanna, floodplain forest, and other communities. These areas were extremely rich until recent decades when populations of white-tailed deer exploded; in that regard the DesPlaines preserves are said to be the most damaged area in the Cook County Forest Preserves. Many plant and bird species for which the areas was known are now gone, possibly for good. The Friends are not aware of any monitoring in progress.<br /><br /><br /><b>Mary Mix McDonald Woods</b><br /><br /><br /> This is the northeastern part of the Forest Preserve area managed by the Chicago Botanic Garden. It represents one of the largest, finest, and most studied oak woodland restorations in the midwest. Unfortunately it has not been burned in recent years, apparently because of bureaucratic red tape. Although the garden staff is capable of doing the work on their own, the necessary authority has not been granted. Thus the woods, though recovering nicely until a few years ago, are once again degrading. But it’s still a fine woods, and illustrated signage along an interpretive trail provides a good introduction to the restoration ecology of the oak woods.<br /><br /><b>Skokie Lagoons</b><br /><br /><br /> Popular for birdwatching, fishing, picnics. There’s almost none of the original natural ecosystem here, since the ancient natural marshland was reshaped into ponds and mounds. The uplands are covered almost entirely by invasive tree species with an understory of garlic mustard. In recent years the Chicago Audubon Society has planted tens of thousands of marsh plants under the direction of FPD staff and volunteer steward Jerry Garden.<br /><br /><b>Somme Prairie Grove</b><br /><br /> About 85 acres of oak woodland and savanna. The FPD has approved a restoration plan, with most of the work carried out by volunteers. See also “Botany Bliss,” “Breeding Birds,” “Prairie Restoration” and “Butterflies and Brush.” The volunteer site steward is Steve Packard. Apprentice stewards are Stuart Goldman and Dennis Dreher.<br /><br /><b>Somme Prairie Nature Preserve</b><br /><br /> 70 acres of Forest Preserve with added protection as a dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve. About twenty acres are in prairie openings. The rest is covered by dense invasive brush. Parts of the original channel of the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River are evident after heavy rains. See also “Butterflies and Brush,” “Prairie Restoration,” and “Bittersweet Evening.” The FPD has approved a restoration plan, with most of the work carried out by volunteers. Volunteer steward is Laurel Ross. Apprentice stewards, Christiane Rey and Krista Clark.<br /><br /><b> Somme Woods</b><br /><br /> About 250 acres, mostly oak woodland. Includes some former prairie and savanna on the west and north edges, and floodplain thickets to the east. The FPD has approved a restoration plan, with most of the work carried out by volunteers. Apprentice stewards, Linda Masters and Jay Risk.<br /><br /><b>Sunset Ridge Woods</b><br /><br /> Parts of the original channel of the Middle Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River are evident; the surrounding floodplain forest has ancient swamp white and bur oaks, and traces of the understory remain. Rich oak woodland survives on the narrow upland west of the river. Some savanna has been maintained brush-free by mowing, apparently by a neighbor. The Friends are not aware of any monitoring or stewardship, aside from the annual river clean-up.</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuOrF2eebRapbdHo8IhKNtkGYoAifRZtjkZlzAGplTIEoi1PzGgktKi1Xw0eW5xSeQTrIETs3KVxfAlLDXZIhUzmNXArnjK7b9s7Re_pFGralD3uBgD6yY7DRct7QNYNgFl8J41xg_4mpWSibU72vOHO532LVjdVQGfcZWdQ8AqVK43QJ1g/s3264/downed%20giant%20w%20buckthorn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuOrF2eebRapbdHo8IhKNtkGYoAifRZtjkZlzAGplTIEoi1PzGgktKi1Xw0eW5xSeQTrIETs3KVxfAlLDXZIhUzmNXArnjK7b9s7Re_pFGralD3uBgD6yY7DRct7QNYNgFl8J41xg_4mpWSibU72vOHO532LVjdVQGfcZWdQ8AqVK43QJ1g/w640-h480/downed%20giant%20w%20buckthorn.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">In parts of Somme Woods the old bur and white oaks are dying,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">and the only young trees in the understory are buckthorns.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jJtVc8Z7VAL5Vzp0wWMp9d-bpybj1_E5I4bi6NfYVJSR4RlvoccOga_mGNTTZW_kWJQWoX1JRhz6QDGhadHKHjgFtSqboI_T1sqvjFHL8f4LSvcwBFZac6utw9IRO8dYnsG4B3BnE0moQ4Hd6YAuV28tOIVyavfnH12qE0-qGTVDvKx1QQ/s5760/EC6A3642copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jJtVc8Z7VAL5Vzp0wWMp9d-bpybj1_E5I4bi6NfYVJSR4RlvoccOga_mGNTTZW_kWJQWoX1JRhz6QDGhadHKHjgFtSqboI_T1sqvjFHL8f4LSvcwBFZac6utw9IRO8dYnsG4B3BnE0moQ4Hd6YAuV28tOIVyavfnH12qE0-qGTVDvKx1QQ/w640-h428/EC6A3642copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oak woodland restoration consists of brush control, seeding, and occasional controlled burns. </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEv-1HrpflWLY9gTSfQ2ldr0zYpE4g4IgDyeAppixJ5UYo3owL_uo1WwaROglcURoXWeb-2n87N6GfwdkbYVN5Ao73j8lqXAlMsMKcCf5cHs2slz-DaO1JJv5hth2LU5MdjlrsgZj-q4XBjKIoYuR0iA9btDHVDNIJ5wfzKktMQyg14MbQA/s3264/Eagle%20Pond%20veg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEv-1HrpflWLY9gTSfQ2ldr0zYpE4g4IgDyeAppixJ5UYo3owL_uo1WwaROglcURoXWeb-2n87N6GfwdkbYVN5Ao73j8lqXAlMsMKcCf5cHs2slz-DaO1JJv5hth2LU5MdjlrsgZj-q4XBjKIoYuR0iA9btDHVDNIJ5wfzKktMQyg14MbQA/w640-h480/Eagle%20Pond%20veg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">With restoration we see the return of diverse flora, wildlife, and oak reproduction.</div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;">References</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you’d like to learn more about the ecology of the Northbrook forest preserves, there are plenty of opportunities. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The best “primer” is the <b><i>Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Atlas</i></b>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">For a fine summary of conservation options for this region, see <b>Saving Nature in Your Community</b> edited by Dennis Dreher and Jason Navota. Published by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A good overall introduction to the prairie is </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Where the Sky Began </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">by John Madson (Houghton Mifflin).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Northbrook forest preserves are featured in </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Miracle Under the Oaks </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">by New York Times science writer William K. Stevens (Pocket Books). As a special bonus, it contains descriptions and maps of the restoration at Somme Prairie Grove forest preserves. This book covers the early decades of the new discipline of ecological restoration, with the restoration of preserves along the North Branch as a focus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For a technical introduction to restoration, consult the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Tallgrass Restoration Handbook: for prairies, savannas and woodlands</i></b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, edited by Stephen Packard and Cornelia Mutel (Island Press).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An overall summary of the conservation priorities of the Chicago region (including a description of the region’s ecosystems) can be found in the Biodiversity Recovery Plan of the Chicago Region Biodiversity Council at </span><a href="http://www.chicagowild.org/" style="font-family: inherit;">www.chiwild.org</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">The conservation of oak woodlands and savannas is summarized in the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Oak </i></b><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ecosystems Recovery Plan</i></b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, available from the U.S.Environmental Protection </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Agency available on the web at: </span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/oak/oak95/call.htm" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/oak/oak95/call.htm</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Other good materials on the web include <b><i>Endangered Ecosystems of the United<br />States</i></b> at <a href="http://biology.usgs.gov/pubs/ecosys.htm">http://biology.usgs.gov/pubs/ecosys.htm</a> and the <b><i>Report of the<br />Status of and Restoration Efforts in Oak-Dopminated Communities in DuPage<br />County</i></b> at <a href="http://dupageforest.com/EDUCATION/oak_research.html">http://dupageforest.com/EDUCATION/oak_research.html</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Fourth Year Report</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> was assembled by us Friends volunteers including Linda Masters, Jay Risk, Stephen Packard, and Donna Hochberg with generous editing support by Northbrook village trustee (and later Village President) Sandy Frum.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-15160222714205291082022-11-13T09:47:00.014-08:002022-11-18T07:12:30.380-08:00 Sitting Still (listening and watching) in Somme Woods ...<p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></b><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">... for three hours and nineteen minutes</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></b><b style="text-align: left;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">What I heard and saw from 1:15 to 4:34 pm on November 10, 2022</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">I’ve often wanted to do this. I’m curious. What happens if I sink quietly into the background? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Usually I don’t have the patience. There’s some important mission calling: gather rare seed … or pull an evil weed patch. But today at 1:15 pm, I sit down quietly, partly to relax and recuperate. An injured knee protests walking. But it limped me into the edge of the wilds carrying a light lawn chair. I brought a book to read and settled in. More such details (and a few photos) at the end. But here's the data:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">1:17. Downy woodpecker calls.<br /><br />1:24. A goldfinch calls, just flying over.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />1:40. Red-bellied woodpecker calls. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">1:41. Far away, barely visible, a woodpecker flies by, appears to be downy or hairy.<br /><br />1:42. Robin calls.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">1:45. Downy woodpecker calls. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">1:46. Ten-point buck deer walks by, perhaps 50 yards away. Eats plant tops as he walks. Oh, now followed by a doe. Oh, now she's followed by another big ten-point buck.<br /><br />1:56. Red-bellied woodpecker lands 30 feet to my right.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">2:01. I notice the doe again, far away, running slowly and peacefully, with buck running slowly after.<br /><br />2:03. Downy calls twice.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />2:05. Junco sings its pretty twitter call in the distance. <br /><br />2:06. Red-bellied woodpecker lands 15 feet to my left, pokes at tree with bill. <br /><br />2:09. Yellow jacket hunting in vegetation 2 feet away (the only insect I see today).<br /><br />2:11. Hairy woodpecker calls behind me, then lands in dead oak 20 feet to my left and stays for a while, pecking. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">2:16. Junco sings, this time right behind me.<br /><br />2:21. Spring peeper calls repeatedly.<br /><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">2:46. Red-tailed hawk flies over. <br /><br />2:55. Red bellied woodpecker lands in tree about 100 yards away. (To identify it, I finally have a use for the binoculars I brought.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">3:11. Another large buck walks by, a bit more distant, but apparently heading where the other three headed.<br /><br />3:24. Unidentified woodpecker tapping somewhere nearby, invisible to me.<br /><br />3:25. Junco sings again. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">3:37. Downy calls twice in the distance.<br /><br />3:38. Pileated woodpecker calls. Then lands on tree in distance. I don’t see it fly away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">3:39. Two crows fly over, silently.<br /><br />3:42. Another pileated woodpecker calls, this time behind me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">3:43. White-breasted nuthatch calls.<br /><br />3:55. Gray squirrel. Seems curious? Comes to within 6 feet. But perhaps just relaxed and on the way to somewhere: it is traveling on the easy highway of downed logs. It does stop and study me a couple of times. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">4:08 Red-bellied woodpecker calls.<br /><br />4:34. Official sunset – and official closing time for the preserve parking lot. Time for me to go. </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">What and Why<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br />I’m resting up because I have important work to do on Saturday. Interviewing six candidates for the Field Rep job that Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves hopes to fill. The interview is with six finalist candidates – during exploratory hikes through two needy preserves. I want to be in good enough shape to walk. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">High temperature of 75° today – scandalously warm for this time of year but certainly pleasant, if I forget about what that warmth implies. Perhaps the unusual warmth inspired the junco to sing a song more typical of spring - and inspired those late-singing frogs. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br />The book I read is <i>An Immense World</i> by Ed Yong. By mistake. I grabbed the wrong book. Meant to read <i>The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World</i> by Andrea Wulf. But they’re both good. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">My time is divided this way: I read a few paragraphs wearing my close-up glasses. Then change to distance glasses and look around. Then change back and read more. So far as animals are concerned, I see rather few in these three hours and nineteen minutes: fourteen individual animals of nine species (one mammal, one insect, and seven bird species). In contrast to my glasses-needing eyes, my ears function the whole time. Since I’m partly relaxing, I record only the highlights. The nineteen animal calls (from eleven species … ten birds … and one frog) </span> – if I recorded every little cheep – would add up to three or four times that many. I record just the first two or three from each species – and a few other repeats when I feel like it, mostly when I’m in the mood to put the book down. The most frequent calls are from downies, red-bellies, peepers, and goldfinches. For appreciating birds, I strongly recommend learning to “bird by ear.” Thanks to the sounds, we can feel wide diversity all around us whenever we walk or read outside or gather seeds or whatever. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Today I’m less aware of vegetation. Plants don’t wander by or fill my ears. But I do jot down what’s with me where I sit – toward the top of a slight slope. The herb vegetation close by includes: Joe Pye weed. Virginia rye grass. Forked aster. Blue-stemmed goldenrod. Tall goldenrod. Wood reed. Sweet black-eyed Susan. Golden Alexanders. Hairy aster. And bottle-brush grass. It’s a young restoration, with conservative species slowly increasing. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The few leaves remaining on the trees fall continually the whole time. Tree species at this spot are mostly red oaks with some hickories and basswood. All are fairly young pole trees. The old trees in this area are more meaningful: bur, white, and swamp white oak – not the skinny pole trees of fire-starved woodland – but with large, spreading limbs. The rare, natural, biodiversity-filled oak woodland we’re working to restore here will someday have these stately trees back in the driver’s seat. Well, I suppose, despite the oak’s “keystone” status, I should credit the grasses and flowers and animals and fire also with being in the driver’s seat. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><b>Seasonality of sounds</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">It impressed me greatly how sparse the sounds were. Minutes would go by without a peep. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Summer listening is so very different. Insects and especially birds whoop it up mightily. At this spot, it would have been vastly more work (more fun?) to write them down. Three hours would have required many pages. The indigo buntings would be singing multiple times per minute, as would the red-eyed vireos and wood pewees. Beyond the four resident woodpeckers I mostly heard today, I'd be hearing flickers and red-headed woodpeckers along with great crested flycatchers, scarlet tanagers, wood ducks, soras, and others. I'd also be hearing blue jays and chickadees, which have not headed for the Amazon, but do mostly spend their winter time around the bird feeders of nearby suburbs. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Birdwise, most of this ecosystem spends the winter by the Gulf of Mexico or in Central America or the Amazon. Rich symphonies of katydids, crickets, cicadas, grasshoppers, and humming bees retreat into cocoons, hibernation, or eggs, silent now. Active winter inhabitants include a few warmer-blooded birds, coyotes, deer, squirrels, humans, and a few more. But for the richness of this ecosystem, there's a rhythm, and we're now in a phase that in many ways</span> is analogous to sleep. It's good, wonderful, and part of what makes temperate ecosystems as productive as they are. Partially suspended animation - and I like it. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpjkkkZebc4598Jyqq26K8gXs1qos1aWlxA4ZBXCdW-ftDPe3vM1Hr8t7Vz9iNtz7miWlwRMnVB4gWB0zEbKgkj8N0pxEKRCIMvliaCZbFVNhZs5-RKskkauJeL_HBZ9bpVkIU3ZaHf8xCt8eRwRVbE48K7JDozq2CFOcRYp1SudXMgQt-w/s4032/Quietly%20Reading_0831.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpjkkkZebc4598Jyqq26K8gXs1qos1aWlxA4ZBXCdW-ftDPe3vM1Hr8t7Vz9iNtz7miWlwRMnVB4gWB0zEbKgkj8N0pxEKRCIMvliaCZbFVNhZs5-RKskkauJeL_HBZ9bpVkIU3ZaHf8xCt8eRwRVbE48K7JDozq2CFOcRYp1SudXMgQt-w/w640-h480/Quietly%20Reading_0831.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The scene is nothing special. Just Somme Woods from where I sat, read, listened, and watched. The diverse plants named above are in this photo, if not shown very clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqZtstYyUxkrg3uRsllQrEMvjpxrRo7UNzedfNifG5V1ZACNuIG2bikbp9UyyyR_fhRLio1Ksao4oNtG1VauYmkLgpRcyTobjsDHFz5ae5KXAM_QSFQ4_1RG2ciBAGgxgrc6UU3l5slbEbN7mOEgMdEK8CHuc_UztdzhArB16AlUW_GCoMQ/s644/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.33.23%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="644" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqZtstYyUxkrg3uRsllQrEMvjpxrRo7UNzedfNifG5V1ZACNuIG2bikbp9UyyyR_fhRLio1Ksao4oNtG1VauYmkLgpRcyTobjsDHFz5ae5KXAM_QSFQ4_1RG2ciBAGgxgrc6UU3l5slbEbN7mOEgMdEK8CHuc_UztdzhArB16AlUW_GCoMQ/w640-h392/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.33.23%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Downy woodpecker – its calls are the commonest sound in this woods in winter. A single syllable. Sibley’s bird guide has it as “a short, gentle, flat <i>pik</i>” (as opposed to the hairy woodpecker’s “<i>peek</i> … sharper, stronger, and higher than Downy.” Telling them apart takes some practice. </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">There’s also a Somme post about <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2022/01/love-among-woodpeckers.html">Love Among The Downies</a>. </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Photo credit: Kelly Colgan-Azar</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE4Jz83KIxVhOQgMgwuePbKz2dNidLueCmNfJAE0oSzDkvbwYr9yBGP4DW8YPB8YsR_L2YYC2rWrlRkL0uLysnmELKCYkDW-6pV82AGBSLIlqOkjlNvhQRe2vBlQq0R-qhkXopaQS9h2ldIaNX4Yc7yoapn8WwLfL_7n-bD1oprdVVJ93RA/s989/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.29.19%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="989" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE4Jz83KIxVhOQgMgwuePbKz2dNidLueCmNfJAE0oSzDkvbwYr9yBGP4DW8YPB8YsR_L2YYC2rWrlRkL0uLysnmELKCYkDW-6pV82AGBSLIlqOkjlNvhQRe2vBlQq0R-qhkXopaQS9h2ldIaNX4Yc7yoapn8WwLfL_7n-bD1oprdVVJ93RA/w640-h496/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.29.19%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Blue-stemmed goldenrod. What it looked like in bloom. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Being in touch with wildflowers in winter guise is a bit like being in touch with birds by sound only. Your mind fills in the color.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4a8rEa3uAQCM_qXiR_Hg7dUKjZdKZRi7bU5Z-MelN15nyTdRxtXnv9bAtdMWTj2nuh3Xr87_uL8C5Bifvw3-8607o3bytMGX_L0hWXZTQCGxYjFehH7grDhyPFluP410R6nCnPS-3juJDBuyMH7DL9nlLrLxS-zX0ZniL3yIIOSDtqGXQcg/s514/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.43.43%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="514" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4a8rEa3uAQCM_qXiR_Hg7dUKjZdKZRi7bU5Z-MelN15nyTdRxtXnv9bAtdMWTj2nuh3Xr87_uL8C5Bifvw3-8607o3bytMGX_L0hWXZTQCGxYjFehH7grDhyPFluP410R6nCnPS-3juJDBuyMH7DL9nlLrLxS-zX0ZniL3yIIOSDtqGXQcg/w640-h506/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.43.43%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><div style="text-align: center;">The spring peeper is a tiny frog with a big voice. In March as soon as the ice melts from the Somme ponds, large numbers of these little fellows make enough symphony to drown out airplanes and traffic. In fall, individuals may call on warm days anywhere in the woods. Perhaps they’re thinking about spring. <span style="text-align: left;">Photo credit: Mike Dunn</span></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcEU20XFgY6oz2thjyH1ppkBNEdYICnp-7dPDi3aDCrWfZb9v05jbxKk4PPxEQUSj-2cGX-vUWv7P1bYLN9tzRwCjJJnpnO0H-HRwOl4MPohqgq8RmLPY04NUiqUykaQPhW6V7IFWS2PLsTxBZhUlTSVBB_ZFXRA4Yncw7iHXXrl0vOCY2Q/s903/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.39.18%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="903" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcEU20XFgY6oz2thjyH1ppkBNEdYICnp-7dPDi3aDCrWfZb9v05jbxKk4PPxEQUSj-2cGX-vUWv7P1bYLN9tzRwCjJJnpnO0H-HRwOl4MPohqgq8RmLPY04NUiqUykaQPhW6V7IFWS2PLsTxBZhUlTSVBB_ZFXRA4Yncw7iHXXrl0vOCY2Q/w640-h560/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-13%20at%2010.39.18%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The impressive Pileated - a</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> dramatic crow-sized woodpecker. For our first thirty years, we never saw a single pileated woodpecker in Somme Woods. <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2019/05/big-new-bird-comes-to-somme-woods.html)">An individual showed up in 2019</a> </span><a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2019/05/big-new-bird-comes-to-somme-woods.html)%20-" style="color: #954f72; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> –</a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">possibly in response to good restoration work.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Photo-credit: r/birding.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The pileated also has a bit-part role in our <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2021/07/2021-big-bird-year.html">Big Bird Year</a> post.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">In 2022 for the first time we started seeing a pair of pileateds. John Paterson observed them going in and out of a nest hole. But we never saw chicks. Some day? We can’t deny that we feel honored by their glorious presence. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Sibley describes the call of the pileated as “a loud, deep, resonant <i>kuk</i>.” Really? How much help is that?! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">A great aid to learning bird calls is the new Cornell <a href="https://birdnet.cornell.edu/">BirdNET</a> app. You just turn it on when you hear a</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">bird </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">calling, and it tells you the species. Fun and truly educational. Forget</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><i>kuk</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">We Somme stewards like to share what we're learning and invite everyone to <a href="https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/somme-preserves/">be a human member of this ecological community</a>. For volunteer dates check out our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sommewoodscommunity">Facebook page</a>. We share on the Internet and in person. More and more of us being in touch with nature is good for people and for the planet.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><b>Acknowledgement </b><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Thanks to Eriko Kojima and Kathy Garness for helpful proofing and edits. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><br /></span></p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-34489157303326129832022-09-14T11:47:00.009-07:002023-08-30T06:07:30.780-07:00Preying Mantis - to kill or not to kill<p>"Tiffany is a bad-ass. She noticed a preying mantis and tore its head off."</p><p>We were gathering seeds for restoration at a Nature Preserve. One of us had conferred for a while with Tiffany, the site's Director of Land Management, and returned to our seeds group with the unexpected report. </p><p>The large preying mantises that we often see are from China. We could call them an "invasive" or possibly a "naturalized" species. Tiffany (name changed to protect the possibly innocent) was reducing numbers of this predator to help conserve rare invertebrates in this preserve.</p><p>I've watched them for years - with awe, appreciation, and a bit of unease. I've seen them in preserves and especially common in my yard, which is devoted to raising rare seed for ecological restoration. Of course, the dense rare flowers attract pollinators, which seem to attract mantises. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVo0eM9479Ai6OLAicce1zpNO9sQ76tzaBvNp9z7mgHjnTZ0hvFMNIuAhfC9GqSaIsF9lsKKeb6zLVRLAu-jyrx9RMiR1vQ_DDg1y2D3ErfgXbnO14f6qnwsBaRf6EStVDUy_yuyR9Ot6oCiaw8888LNZQf4DPvGidDn9zJNGVAY2COm3OQ/s2960/monarch%20wings_0586.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2960" data-original-width="2653" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVo0eM9479Ai6OLAicce1zpNO9sQ76tzaBvNp9z7mgHjnTZ0hvFMNIuAhfC9GqSaIsF9lsKKeb6zLVRLAu-jyrx9RMiR1vQ_DDg1y2D3ErfgXbnO14f6qnwsBaRf6EStVDUy_yuyR9Ot6oCiaw8888LNZQf4DPvGidDn9zJNGVAY2COm3OQ/w576-h640/monarch%20wings_0586.jpeg" width="576" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">This photo includes at least seven monarch wings. Above them was a preying mantis, busily hunting for more from its perch on a rare wildflower. </p><p style="text-align: left;">From time to time I had noticed suspicious monarch wings in the grass. And mantises on the flowers. My practice had been to respectfully maneuver the mantis onto a stick and transfer it to some other plant.</p><p style="text-align: left;">But today, I thought about Tiffany. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCg1v3l5qUhKQQUARoGe1RMj8SK-szJffK2MtSQzcLnk-_SiEii4nX_FLh3PYFas76QF6Ik4XVyJtDhrxeGMjmLSNrExaM7PSgrdXCQl76MNAYFLEjC-UU_Gzq8TAfx2vFFvtQ9OEd7jOsubj_m6uiuxne-3htvsS2mhAEni-iUT5k13hMlA/s4032/monarch%20on%20Lia%20sca_0542.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCg1v3l5qUhKQQUARoGe1RMj8SK-szJffK2MtSQzcLnk-_SiEii4nX_FLh3PYFas76QF6Ik4XVyJtDhrxeGMjmLSNrExaM7PSgrdXCQl76MNAYFLEjC-UU_Gzq8TAfx2vFFvtQ9OEd7jOsubj_m6uiuxne-3htvsS2mhAEni-iUT5k13hMlA/w640-h480/monarch%20on%20Lia%20sca_0542.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Monarch butterfly on the (formerly) Threatened plant species, savanna blazing star</div><p style="text-align: left;">This time of year, monarchs especially flock to our savanna blazing stars (<i>Liatris scariosa</i>), a Threatened species in Illinois, at least until efforts like ours raised its status to the inspiring category: "formerly Threatened." Sometimes ten or a dozen monarchs mob the plants at once. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Increasingly, these same plants attract mantises, like the two below, busily reproducing their kind:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiALIC6cpFh_tG6FZKrSqscvqo9wbsVwc8-mbv7vfC3Ku9fQyNZPd5-7BLHJwH2VxiUyuwi3VqutKSgszm2WJt42uZwWN5yKdx5F5FtvszyQvyn-7W1GzFaJPC59tz0942x2cVurqO8zteas-jC9rRHeDsP8d3hSwoygUymqdVJ7mZV5wAvQ/s4032/mating%20mantises_0570.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiALIC6cpFh_tG6FZKrSqscvqo9wbsVwc8-mbv7vfC3Ku9fQyNZPd5-7BLHJwH2VxiUyuwi3VqutKSgszm2WJt42uZwWN5yKdx5F5FtvszyQvyn-7W1GzFaJPC59tz0942x2cVurqO8zteas-jC9rRHeDsP8d3hSwoygUymqdVJ7mZV5wAvQ/w480-h640/mating%20mantises_0570.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">It would seem rude or worse to interrupt, don't you think? </p><p style="text-align: left;">And yet, below is the one I saw today ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MUhrcSR3BFgn6eaEfuurc1qE_1un4PC_6lRoZPJxs5-IRckGbVl2qHAmwXV_FR9bMGTk_KAEVbVguCWDQqhuA8OE-_THpMGdGiIJYkn3lD_9n01Gc6lO0odGzDfMXlQx8ZSRixiM3AmFxEushxUQ6e-s7K5BKZ7Ab0GMoqSTvGBzDY67Ng/s4032/mantis%20on%20Lia%20sca_0587.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MUhrcSR3BFgn6eaEfuurc1qE_1un4PC_6lRoZPJxs5-IRckGbVl2qHAmwXV_FR9bMGTk_KAEVbVguCWDQqhuA8OE-_THpMGdGiIJYkn3lD_9n01Gc6lO0odGzDfMXlQx8ZSRixiM3AmFxEushxUQ6e-s7K5BKZ7Ab0GMoqSTvGBzDY67Ng/w480-h640/mantis%20on%20Lia%20sca_0587.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>... the one above the scattered monarch wings, at a time when I was still considering the example set by Tiffany.<div><br /><div>J.R.R. Tolkien wrote: </div><div>"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement." </div><p>I have to admit that I consider mantises to be miracles of evolution and deserving of respect and kindness. At least sometimes. As a steward, I kill buckthorn and sometimes even maple, to restore a rare oak savanna habitat. All trees deserve some level of respect, but, after thinking twice about it, we kill some to save other (threatened) life.</p><p>I'll also admit that my emotional and ethical self thinks - not just twice - but three or four times about killing animals. Yet I do squash mosquitoes and cockroaches. Conservation land managers "cull" or kill overpopulated deer, which is an important thing to do in the absence of other predators. </p><p>In my yard yesterday, inspired or corrupted by Tiffany, I tried to pull off the head of the above mantis. Instead, it's body broke in two at the waist, which all the same had the same effect. As below: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ileani-x2tYX8IsULrEMOfkEpiw8aPzDecPK2U6OrgcJUBW_q2gAytW77knz0fn4EbozIzkXUD1qABlbTEblZyrCokuiGflRtgz_zRiH_D1quqUeeuk9s94YopCjg_KQt8tQYBq0ph_Cwigs1rctT48C_3C-frhiszYhSJPbyDXiv4InVA/s2839/wings%20and%20mantis%20body_0588.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2839" data-original-width="2531" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ileani-x2tYX8IsULrEMOfkEpiw8aPzDecPK2U6OrgcJUBW_q2gAytW77knz0fn4EbozIzkXUD1qABlbTEblZyrCokuiGflRtgz_zRiH_D1quqUeeuk9s94YopCjg_KQt8tQYBq0ph_Cwigs1rctT48C_3C-frhiszYhSJPbyDXiv4InVA/w570-h640/wings%20and%20mantis%20body_0588.jpeg" width="570" /></a></div>Or to show half of its remains even more starkly:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLCvz9BH-LhGuqHeJp1uRikjqIebLEoFZVGMVmWJPSsf8E8wBOceCM3eM0Fe2siRLK6AuT99FnxCg4JMvf3wfKi1sHdiKGzm63AWlG4XbANdwjZNzi1reEmehqfJwwt5b-YJ9TeDVYnNiA1FqW50GCPMqmRYeV3H3f3SJ-PKIHUqtbQtQfg/s1194/mantis%20upper%20body_0589.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1194" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLCvz9BH-LhGuqHeJp1uRikjqIebLEoFZVGMVmWJPSsf8E8wBOceCM3eM0Fe2siRLK6AuT99FnxCg4JMvf3wfKi1sHdiKGzm63AWlG4XbANdwjZNzi1reEmehqfJwwt5b-YJ9TeDVYnNiA1FqW50GCPMqmRYeV3H3f3SJ-PKIHUqtbQtQfg/w640-h614/mantis%20upper%20body_0589.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>It meant no harm. Predators are not an evil. They are much-needed regulators that keep other species from malignant over-population. <div><br /></div><div>But how about alien or <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2014/10/weed-alien-invasive-malignant.html">malignant</a> predators? Do some of them deserve extreme prejudice? Gardeners and farmers sometimes buy and distribute mantises as non-chemical insect control. It makes sense to develop methods of pest control that don't depend on dangerous chemicals. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do agencies have protocols or policies on this kind of thing? I felt I could get away with being the predator on this one in my yard, especially considering the circumstances. But what about in the forest preserve where I'm a steward? I asked one person who said, absolutely not: No volunteer is authorized to kill any animal. But, I wondered, what about wood ticks and deer ticks? I kill them when I find them. My friend Sai Ramakrishna found one that had travelled home with him and brought it back to the preserve, not wanting to abandon it in some possibly lethal habitat. He respects their lives in ways that I apparently don't. Perhaps some people could help develop improved ethical principles to help balance out the goods and evils here? </div><div><br /></div><div>As with many questions, we may be in the early stages of figuring this one out. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Kristen Frentzel of the Brandywine Conservancy thoughtfully recommends trashing Chinese mantis egg masses <a href="https://www.brandywine.org/conservancy/blog/preying-invasive-mantis-egg-masses">here</a>. She states that the big Chinese mantises have diminished numbers of the smaller, native Carolina mantis. The egg masses of the two species are easy to tell apart. I've only ever seen one Carolina mantis egg mass, despite seeing at least hundreds of Chinese mantis egg masses. Of course, I haven't looked seriously. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the Carolina mantis played an important role in our ecosystems - and perhaps the Chinese mantis plays a destabilizing one? Or perhaps like the European earthworm and fragmentation it's just a fact of life? </div><div><br /></div><div>It sure would be interesting if someone were to study the overall impacts of reducing Chinese mantis populations, although it would be insanely difficult. <br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-8980861998789801942022-08-23T08:38:00.005-07:002023-09-11T05:37:48.248-07:00Minor Adventure With A Deer<p>When animals seem "friendly" or "curious" - it's hard for us not to wonder if we're having meaningful relationship. </p><p>I had been scything "thugs" - aggressive plants - that can derail the recovery of biodiversity. It's complicated; let's forget that part for now.</p><p>To put it differently, I was working quietly in the ecosystem, chopping down some plants while protecting other dense, beautiful vegetation. The work is compelling and meditative in a fun, relaxing kind of way. Looking up to check a sound, I'm face to face with a young deer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLo8R60tYcONBtsphUxZYmz1gfa4dLBnAuPgIs4r8TFHUK-sTxk92ltfnpQcbOJjCw-9V3FmvNVPBhQwZt_fpg5vwthtoA_It8UMDf9DQrJFj44NJdE_f9MV9o-S9zg9ejUOu577l2OpFbF_jLc4T_Fnot3sfDKnUAUfsf2oxtbWhOjXvSA/s4032/IMG_0476.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLo8R60tYcONBtsphUxZYmz1gfa4dLBnAuPgIs4r8TFHUK-sTxk92ltfnpQcbOJjCw-9V3FmvNVPBhQwZt_fpg5vwthtoA_It8UMDf9DQrJFj44NJdE_f9MV9o-S9zg9ejUOu577l2OpFbF_jLc4T_Fnot3sfDKnUAUfsf2oxtbWhOjXvSA/w640-h480/IMG_0476.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>She was about 10 feet away. Why so close? Whatever, many deer treat us in this comfortable way, when we're focused on something else. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQlG8XQ1rmHbpdtd7SEUsNE5yMVjSQB9pO31y8oP_EseilnUjUKgaNhZPla5PujK1IJkCle8Tk46vsf39rQ7fNNBmDdZ7fuUsO0POXfNM4vRQBZuIw1kAbNd_Q-fFZbWvINMkqcrmRfo-eitYmO_4HZ8TPbBIeAIrIq8wXvESXsgwLayP6w/s4032/IMG_0477.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQlG8XQ1rmHbpdtd7SEUsNE5yMVjSQB9pO31y8oP_EseilnUjUKgaNhZPla5PujK1IJkCle8Tk46vsf39rQ7fNNBmDdZ7fuUsO0POXfNM4vRQBZuIw1kAbNd_Q-fFZbWvINMkqcrmRfo-eitYmO_4HZ8TPbBIeAIrIq8wXvESXsgwLayP6w/w640-h480/IMG_0477.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>I sometimes talk with deer as they approach. Not that I think they understand my words, but it seems neighborly to speak in a calm and lighthearted way, and I suppose my words become meditative thinking on another level. <div><br /></div><div>In this case I said, "Well, thanks for joining me. I suppose you focus so much on these plants that you can't help wonder what I'm doing with them." She kept moving, but not getting closer or farther away. "Are you going to walk a circle around me?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZazNSPNotKLuFWzwvrHIXSN-nHMDktRkG0QCKbsOJqgheqTZ4zal807bXIssKK8siHd1Dn5lXUX7NG4w9qlNBejXLKwAYPTVq8tdMY62GNsY2DBtEg7QqUq-TdpyTlM8EypfP_F7dQc1UfwLxGnA7osvTGHYGarK2hnZ4UnQavq5_VdV-TA/s4032/IMG_0478.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZazNSPNotKLuFWzwvrHIXSN-nHMDktRkG0QCKbsOJqgheqTZ4zal807bXIssKK8siHd1Dn5lXUX7NG4w9qlNBejXLKwAYPTVq8tdMY62GNsY2DBtEg7QqUq-TdpyTlM8EypfP_F7dQc1UfwLxGnA7osvTGHYGarK2hnZ4UnQavq5_VdV-TA/w640-h480/IMG_0478.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>Indeed, she did walk a circle around me. I went back to work. She ate as she walked. <div><br /></div><div>I meditated out loud that we were in this together: "You'd be happy if you understood what I'm doing. Without so-called 'stewardship' - this open oak woods would soon be dense with tall goldenrod and the other thugs, none of which you like to eat." It's true. She can't eat most of that we cull. Thuggish plants tend to be toxic to her. So we're on the same side, in that sense.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqTmoTCeT7XiVpSGqpIpOdlw0MOoHIHzVQzs3wERmngER9QJ3ENT0pSTLbxyuRPEt-D_7guKWnw4V36WCD81xqfCwMoiNBByXtYqgf_stlvDaBQisBsSTsu2nzVkRLZm8usxL4bLRxZBmkfOxQsM3uN_pfEfJszyO_jRDiH4JCHtqeYROLQ/s4032/IMG_0480.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqTmoTCeT7XiVpSGqpIpOdlw0MOoHIHzVQzs3wERmngER9QJ3ENT0pSTLbxyuRPEt-D_7guKWnw4V36WCD81xqfCwMoiNBByXtYqgf_stlvDaBQisBsSTsu2nzVkRLZm8usxL4bLRxZBmkfOxQsM3uN_pfEfJszyO_jRDiH4JCHtqeYROLQ/w640-h480/IMG_0480.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>She doesn't respond verbally, but she speaks with her presence. Indeed, she completes that circle around me. Staying close. Eating and joining in the refreshing shade on this warm day. <div><br /></div><div>She's in the Shooting Star zone of Somme Woods. This area was dense buckthorn seven years ago. Little sunlight penetrated. There was little food here for deer or anything else. But rather rare and <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html">conservative</a> shooting stars survived here in large numbers. So we prioritized this area <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2021/02/woodland-bonfire-restoration-in-ten.html">to cut the brush</a> and restore the <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2019/07/faith-in-sedge-seed.html">sedges</a>, grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs that the buckthorn had shaded out. And of course, <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/03/why-fire-is-needed.html">we restored fire</a>. <br /><div><br /></div><div>The plants blooming in the photo above are sweet black-eyed Susan (yellow) and great blue lobelia, but she and I are standing among more than one hundred uncommon species that are here because we cut the buckthorn, controlled the <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2014/10/weed-alien-invasive-malignant.html">invasive</a> thugs, and <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2021/09/how-happy-do-seeds-make-us.html">planted restorative seeds</a>. She and I both feel good about this place. <br /><div><br /></div><div>If you know your plants and look hard at these photos you can also identify tall coreopsis, wood reed, Virginia rye grass, and riverbank rye. Because I know this area, I also feel in the presence of Ridell's goldenrod, willow aster, fringed gentian, gayfeather, and the Threatened species <i>Viola labradorica -</i> most of which she'll eat - not too much I hope. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpHrVFsP8M4JfydsPdXbEwSQiM7EawoprP4Wz5PugZEiaWmiwYe84NgduyfckaHuXIVuGNJjSYGbQ4f2r40br8ebbrdCdbkmqPUHCU0xOZzgcg281-La65DER1l0iSU1JWUi-rma0K4eSRxEkGsTQmRb57eo9iEAEUG4BxIzqifS50T7CYA/s4032/IMG_0481.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpHrVFsP8M4JfydsPdXbEwSQiM7EawoprP4Wz5PugZEiaWmiwYe84NgduyfckaHuXIVuGNJjSYGbQ4f2r40br8ebbrdCdbkmqPUHCU0xOZzgcg281-La65DER1l0iSU1JWUi-rma0K4eSRxEkGsTQmRb57eo9iEAEUG4BxIzqifS50T7CYA/w640-h480/IMG_0481.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>By this last photo, the doe has traveled a circle and a half around me. It's been good. But I've finished my work in this spot and drift away, finding more thugs to scythe. At some point I notice that she's gone. It's an experience to wonder about. Wild nature is like this. <br /> <div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-25193127354785700012022-08-12T10:22:00.007-07:002022-08-15T10:10:50.135-07:00 What Did Trees Look Like? (and Woods for that matter)<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our trees. The trees of the tallgrass heartland. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not artificial trees, but the trees of natural ecosystems. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They were trees of fire – part of a richness that's mostly gone now, but with the ecological </span>restoration<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of oak woodlands, they’re coming back. And for them to do so, it may be important for us to understand them – in part so that our sense of “successful management” doesn’t “enhance” or disfigure them in a misguided direction. (Some people complain that trees in nature don't look like trees in a park or arboretum.) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Only recently have we started burning wooded ecosystems, and their recovery is in an early stage. There were no "nature photographers" to leave us </span>model<span style="font-family: inherit;"> images. Perhaps artists who saw remnants of nature can help us learn what to look and hope for. The drawing below of a real bur oak is by Adolph Hoeffler in 1852. The tree remembers and reflects aboriginal times. Its character and history are written all over it. The lower branches were burned off long ago.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwY6fHNoW596qpRdMW-nrMfsPU-TygImBLQWno5E92yXTabed_oTZ8x9qGhHOYnLz_T4aVbS6ZSe9ybfkeHi5XPaugIG0U4YpGBxyXFJ0AEBG7Kfz-2fqRRG4WqYxwv-D952aAFgfQXHdmeLQ4sO3pDAKFzGK1zR8HL8PKJ7PxsN-Vppp1Fg/s3186/Hoeffler%20oak%20drawing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2049" data-original-width="3186" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwY6fHNoW596qpRdMW-nrMfsPU-TygImBLQWno5E92yXTabed_oTZ8x9qGhHOYnLz_T4aVbS6ZSe9ybfkeHi5XPaugIG0U4YpGBxyXFJ0AEBG7Kfz-2fqRRG4WqYxwv-D952aAFgfQXHdmeLQ4sO3pDAKFzGK1zR8HL8PKJ7PxsN-Vppp1Fg/w640-h412/Hoeffler%20oak%20drawing.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Notice that, even with a sensitive artist like Hoeffler, the twenty or so other trees in the drawing get increasingly ill-defined as they recede into the distance. They become closer to “standard trees” – as a kid would draw.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hoeffler’s real tree was clearly a savanna tree. Oak woodland trees were probably somewhat different, though also dependent on fire for their nature. It stirs our minds to look at the renderings of ancient real trees. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One early painter of the Native American landscape was George Catlin. He actually lived for years among the tribes and nations to record their likenesses and ways. He never really drew a tree, but he documented the landscape. In the 1832 painting below …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDLa4roaL7yCbGDKOXc9bOx0lC34HJx5xyXlOBbTCGMR2FqbP0IYSod6GmmLfdS-dBxbUmIIWUllfpq-dJ2XkM7vPc5Gt42OJvqhoVPJpeWIOF_SXUMCTnkkmaiDlAsz_ZhiZmY95_NFWURWuWh0kvysVR5rJVPCiv1ikDLOfUt-VHp-BuA/s3826/Catlin%20shoot_0337.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2948" data-original-width="3826" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDLa4roaL7yCbGDKOXc9bOx0lC34HJx5xyXlOBbTCGMR2FqbP0IYSod6GmmLfdS-dBxbUmIIWUllfpq-dJ2XkM7vPc5Gt42OJvqhoVPJpeWIOF_SXUMCTnkkmaiDlAsz_ZhiZmY95_NFWURWuWh0kvysVR5rJVPCiv1ikDLOfUt-VHp-BuA/w640-h494/Catlin%20shoot_0337.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">… Catlin is documenting a Native American with a rifle shooting at some others. The trees do not look all that real. But the natural landscape looks thrillingly real – grassland dominating heights and slopes, scattered savanna trees here and there, little “draws” or “ravines” with varying collections of trees or shrubs, floodplain islands heavily wooded, a prairie edged by a line of trees along the right edge of the river. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In another painting, The subject is “Blackbird’s Grave” – but this time Catlin gets even more gloriously carried away by the landscape.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8ZT9J_jRNDc-C7jRCgndrwRUc0-r1UoF1lDXMp-6g05Pfn0UGNGKxgINsMChq_mzyGN2bG5-5zFs9ygvwwcqgd9slNxuClCTFs3GBCpA-BjEDE0yb9e-2Sizz5kb4o8rKONiYu2LccA4aSauptMwVc1lwTJ4IT44nie0LknrGFMtvnASoA/s4032/Catlin_0334.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8ZT9J_jRNDc-C7jRCgndrwRUc0-r1UoF1lDXMp-6g05Pfn0UGNGKxgINsMChq_mzyGN2bG5-5zFs9ygvwwcqgd9slNxuClCTFs3GBCpA-BjEDE0yb9e-2Sizz5kb4o8rKONiYu2LccA4aSauptMwVc1lwTJ4IT44nie0LknrGFMtvnASoA/w640-h480/Catlin_0334.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A detail of this painting …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_3NVCccpRCADWhh_8OOT9KjtypKfnQOx4wNRZxxQjnQg4jRpaxHO5S2irQ-VUhYmCNpzFPpEpCW-h6qqggiWoJuqg6m7wkPD-Q_xcMXWI5EHarkt8B0ADjXmGdYsDPWtd6tK-1OvMgJDQoUfFLpyFqPtyCSyFfkcClsBMy0EQmcg23LvFA/s4032/Catlin%20-%20cu_0335.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_3NVCccpRCADWhh_8OOT9KjtypKfnQOx4wNRZxxQjnQg4jRpaxHO5S2irQ-VUhYmCNpzFPpEpCW-h6qqggiWoJuqg6m7wkPD-Q_xcMXWI5EHarkt8B0ADjXmGdYsDPWtd6tK-1OvMgJDQoUfFLpyFqPtyCSyFfkcClsBMy0EQmcg23LvFA/w640-h480/Catlin%20-%20cu_0335.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">… includes a rare example of a landscape artist bothering with the flowers. Biodiversity conservationists are thrilled to see them. On this day, it seems rich biodiversity thus revealed itself in the savannas and wood edges. On some other day, the prairie likely would have been bejeweled too. Once again, the trees look wrong, with ridiculously thin trunks, but their placement on the landscape looks like nature.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The rest of this post focuses on paintings by Albert Bierstadt, from the mid 1800s: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBIQ2-3UDBOETPQbPisjUQ4qSQ2ecip6gHMxEBDFoLmMNmaWPmNZDY_Ui7fwHmMGKvTXTc4zi-obTM621woaH4gFaL2uGwPpZH0XyTqhMJvV7Ubk1KlocdyLaFjUh7JjmyOXRGARu1nzg2REVZdkcSmGQVF2gkYC2XwvVXsdQFi7ybbkTHA/s563/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.18.41%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="563" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBIQ2-3UDBOETPQbPisjUQ4qSQ2ecip6gHMxEBDFoLmMNmaWPmNZDY_Ui7fwHmMGKvTXTc4zi-obTM621woaH4gFaL2uGwPpZH0XyTqhMJvV7Ubk1KlocdyLaFjUh7JjmyOXRGARu1nzg2REVZdkcSmGQVF2gkYC2XwvVXsdQFi7ybbkTHA/w640-h436/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.18.41%20AM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here we’re in a woodland. There are few shrubs or small trees. Early travelers described such open woods as the rule in the tallgrass region. The woodland oaks were said to reproduce only sporadically.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9k3ljR8p5vGd1HfJ2daQ9gHjKffrk0dpNcZAeI1XgJ_QZaIJ8ZfWX7_C9SHJUzUykOSpjFoOz2B-I-2B0sO4Jt3L-xWvpwt1L8XpijJNWOy0qALwFzo9KYKWjuCjLgwE6-eVMp_1x3WnROy9Hm0uf8fBgoOuMQNaB7caAJ3lhfngEMd85w/s397/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.20.50%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="397" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9k3ljR8p5vGd1HfJ2daQ9gHjKffrk0dpNcZAeI1XgJ_QZaIJ8ZfWX7_C9SHJUzUykOSpjFoOz2B-I-2B0sO4Jt3L-xWvpwt1L8XpijJNWOy0qALwFzo9KYKWjuCjLgwE6-eVMp_1x3WnROy9Hm0uf8fBgoOuMQNaB7caAJ3lhfngEMd85w/w640-h442/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.20.50%20AM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prairie and savanna at the edge of a woodland. The outermost tree is dead, likely killed by fire. The next tree has all lower limbs burned off. The next four trees have lower branches re-growing. Below them is an apparent hazel ruff. For more on that, see the next painting. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbuHGXD6ocXuANYoFkyVBYee_4K7Ma6_ImUeZR5GhT5tOHqPX8allJbzJnGiGCxqrY3dIDbgF68ocg9WpvbuE2HEOuTs0DKBBZVw7NsPiNj4_LV9kH-60Nsy_JS0weRFbS4nX0ICQNcXmnzus0J-8kGBWvlE5SIR6DD48WuBogzIp-z5gfQ/s317/savanna%20tree%20and%20ruff%20detail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="317" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbuHGXD6ocXuANYoFkyVBYee_4K7Ma6_ImUeZR5GhT5tOHqPX8allJbzJnGiGCxqrY3dIDbgF68ocg9WpvbuE2HEOuTs0DKBBZVw7NsPiNj4_LV9kH-60Nsy_JS0weRFbS4nX0ICQNcXmnzus0J-8kGBWvlE5SIR6DD48WuBogzIp-z5gfQ/w640-h376/savanna%20tree%20and%20ruff%20detail.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the above detail from a larger (mostly open grassland) scene, two trees are contrasted. To the left is the classic savanna tree with just a few lower limbs. To the right is a spreading tree with a hazel ruff beneath. A “ruff” is a thicket of hazelnut shrubs that gets its name from those high, flat-topped Elizabethan collars. Every fire would burn off the hazel (which is very sensitive to fire but a champion re-sprouter). Then following a couple of years without fire, the flat-topped ruff would grow. Further to the right is another grove, without hazel. Perhaps the oak with the ruff grew in a wet depression that was often spared from fires. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next painting is from the Yosemite valley, farther west. The same fire-pruned trees are present. In this case, careful studies documented how the fire-adapted ecosystem declined during the years when the Park Service excluded fire - and how it has started to recover under prescribed burns. Changes were easy to document in this scenic scene, because it was very much photographed from the earliest days of photography. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-fcFm_UD8wGga9GLeJpxAkxq7e_Qj9bgprjuESDpMhYuJoaQrYhPBGm1FQ_KhMDrq46ZqATVolNA7J3kROIYE7KTPVkIP6rGW8TxRv6WXX6QBYUIkur5Q-h03PSxcefuiOczTttJM_WhLeQb7ZDNj_-2x76Y_MoRAt01hAUvXC3BFT5F2Q/s583/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.17.04%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="583" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-fcFm_UD8wGga9GLeJpxAkxq7e_Qj9bgprjuESDpMhYuJoaQrYhPBGm1FQ_KhMDrq46ZqATVolNA7J3kROIYE7KTPVkIP6rGW8TxRv6WXX6QBYUIkur5Q-h03PSxcefuiOczTttJM_WhLeQb7ZDNj_-2x76Y_MoRAt01hAUvXC3BFT5F2Q/w640-h266/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.17.04%20AM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bierstadt found all his wild nature well west of the Tallgrass Region, where the vast natural landscapes were already gone. But similar fires maintained similar trees. The fires in the tallgrass region could burn higher and hotter because the grasses grew higher and thicker thanks to more plentiful rain. Carefully controlled fires today mostly burn lower. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0grm-b8w_jTqZj0_bFXnU87x8Ul13iZKQz6auWn5-T9wThh_HPKhD3kUcJZhwvwLKlBx1_QQi4dOXWzPkzdoBnlWhPkl6vGuTYFCIa_86rhe5G2edkM01tiEj2McqP5CM8AZU7O3wsD4uF0CaZZ_xwnJ6Ms6QfgTwECEezqVqXFZVOo0fA/s574/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.21.59%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="574" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0grm-b8w_jTqZj0_bFXnU87x8Ul13iZKQz6auWn5-T9wThh_HPKhD3kUcJZhwvwLKlBx1_QQi4dOXWzPkzdoBnlWhPkl6vGuTYFCIa_86rhe5G2edkM01tiEj2McqP5CM8AZU7O3wsD4uF0CaZZ_xwnJ6Ms6QfgTwECEezqVqXFZVOo0fA/w640-h492/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.21.59%20AM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two grand old survivors. On the right is a tree that has recovered, and suffered, and recovered again, for centuries. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next Bierstadt painting, "The Emigrants," shows settlers heading west:</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKNSvojAB0XbEh7NJFo4aeg37wCRf4sP0rAMo_s8KQnUA2Dmdvnr4FipGc-AaK8bO0N66YIymQuVaM54ALPeZBgKi8-0QAI_Z_oFf4H8bJEIjM-APKnLBpHqEWFUrNwNesf6mELQm0EmCV6SKDG5bxP0rjZwal55VL8HIdc0m954JcBL8Vw/s1293/Emigrants%20Crossing%20the%20Plains.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1293" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKNSvojAB0XbEh7NJFo4aeg37wCRf4sP0rAMo_s8KQnUA2Dmdvnr4FipGc-AaK8bO0N66YIymQuVaM54ALPeZBgKi8-0QAI_Z_oFf4H8bJEIjM-APKnLBpHqEWFUrNwNesf6mELQm0EmCV6SKDG5bxP0rjZwal55VL8HIdc0m954JcBL8Vw/w640-h384/Emigrants%20Crossing%20the%20Plains.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The artist paid most attention to people, cattle, wagon, cliff, and sunset. But he loved real trees. The sunset sanctifies a nobility he recognized in the bones of their ecology. <br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A last painting is one that sold for $486,400 in 2005 at a Christie’s auction. Bierstadt does not compete with Andy Warhol or Jackson Pollock. His work was less about art and more about nature. We share his reverie. Very likely there were scenes much like this in the tallgrass region, even if Albert Bierstadt found his models farther west. Original nature was beautiful everywhere. In spring, much of flat Illinois was ponded. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Mw-1kVu_muMSkhtWvCnwgPmwtf3evJF39nxHayEt8x3dMMKWADJutNBZDjjNjk9UWmxOPAGdWFYKN_6msQNRGsHjw2uMu6gRjEeMnUk883FsoelxXVsQ39vCfrNH5Z4e2WXcppnipLN9crcKL2t84zHlN-F-MOhsq2VWICdG52k-9l_BIQ/s576/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.25.13%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="576" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Mw-1kVu_muMSkhtWvCnwgPmwtf3evJF39nxHayEt8x3dMMKWADJutNBZDjjNjk9UWmxOPAGdWFYKN_6msQNRGsHjw2uMu6gRjEeMnUk883FsoelxXVsQ39vCfrNH5Z4e2WXcppnipLN9crcKL2t84zHlN-F-MOhsq2VWICdG52k-9l_BIQ/w640-h456/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-06%20at%208.25.13%20AM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Those big old trees sure look like oaks. I wish we were able to visit such a place. With good restoration and conservation, some day we could. <o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Acknowledgements</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>George Catlin quit his lawyer job and hurriedly learned to paint in order to document Native American life. He began traveling and painting in 1830 in the company of William Clark (of Lewis and Clark). He went out again on his own four times between 1830 and 1836 – staying carefully beyond "the frontier," where warring between Native Americans and Euro-Americans made travel dangerous. Peaceful villages welcomed him. His documentation of </span>aboriginal<span> America is a great contribution and deserves to be better known.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Adolph Hoeffler is described on the Internet as "an itinerant artist" who came in 1848 from Germany and spent time in the American midwest and in Cuba. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Albert Bierstadt, a formally trained artist, first travelled west </span>in 1859 with a surveyor<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to paint wild scenes while they still existed. We are indebted to him. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to Christos Economou and Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </span></div><div><br /></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-46618154127481121052022-06-17T09:04:00.018-07:002022-07-19T06:06:23.631-07:00The Unexpected Discovery of a Real Oak Woodland<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I woke, as if from a dream (a bad dream). The photos and plant list suggested a far richer woodland than I’d ever seen - but for which I had long looked. It had recently been bulldozed, in part. But – more importan</span>t – <span style="font-family: inherit;">the treasure mostly still exists in this world. <a href="https://prairiebotanist.com/2020/11/24/army-lake-oak-woodland/"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Botanist Dan Carter called the site "jaw-droopingly intact."</span></a> Conservationist Eriko Kojima, on seeing it for the first time, was so blown-away she declared that she "wouldn'</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">t sleep for a week." </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oak woods had seemed dull. Compared to prairies, savannas, or fens – these days they excite few natural areas conservationists. The word biodiversity is currently hot; it invokes the tropical rain forest, the prairie white-fringed orchid, coral reefs - but not woods.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For context, let’s revisit the “discovery</span>”<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of the prairies and savannas. Prairie consciousness came only in recent decades, when John Curtis, Aldo Leopold, May Watts, Robert Betz and a few others opened our eyes. (See Endnote 1: The Re-discovery of Nature.) Now we know that original prairie remnants are extremely rare and rich. If you’ve never had the experience, it’s worth learning to identify the plants and to perceive the structure so you can truly see one. An original prairie is strikingly superior in plant and animal biodiversity to degraded remnants or restorations. We’re learning to care for and expand remnants, but a reconstruction is nothing like an original. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The discovery of the savanna was unexpected and yet more recent. Even in the 1970s, the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory essentially didn't find them, in part because they're rarer than the prairies and in part because they hadn't yet learned what to look for. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">So now for true remnant woodlands: many of us had sought them for decades. Did woods of high quality still exist? Writings by Jerry Wilhelm and others suggested that they should and perhaps do. But where were they? Can we visit and study them? And now - will the "discovery" and recognition of the<span style="font-family: inherit;"> quality of Army Lake Woodland go down in history? I hope it does. How big a discovery is it? Individual endangered species are under various circumstances variously somewhat protected by laws, regulations, and standard practices. But</span> – <span style="font-family: inherit;">rarer and more important</span> – <span style="font-family: inherit;">a very high quality woodland ecosystem is not so protected. (See Endnote 2. Learning from Army Lake.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafa2ojpw78CmNjmOs6ou1cV0sFTsj_lFllWi-rBdEy3j35EH10vXkOJ9ncqfrSWhF1iAzJRIlLvnxYE8hdVg6d_sMBzZDgayrykC2RYXW_oMuPvjEELLVnpycK_vm21rA501Ejt569tL3O_WzQ45mAB2-sqBF07xD_X1LHdywZXhZilMLXw/s712/orig%20healthy%20oak%20woodlandsavanna%20ground%20layer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafa2ojpw78CmNjmOs6ou1cV0sFTsj_lFllWi-rBdEy3j35EH10vXkOJ9ncqfrSWhF1iAzJRIlLvnxYE8hdVg6d_sMBzZDgayrykC2RYXW_oMuPvjEELLVnpycK_vm21rA501Ejt569tL3O_WzQ45mAB2-sqBF07xD_X1LHdywZXhZilMLXw/w640-h480/orig%20healthy%20oak%20woodlandsavanna%20ground%20layer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the photos that seemed impossibly rich for a woodland. Largely conservative and rare plants make up this turf, including <span style="font-family: Times; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">yellow star-grass, robin’s-plantain, </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">forked aster, wood pea, veiny pea, wood betony, low false bindweed, sky-blue aster, </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">wood rush, Penn sedge, running savanna sedge, and blue-eyed grass. <br />(2016 photo by Dan Carter)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most woodlands today, if they have any quality at all, impress people who care by their dense displays of common <i>spring</i> <i>ephemeral</i> flora. In contrast, Army Lake Woodland has dense, diverse, rare spring, summer, and fall flora that is principally <i>not ephemeral</i>. Because of grazing or excessive shade at some point, most woodlands have lost most conservative plants - especially those of summer and fall - as well as the other biota associated with them. (See Endnote 3.)</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Few heard of Dan's</span></o:p> 2016<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>discovery<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the time. Further documentation and analysis was needed. People are busy. The site was supposedly secure in the ownership of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). But then came the bulldozers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">“A gut punch ... a failure ... a hill worth dying on.”</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">I personally heard about the site in 2022 when Christos Economou sent me a link to a remarkable 2020 blog post by the perceptive Dan Carter. I didn't know the man. Later, in response to inquiries, Dan expressed two regrets: 1) as a scientist, he regretted that he wrote that post when he was emotional with anger at the destruction; 2) as a person, he wished he'd been more outspoken in defending the site from development, though it would likely have cost him his job. Many eco-experts work for public agencies, or otherwise get funded by them, or just need to cooperate with them. They speak calmly. When the damage came, it was worse than Dan or his colleagues expected. Dan called it "a gut punch." In retrospect a battle to save this woods would have been "a hill worth dying on." (See Endnote 4: Politics.)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Central to what makes a Grade A prairie remnant striking is the density and diversity of rare plants. When Dan Carter was asked to evaluate Army Lake Woodland as a potential site for a boat launch, he found a woodland as rich as a remnant prairie. (See Endnote 5. Plant Species List.) The plants are important in themselves, but they're also the best indicators of full biodiversity that includes the invertebrates, fungi, bacteria and other biota that are principally associated with true, rich remnants because those organisms rely on the plants. . <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Army Lake Woodland had a substantially more diverse and conservative woodland community than is known anywhere else in southeastern Wisconsin (perhaps anywhere in Wisconsin or northern Illinois?). So, how could it get bulldozed by a conservation agency, when that boat launch could have been put on many other spots on the shore of Army Lake? Recommendations were not followed. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Insufficient advocacy and public concern emerged. About a third of our best woodland remnant was destroyed. That's the bad part. But, again, two-thirds of this gem and quite a bit more restorable remnant still exist. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Next Steps</b> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">In the conservation of small remnants, there are typically three values and associated goals:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">1. Save, restore, and study what's there.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">2. Expand the size of the remnant, if possible, as small plant and animal populations are vulnerable.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">3. Use seed and knowledge to restore larger areas. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Save, restore, and study</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An anticipated program of restoration management is crucial, as increasing shade and invasives threaten more and more quality. The site has to date received no invasives control and no prescribed burns. WDNR staff resources are stretched thin and deserve higher appropriations. But volunteer stewards could carry a lot of the load on this small site, if properly facilitated and empowered. Needed stewardship would likely lead to additional species emerging, knowledge, and insights. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Expand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The high-quality remnant biota could be restored into poorer-quality adjacent areas. A first step that could start any time would be invasives control. Crown vetch has recently been discovered along the boat launch access road. Many dangerous invasives are there in small numbers. They should go soon. Some native species now cast damaging amounts of shade, in the absence of fire. Regular controlled burns are a must. Many managers would recommend annual burns of half or more of such a site, at least while it's in the "intensive care ward" stage. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. </span>Use seed and knowledge to restore larger areas. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Can-do management and restoration of Army Lake Woodland would benefit other nearby remnants (and needy oak woodlands throughout the midwest), in part by what could be learned here in the next few years. Also, many nearby areas would benefit from</span> seed from Army Lake, especially once it has recovered overall quality. <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbF78DMMAfb96PSyOcvSCYSTZDiPLQLDq_hl2y_SSoEcq6yAso_FGWKt7rtbUa4P3D6Q3Rg5-TYzh3APTlHjF2j2SkPwtpaP_B9egxrtD_8Mj1vxkZPDsGGBvuLnKYvKEZ6X4jjCziXRZ8fxrXc7K9AFE9IavK_AqbWV0w89VtJXO5AIqkVAaIDH7Wcg/s631/Army%20Lake%20white%20oak%20woodland.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="631" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbF78DMMAfb96PSyOcvSCYSTZDiPLQLDq_hl2y_SSoEcq6yAso_FGWKt7rtbUa4P3D6Q3Rg5-TYzh3APTlHjF2j2SkPwtpaP_B9egxrtD_8Mj1vxkZPDsGGBvuLnKYvKEZ6X4jjCziXRZ8fxrXc7K9AFE9IavK_AqbWV0w89VtJXO5AIqkVAaIDH7Wcg/w640-h482/Army%20Lake%20white%20oak%20woodland.jpg" width="640" /></a>Most of the diversity on the island survives where over-growth by brush has been limited, perhaps due to the intense competition of diverse grasses and wildflowers.<br /></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>If you’re tempted to take a look at this site, I don’t blame you. But please don’t trample such a tiny, vulnerable, precious remnant. You can pretty well observe what’s important through the fence (that was erected to protect it from boat launch and beach traffic) and on the unfenced half of the island. If you have a serious reason to study the flora and can’t restrain yourself from slipping through the fence, a little fishermen’s trail runs from the fence to the east side of the island. Perhaps some people could walk carefully on that? <br /> <br />Additional views of the rich flora of Army Lake Woodland are below: <br /> </span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sRaUKoqgQZU1sZCn6kwVaIRzEWhft7D1ZDNHFYsWb_vqaCioe23KXpZz-lIgyYL03ILIMhqnvE2BhSWAlsDzom23neuxfOrpJGui-jR-Jj5ApwqGUfe_PLVLS0XeQNm90S-ehBDO3scN8rzZHBTbiKvjF_mc50VT-Kqje8UuVX20gVxhtVimQ72okQ/s4032/wood%20pea.SS.betony.geranium_9544.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sRaUKoqgQZU1sZCn6kwVaIRzEWhft7D1ZDNHFYsWb_vqaCioe23KXpZz-lIgyYL03ILIMhqnvE2BhSWAlsDzom23neuxfOrpJGui-jR-Jj5ApwqGUfe_PLVLS0XeQNm90S-ehBDO3scN8rzZHBTbiKvjF_mc50VT-Kqje8UuVX20gVxhtVimQ72okQ/w640-h480/wood%20pea.SS.betony.geranium_9544.jpeg" width="640" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">Blooming in the center of this photo is the formerly common pale vetchling with its cream-colored blossoms. Also in bloom here are wood betony (yellow), shooting star (white), and wild geranium (pink).</span> </span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhg4XEbCmLrkmySdtD4ejVXDHsxQMi6y8LSnDu-HsFogMMv-HceMMdZc12OFYaabSe0tj9fkyt0ypwDP5DeMVdmO-tgpCjrregenoFSFqpxxK__W_26QKTIthnFM9xQ2isyTRQmNgykL8Q7PnHMpIs0suwYfMEjuWEW75PJGLhCO285ThCKxNwA4vNcA/s1375/Vic%20car.Sis%20alb.%20Luz%20mul.%20Kri%20bif.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1375" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhg4XEbCmLrkmySdtD4ejVXDHsxQMi6y8LSnDu-HsFogMMv-HceMMdZc12OFYaabSe0tj9fkyt0ypwDP5DeMVdmO-tgpCjrregenoFSFqpxxK__W_26QKTIthnFM9xQ2isyTRQmNgykL8Q7PnHMpIs0suwYfMEjuWEW75PJGLhCO285ThCKxNwA4vNcA/w640-h628/Vic%20car.Sis%20alb.%20Luz%20mul.%20Kri%20bif.JPEG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>In bloom, Carolina vetch, blue-eyed grass, and wood rush. In bud: false dandelion. Prominent foliage: shooting star, bastard toadflax, and wood betony.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb2nCO2SIMsAWNmRdx8fqjPDvuqB6IuGEeofkwSdndSk-tmVntEHnstHeOFF1VqobXiar_Fz6FjK1cH8NXTO-xs0jnl-BB_tkYnpgT0T6hwV4V9DX_sYK5dyEZXOE2l8qz0I7-iN3kOwFktdZqcwSmZgob7cX3RUdZMYCCHEiD13cu9EFrts5zkX-xQ/s4032/bracken_9537.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb2nCO2SIMsAWNmRdx8fqjPDvuqB6IuGEeofkwSdndSk-tmVntEHnstHeOFF1VqobXiar_Fz6FjK1cH8NXTO-xs0jnl-BB_tkYnpgT0T6hwV4V9DX_sYK5dyEZXOE2l8qz0I7-iN3kOwFktdZqcwSmZgob7cX3RUdZMYCCHEiD13cu9EFrts5zkX-xQ/w640-h480/bracken_9537.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><div style="text-align: center;">Blooming: yellow star-grass and robin’s-plantain. In bud upper right: Maryland sanicle. Identifiable by their foliage: bastard toadflax, woodland milkweed, New<span>Jersey tea, northern hawkweed, showy goldenrod, white lettuce, false Solomon’s-seal, sedges, a white oak seedling, and bracken fern. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Note on bracken and soils: Many e</span><span style="text-align: center;">cologists these days expect bracken on sandy soils, but Army Lake Woodland soil, where exposed by bulldozing, is not sandy.</span> Sand savannas and woodland remnants are much more common than on rich soils, perhaps because invasives take over more slowly there. Soils exposed by the bulldozing at Army Lake are not sandy. The biodiversity of rich soils survived here for other reasons.</div></span><span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZY03Wq6pPCdIUynEnQExYEjnByiCdrpDm9WGHu25P8Yj8TRZWSZWfDAbxyTHtYUX6-ZhK3RPbY9tiiMaAQG7Qkli0KdJy7SFobV7-EDfaYDSNQPa28uhF_xeK-S3-rjtO6wZvgyF8R5diVZ123H7nnepYnHiZUGPlL-N5SYBqzqU4I6mRwZxmsZJuPA/s4032/VIEW%20THROUGH%20THE%20FENCE_9543.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZY03Wq6pPCdIUynEnQExYEjnByiCdrpDm9WGHu25P8Yj8TRZWSZWfDAbxyTHtYUX6-ZhK3RPbY9tiiMaAQG7Qkli0KdJy7SFobV7-EDfaYDSNQPa28uhF_xeK-S3-rjtO6wZvgyF8R5diVZ123H7nnepYnHiZUGPlL-N5SYBqzqU4I6mRwZxmsZJuPA/w640-h480/VIEW%20THROUGH%20THE%20FENCE_9543.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Viewed through the fence that now somewhat protects the woods: alumroot, shooting star, blue-eyed grass, wild geranium, and pale vetchling. In seed on right is common dandelion; it's here because the site gets random trampling stress, which should be minimized. </span></div> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnotes</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">E<b>ndnote 1. What is original nature?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For most of human history, the concept of "nature" was a foggy one, at best. More often nature was something poets said "Oh my!" about in flowery language. More recently, as real nature was slipping away, it needed to be understood and defined.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The seminal Illinois Natural Area Inventory (INAI) of the 1970s was considered by many the most authoritative theoretical and practical approach to defining and conserving true nature in its various forms. Soon, as a result, Illinois protected most of its surviving high quality prairie remnants. They were priceless ecological heritage that had gone unrecognized in part because it had long vanished from productive lands over most of the U.S. and, arguably, the human-occupied world. But the Inventory did much less well on the fire-dependent oak communities. In the 1980s, conservationists figured out how to recognize savanna remnants and begin restoring them to high quality. Only in 2011 did oak woodlands get formally recognized as a category separate from maple forest. Conservation and restoration of oak woodlands is much less advanced than for prairies and savannas. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like Illinois, Wisconsin has been in the forefront of natural areas conservation, thanks to John Curtis, Aldo Leopold, The Prairie Enthusiasts, and strong communities of professional and volunteer conservationists. As with the savannas in Illinois, the long overdue discovery of Army Lake Woodland provides insights that suggest how to similarly upgrade biodiversity conservation for oak woods - quality recognition, prioritization, and restoration. </span></div></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: inherit; padding: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span><b>Endnote 2. Learning from Army Lake</b></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span>This site is now being used by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and others to develop new oak woodland assessment tools. This blog hopes to report on that effort and other Army lake learning, when there's something to report. </span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLT6lrVfaWKw8b07sYlZ4S9KdfBa3zQwMgxwyFQ5zCTgaSoMnLToaWUhw34FM8sEWxTSV5qcN-kxGhgqSpLHdVyVxNg2Us0gkaU305HQDqhevXx5M5_iixntnMMfoKziSiYzS-x95lIvnFvd8DyWpIz8Z7Z756-0YClf6GnUmerWwBNIlCrKCxp6H3g/s4032/discussion_9603.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLT6lrVfaWKw8b07sYlZ4S9KdfBa3zQwMgxwyFQ5zCTgaSoMnLToaWUhw34FM8sEWxTSV5qcN-kxGhgqSpLHdVyVxNg2Us0gkaU305HQDqhevXx5M5_iixntnMMfoKziSiYzS-x95lIvnFvd8DyWpIz8Z7Z756-0YClf6GnUmerWwBNIlCrKCxp6H3g/w640-h480/discussion_9603.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Braving a light rain in June 2022, participants in improving tools for woodland evaluation included, clockwise from the foreground (back view, in red) Ryan O’Conner (Inventory Coordinator, WDNR), Dan Carter (The Prairie Enthusiasts), Brian Miner (Southeast Wisconsin Land Steward, The Nature Conservancy), Matt Zine (Habitat and Management Specialist, WDNR), and Pete Duerkop (District Ecologist, WDNR).</span> </div><b><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font-weight: 400; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: inherit; padding: 0in;"><b>Endnote 3. Why does this tiny gem still exist?</b></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: inherit; padding: 0in;">The site is only about 1.6 acres and was formerly a semi-island. If this find is as important as it seems, the likely reason is that a tamarack swamp separated it from adjacent uplands, and for that reason it escaped the heavy grazing that degraded the biodiversity of most woodlands. The intervening marsh is narrow enough and flammable enough that prehistoric fires could well have spread across or jumped it. But the site has not been known to burn in recent years. The dense diversity may have helped slow the invasion by brush. Higher-quality natural area are somewhat more resistant to invasion by species that would degrade them. </span></span></div></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnote 4: Politics</span></b></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Both professionals and volunteers struggle with the balance between saying too much (thus making enemies) and saying too little (thus being ignored). When Dan Carter assessed Army Lake Woods for the boat launch, his job was with the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. In his later post on what happened, he wrote:</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />"I contacted some local stakeholders and advised them of a public meeting (listening session or some such thing) about the launch, warning about potential impacts to something precious and irreplaceable, and I promptly got an upset phone call from the property manager (though I appreciate him not going straight over my head like the Milwaukee County Parks Natural Areas Coordinator did a few years later). In hindsight, I kind of wish he had called my boss. It might have freed me up to more strongly oppose what was about to happen."<br /><br />"What happened at Army Lake wasn’t just wrong, it was insane. Really, the forked aster was the only thing there with protected status that might have helped it, but that’s also insane, because communities support rare species; it’s not the other way around."</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As Dan points out, the kind of public support that might have made the stakes clearer to decision makers – perhaps to a point that Dan would not have felt his job in jeopardy – was lacking. A strong constituency for Army Lake Woods’ biodiversity might, in fact, have allowed conservationists to feel empowered to look for creative potential solutions. A key question is, how do we caring conservationists build such constituency? </span><div> <br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Public agencies are necessarily political. That's not a bad thing. "Politics" is another way of saying "democracy." Compromises and trade-offs have to be made. In challenging cases, the responsibility lies not just on the agency employees but on the whole conservation community. At one point decades ago, the entire Illinois Nature Preserves Commission staff got fired (its budget zeroed out) in part because of failures to compromise. A wise and valiant participant in that struggle, Jerry Paulson, the day-to-day director at that time, wrote a comment on this post (see below) that ended: "Public employees who speak-up to protect nature are true heroes! But, they can't be expected to do it all alone. Every state needs a <a href="https://friendsofillinoisnaturepreserves.org/">Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves</a> or <a href="https://www.theprairieenthusiasts.org/">The Prairie Enthusiasts</a> to advocate for nature." </span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Endnote 5: Army Lake Woodland Plant List</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Assembled by Dan Carter as part of a "timed meander" assessment. According to the rules of this exercise, the list includes all the plants that can be identified in a brief survey; the investigator stops when they fail to find a new species in five minutes. There are likely many other species present. (A few additional common names were added for this post.) </div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; text-align: start;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 5.65pt;"><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p></td><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Acer <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">saccharum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">hard<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>maple,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>sugar<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">maple</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Agrimonia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> gryposepala</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>agrimony, tall<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>hairy<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">agrimony</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Amelanchier<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">laevis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">Allegheny<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>serviceberry,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>Allegheny<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>shadblow<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Amphicarpaea<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">bracteata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">American<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>hog-peanut,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>hog-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">peanut</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Anemone <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">americana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">round-lobed<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">hepatica</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Anemone <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">quinquefolia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">nightcaps,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>wood<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">anemone</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Antennaria<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">parlinii</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">Parlin's<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>pussy-toes,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>plantain<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>pussy-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">toes</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Apocynum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> cannabinum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">hemp-dogbane,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>Indian<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">hemp</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Aquilegia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">canadensis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">Canadian<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>columbine,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>red<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>columbine,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> columbine</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Aralia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> nudicaulis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">sarsaparilla</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Asclepias<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> exaltata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">poke<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>milkweed, tall<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">milkweed</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Aureolaria<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> grandiflora</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">large-flowered<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>yellow<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>false<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>foxglove<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Berberis<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">thunbergii</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">Japanese<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">barberry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Calystegia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">spithamaea</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">low<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>bindweed,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>low<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>false <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">bindweed</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Carduus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">nutans</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">musk<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>thistle,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>nodding<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>plumeless<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>thistle,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>nodding<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.5pt;">thistle</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Carex<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">cephalophora</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">oval-headed<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>sedge,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>short-headed<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>bracted<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>sedge<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Carex<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">pensylvanica</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>oak<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>sedge,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>Pennsylvania<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">sedge</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Carex<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">siccata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">dry-spiked<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>sedge,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>hay<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>sedge,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>hillside<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>sedge,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">running savanna sedge</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Carex<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">stricta</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">tussock<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">sedge</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Carya<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ovata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">shagbark<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>hickory,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>shellbark<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">hickory</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Ceanothus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">americanus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">New<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>Jersey tea,<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>red-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">root</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Celastrus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.4pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">scandens</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">American<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span>bittersweet,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>climbing<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">bittersweet</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Cerastium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">fontanum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>mouse-ear<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">chickweed</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Comandra<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">umbellata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">bastard-toadflax,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>false<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">toadflax</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Cornus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">foemina</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">gray<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>dogwood,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>northern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>swamp<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>dogwood,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>panicled <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">dogwood</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Cornus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">rugosa</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">round-leaved<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">dogwood</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Cornus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">sericea</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">red<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>osier<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">dogwood</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Dactylis <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">glomerata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">orchard<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">grass</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Danthonia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> spicata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">poverty<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>danthonia,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>poverty<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>grass,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>poverty oat<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">grass</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Diervilla<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">lonicera</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">northern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span>bush-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">honeysuckle</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Elaeagnus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">umbellata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">autumn<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> olive</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Equisetum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">arvense</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>horsetail,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>field<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> horsetail</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Erigeron<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">pulchellus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Robin's-plantain</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Euphorbia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">corollata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">flowering<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">spurge</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Eurybia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">furcata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">forked<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">aster</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Festuca<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">saximontana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">Rocky<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>Mountain <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">fescue</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Fragaria<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">virginiana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">thick-leaved<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>strawberry,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>Virginia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> strawberry,</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Frangula<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">alnus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">European<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>alder<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>buckthorn,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>glossy<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> buckthorn</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Fraxinus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">americana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">white <span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">ash</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Galium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">boreale</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">northern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">bedstraw</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Galium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">concinnum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">pretty<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>bedstraw,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>shining<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">bedstraw</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Gaylussacia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">baccata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Huckleberry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Gentianella<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> quinquefolia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">ague-weed,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>stiff<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> gentian</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Geranium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">maculatum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">Crane's-bill,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>spotted<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>geranium,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">geranium</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 146.4pt;" valign="top" width="195"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Helianthus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">hirsutus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 303.9pt;" valign="top" width="405"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 33.35pt;">hairy<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>sunflower,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>oblong<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>sunflower,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>rough<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">sunflower</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="WordSection2" style="page: WordSection2; text-align: start;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 5.65pt;"><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Heuchera<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> richardsonii</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">prairie<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>alumroot,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>Richardson's<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> alumroot</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Hieracium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> caespitosum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">field<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>hawkweed,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>meadow<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>hawkweed,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>yellow<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>king-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">devil</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Hieracium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> umbellatum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">narrow-leaved<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>hawkweed,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>northern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> hawkweed</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Ilex<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">verticillata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">winterberry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Juniperus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">virginiana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">eastern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>red-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">cedar</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Krigia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">biflora</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">false-dandelion,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span>orange<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>dwarf-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">dandelion, two-flowered Cynthia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Lactuca <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">canadensis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">Canada<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>lettuce,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>tall<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>lettuce,<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>tall<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>lettuce, <span style="letter-spacing: -0.5pt;">w</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Larix<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">laricina</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">larch,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">tamarack</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Lathyrus <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ochroleucus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">cream<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>pea-vine,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>pale<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>vetchling,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>white <span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">pea</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Lathyrus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> venosus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">veiny<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> pea</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Lonicera<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> dioica</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">limber<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>honeysuckle,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>mountain<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>honeysuckle,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>red<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">hone</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Lonicera X <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">bella</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">Bell's<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>honeysuckle,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>showy<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>bush<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>honeysuckle<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Luzula<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">multiflora</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>wood<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">rush</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Maianthemum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">racemosum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">false<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>Solomon's-seal,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>false<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>spikenard,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>large<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>false<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>Solomon's-seal<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Medicago<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">lupulina</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">black<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">medick</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Melilotus <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">albus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">white<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>sweet-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">clover</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Melilotus <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">officinalis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">yellow<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>sweet-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">clover</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Ostrya<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> virginiana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">eastern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>hop-hornbeam,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> ironwood</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Parthenocissus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> inserta</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">grape<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> woodbine</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Pedicularis<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">canadensis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">Canadian<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>lousewort,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>forest<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>lousewort,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>wood-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">betony</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Phryma <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">leptostachya</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">American<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>lop-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">seed</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Picea<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> glauca</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">white <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">spruce</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Plantago<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> major</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">broad-leaved<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>plantain,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>plantain<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Poa<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">compressa</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">Canada<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>bluegrass,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">wiregrass</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Podophyllum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> peltatum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">May-apple,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> mandrake</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Polemonium<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">reptans</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">Greek-valerian,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.55pt;"> </span>spreading<span style="letter-spacing: -0.55pt;"> </span>Jacob's-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ladder</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Populus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> grandidentata</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">big-tooth<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>aspen,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>large-toothed <span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">aspen</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Potentilla<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">simplex</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>cinquefoil,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>old-field<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>five-fingers<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Prenanthes<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">alba</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">lion's-foot,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>rattlesnake-root,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>white-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">lettuce</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Primula<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">meadia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">eastern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>shooting-star,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>pride-of-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Ohio</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Prunus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">serotina</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">wild<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>black <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">cherry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Prunus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">virginiana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">chokecherry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Pteridium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> aquilinum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">bracken,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>bracken<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">fern</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Quercus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">alba</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">white <span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">oak</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Quercus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">rubra</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">northern<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>red<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">oak</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Ranunculus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">abortivus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">little-leaf<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>buttercup,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>small-flowered<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> buttercup</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Ranunculus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">fascicularis</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">early<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>buttercup, thick-root<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">buttercup</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Rhamnus<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">cathartica</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>buckthorn,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>European<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">buckthorn</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Rosa<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> carolina</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 13pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">Carolina<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>rose,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>pasture<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">rose</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Rosa <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">multiflora</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">multiflora<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">rose</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Sanicula<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">marilandica</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">black<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>snakeroot,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>Maryland<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> sanicle</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Sisyrinchium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">albidum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>blue-eyed<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">grass</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Solidago<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">speciosa</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">showy<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">goldenrod</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Solidago<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ulmifolia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">elm-leaved <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">goldenrod</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Symphyotrichum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">laeve</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">smooth<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>blue<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">aster</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Symphyotrichum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">oolentangiense</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">sky-blue<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">aster</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 165.2pt;" valign="top" width="220"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Symphyotrichum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">urophyllum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 326.3pt;" valign="top" width="435"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 14.55pt;">arrow-leaved<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>aster, white<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>arrowleaf <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">aster</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="WordSection3" style="page: WordSection3; text-align: start;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 5.65pt;"><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Taraxacum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.4pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">officinale</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">common<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">dandelion</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Toxicodendron<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">rydbergii</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">Rydberg's<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>poison-ivy,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>western<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>poison-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">ivy</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Trifolium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">pratense</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">red <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">clover</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Vaccinium<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">myrtilloides</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">velvet-leaved<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">blueberry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Viburnum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">opulus</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">cranberry<span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;"> </span>viburnum,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>European<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> </span>cranberry-bush,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span>high-bush<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">cranberry</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Viburnum<span style="letter-spacing: -0.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">rafinesquianum</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">arrow-wood, downy<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>arrow-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">wood</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Vicia<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> caroliniana</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">Carolina<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>vetch, pale<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>vetch, wood<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">vetch</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 14.5pt;"><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Viola<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">sororia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 14.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 12.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">door-yard<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>violet,<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>common<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>blue<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>violet,<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>hairy wood<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.5pt;">violet</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 149.8pt;" valign="top" width="200"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.5pt;">Vitis<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> riparia</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in; width: 336.9pt;" valign="top" width="449"><p class="TableParagraph" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 11.8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 29.95pt;">frost<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>grape,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>river<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>bank<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">grape</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div><div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><b>More references, if you're interested</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://twitter.com/dryspikesedge">A fine presentation on savannas and woodlands by Dan Carter</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">In that presentation, Dan offers the summary below from <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/140270 ">Veldman et al</a>. It summarizes characteristics of ancient grassland ecosystems from a paper that focuses principally on the tropics. But it offers principles that may apply to our less-well-studied remnants as well. </span></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavDSDU69bLY0tN1yGUnOJe2t-4byl6g3mwAbhOktsZDqSLJiQ2QqkP0AKnQ0GT1AslYkUnUXACTyMucy_Faf6HEJJ8q7WEXLtgkR2uaBgLRYcEiJ07OTV3CUawiKUJWWe0Ew3DJX4HmKIE4PHJQfGnO9x12WLnDli35FcZCg24Wzi9s5bvDX_8bw6uw/s1472/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-19%20at%2011.20.49%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1472" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavDSDU69bLY0tN1yGUnOJe2t-4byl6g3mwAbhOktsZDqSLJiQ2QqkP0AKnQ0GT1AslYkUnUXACTyMucy_Faf6HEJJ8q7WEXLtgkR2uaBgLRYcEiJ07OTV3CUawiKUJWWe0Ew3DJX4HmKIE4PHJQfGnO9x12WLnDli35FcZCg24Wzi9s5bvDX_8bw6uw/w640-h260/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-19%20at%2011.20.49%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;">Three of the many posts on this blog that explore similar questions in Illinois remnants and restoration:</div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/06/hypoxis-experiment-succeeds-in-ecosystem.html">https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/06/hypoxis-experiment-succeeds-in-ecosystem.html</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-celebration-of-vestal-grove-study.html">https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-celebration-of-vestal-grove-study.html</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-somme-prairie-grove-experiment.html">https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-somme-prairie-grove-experiment.html</a><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Acknowledgements</b></span></div></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post was written by Stephen Packard. Credit for the original discovery of the significance of Army Lake Woodland goes to Dan Carter. Dan is now with <a href="https://www.theprairieenthusiasts.org/">The Prairie Enthusiasts</a>, a highly-respected organization that focuses volunteer and professional resources on stewardship and advocacy for biodiversity. </span></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-size-adjust: auto;">For proofing and edits to an earlier version to Dan Carter, and for this version thanks to Matt Evans and Christos Economou. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-21873797158070323052022-06-15T09:19:00.008-07:002023-06-07T06:44:12.803-07:00Diversity - Close, Middle, and Distance <p>Comments on t<span face="-webkit-standard" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">hree layers of a photo:</span></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); clear: both; font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNOAUTsVYUEtKHxSqaE_eTdCdBxkHyc2FQcvQ6uQUQ2l2wcnCuWmdPzQCnOeZJ1cz9J7xmueRLLf-Q8evOznjETsdyXluZl8DUkCuU3n8H-IQZMrISqsjN0xG_IKXGEMPyL7HhBDHZRizuty7atgR9w67gscO3N82tK2kJCi-iDiAdpSxonLLnqLfsQ/s4032/with%20rich%20veg%20hazel%20and%20oak_9623.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNOAUTsVYUEtKHxSqaE_eTdCdBxkHyc2FQcvQ6uQUQ2l2wcnCuWmdPzQCnOeZJ1cz9J7xmueRLLf-Q8evOznjETsdyXluZl8DUkCuU3n8H-IQZMrISqsjN0xG_IKXGEMPyL7HhBDHZRizuty7atgR9w67gscO3N82tK2kJCi-iDiAdpSxonLLnqLfsQ/w640-h480/with%20rich%20veg%20hazel%20and%20oak_9623.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><b style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;"><div><b style="text-size-adjust: auto;">Foreground</b></div></b><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">This photo shows restored prairie (foreground), restored savanna (middle layer), and an artificial woodland. But there's a lot more than that.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">Up front, scarlet painted-cup blooms. <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-myth-coming-true.html">This rare plant</a> (<i>Castelleja coccinnia</i>) seems to be a refugee, mostly gone from the Chicago region. We protect our few plants from deer and broadcast its seeds widely around the preserve, hoping it will find places where it will sustain itself without further help. It only appears in most spots sporadically, but in some small spots in good numbers, year after year. Mostly it thrives among other rare plants. Here it's among restored purple prairie clover, lead plant, wild quinine, bastard toadflax, rattlesnake master, Leiberg's panic grass, and more diverse prairie grasses and forbs. But there are many other acres of similar restored richness that scarlet painted-cup does not seem to like. In still other spots it grows with different lists of rare species, in both wetter and drier areas. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">None of the more conservative plants shown above were at this spot when we started the restoration, in 1980. Year after year. <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html">rarity and conservatism</a> increase. Many formerly common, less conservative plants disappear or are diminishing. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Near Distance</b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">A few feet back starts an area of burned-back but resprouting hazel shrubs and oaks. They're part of the structural diversity of savanna. Two hundred years ago, according to the earliest survey, this spot stood at or near the transition between prairie to the west (left) and savanna to the east. In the photo, the closest charred sticks are hazel-nut bushes that were top-killed by fire last spring. Behind them are burned small trunks of Hill's and bur oaks. As was once standard in parts of the savanna, re-sprouting oaks and hazels became "grubs" with huge root systems that farmers found difficult to "grub" out, thus their name. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">Some rare species seem to be associated with the cyclicly brighter and shadier areas around Somme's increasingly impressive grubs, as they grow and expand for a few years and then are burned back. We wonder about the formerly-Illinois-Threatened species, small sundrops (<i>Oenothera perennis</i>). The few plants we first found in this area increased to 303 in the 2010 census but gradually lost out to more conservative plants in the completely open areas. They then decreased so that none were found in 2017, six were found in 2020, and seven in 2022, mostly near invasive trees that haven't yet been removed. We occasionally find them near burned grubs. Will this "resprout shrubland" be a permanent home for them? </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Way In Back</b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">The grove of trees in the distance was planted by Forest Preserve staff decades ago, before biodiversity was even a word. On the left, above, you can see through their trunks to original prairie areas, beyond. Buckthorn and most other invading and planted species have been cut and burned out of that grove. The remaining trees, mostly white oaks, are gradually being thinned to restore savanna, the natural ecosystem and conservation priority here. In the meantime, plentiful oak leaves assure that such an area will largely keep free of invasives, as they burn well when the surrounding prairie and savanna are burned. The future of these areas depends on <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-somme-prairie-grove-experiment.html">hard work</a> and <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2020/07/from-two-acres-to-seventy.html">strategic decisions</a>. </p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; text-size-adjust: auto;">What is unfolding here is thrilling to watch, if you can see it. One of the best ways to learn is to participate. But you still have get to know the plants and animals to experience this slow drama deeply. One person who expressed it well was Greg Spyreas of the Illinois Natural History Survey in a publication called <i>Natural Areas of Cook County: Somme Prairie Grove and Somme Prairie Nature Preserves: </i></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>“</b></span><b>Somme Prairie and Somme Prairie Grove Nature Preserves comprise one of the finest tallgrass prairie, wetland and savanna complexes in Illinois ... Along with the 250-acre Somme Woods Forest to the east, the slow return to health with prescribed fire, seeding reintroductions, and invasive exotic species removal in this preserve has been breathtaking to behold.</b><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>”</b></span><b> </b></blockquote><p><b>Endnote</b></p><p>The Illinois Natural History survey publication quoted above is one of a series of brochures celebrating the natural areas of Cook County. Credit on the back of the publication goes to Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, University of Illinois, and Boeing (apparently because this corporation generously funded the publication). This <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4jvvuRQu7l1VmMzN3lyRndsUFE?resourcekey=0-T8pznvhx3hgf-EyJl_Hw0g">fine series</a> is a credit to all involved. </p><p><b>Acknowledgements</b></p><p>Thanks, as so often, to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-45859194114239707052022-04-20T05:35:00.013-07:002022-04-30T05:44:19.689-07:00Mud, Feet, and Somme<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">This is a Somme Specific version of a broader <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/04/mud-is-bad.html">mud post</a> at Strategies for Stewards.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the healthy ecosystem, soil is clothed with diverse plants. Underneath is a dense network of rootlets and other soil biota, tangled and supportive. We walk on it just fine. </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our trails are not "all weather" trails. At Somme, Forest Preserve staff and volunteers are experimenting with "soft tech" approaches. Rules on the Forest Preserve website state: "“Trail usage is prohibited in muddy conditions.” Some people stay home when the trails are wet (Thank you). But, many people do not know the rules, and may come from some distance on a precious day off, and are looking forward eagerly to the balm of nature. We find that most people do not turn around and go back when they reach a muddy section of the trail. So we follow design principles and sometimes harden trails to save biota. </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The photo below shows an imperfect but functioning path:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9wm5Q2VS2XirXXU_NCRStIe20945Vfd24K4mDJyY1WU09mBjLEMxdeLY3RtxLqs-TYSAiDNnfNLes4soQBYS1s4xokCCaNOf23UXkxG6NllkaphlkIadjlAORJHdCilTjg1SmLkEcBf5VtVvVD2AibJtigMsEJ5gnPBv_FUK-Wv2uq2IfQ/s3016/cylinder%20pavers_5529%20cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="3016" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9wm5Q2VS2XirXXU_NCRStIe20945Vfd24K4mDJyY1WU09mBjLEMxdeLY3RtxLqs-TYSAiDNnfNLes4soQBYS1s4xokCCaNOf23UXkxG6NllkaphlkIadjlAORJHdCilTjg1SmLkEcBf5VtVvVD2AibJtigMsEJ5gnPBv_FUK-Wv2uq2IfQ/w640-h572/cylinder%20pavers_5529%20cropped.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>This example is from Somme Prairie Grove, which is visited mostly by people who come to appreciate its wild plants and animals. These folks tend to be careful, respectful, even reverent to some degree.</span><span> </span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the above photo, the tree-trunk “pavers” are easily visible and not entirely comfortable to walk on. They are either too thick, too far apart, or perhaps just not yet as "settled in" as they will be after a year or two of foot traffic. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>We work to make Somme preserves accessible during spring – the most challenging time for trails. </span><span>We have tried to locate the trails such that they traverse drier slopes as much as possible (See Endnote 1: Trail Design). We reinforce trails wherever and whenever mud starts to form. A more successful trail in spring is shown below:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSs6U1ETPJxlZni-HYqaQNisI2ulbjG9xAu7heKBhBetWhUKC2k3kjVtQmkYI2tNKAJwg1qwV_YmS7_2fzcqDI_5YFCtWvIOHzAaKlSGwE42w9q_scj0FTX_G37q55XUuOkZRb5ECZOlyIvBzxdmW30LoL1AsrgbfmU2lYKiET9uozJi5fg/s4032/path%20rush%20spring_5546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSs6U1ETPJxlZni-HYqaQNisI2ulbjG9xAu7heKBhBetWhUKC2k3kjVtQmkYI2tNKAJwg1qwV_YmS7_2fzcqDI_5YFCtWvIOHzAaKlSGwE42w9q_scj0FTX_G37q55XUuOkZRb5ECZOlyIvBzxdmW30LoL1AsrgbfmU2lYKiET9uozJi5fg/w480-h640/path%20rush%20spring_5546.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The savanna turf here (with its many rare and endangered plant species) is untrampled outside the footpath. The trail surface itself is carpeted with a plant called Path Rush – which in fact grows only in animal-created (including human-created) paths. There are pavers here too. But they are narrower, appropriate to this less-wet area. And those narrower </span>pavers have sunk below the path-rush-and-soil surface. No one notices that this trail has a crafted structure. Preferably, footpath <span>composition should be invisible, or minimally so</span><span>, for example with path rush growing between the pavers, and not bumpy to walk on. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can help maintain these trails just by walking. Here are some basic principles:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">On wet days, if the path-rush surface is breaking down, perhaps it’s too wet to walk that path. Turn around, and come back another day. Or walk on the vegetated edge of the trail. Natural footpaths here are about 8 inches wide. If you walk eight inches to the right or left of the existing path, that area too may become vegetated by path rush. Such a path, that is twice as wide, could handle twice the foot traffic as the original. (But don't walk it if that's breaking down too. Go back.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>If you walk on that eight-inch trail edge, walk on the uphill side of the trail. Our trails have a long-term tendency to migrate downhill, as it's slightly easier, as the vegetation bumps into you more from the uphill side. Walking the uphill edge will curb that counter-productive tendency. </span>(Perhaps this point is too complicated, before the 'graduate level' - but it's true. For more on this, in the unlikely event that you want it, see Highly Obscure Endnote 1.5.) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">For people to pass each other, the slower walker (or the more careful, or the smaller group) should step just off the trail and let the other(s) pass. This courtesy should have a minor impact on the ecosystem.</span></li></ol><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Crossing small streams is another challenge. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqztU8aQiXezwhpcNrSIG9-wYSxcUNDtwxrTgjlTP1sC6CCFWQV1WYELxAZ_zKlyTbhuuTCtN25D6aURDshEIrM7nw508HdcUGbiYfmqC0tHLUgjV7ChBWqRehYZuIOXGNGSH83A8A3Hesh4KmuI4Ca6ebJdc0gjHZU9zsNxyEszKeNavZHg/s4032/bridge_9172.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqztU8aQiXezwhpcNrSIG9-wYSxcUNDtwxrTgjlTP1sC6CCFWQV1WYELxAZ_zKlyTbhuuTCtN25D6aURDshEIrM7nw508HdcUGbiYfmqC0tHLUgjV7ChBWqRehYZuIOXGNGSH83A8A3Hesh4KmuI4Ca6ebJdc0gjHZU9zsNxyEszKeNavZHg/w640-h480/bridge_9172.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>This photo</span><span> shows a bridge over a stream that is a rushing torrent after heavy rains. Rot-resistant black locust logs are held in place by stakes driven into the muck. Passers-by who don't quite understand how this works best have added miscellaneous wood. That seems to be a fact of nature, in this case human nature. If they work okay, we leave them. </span><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlWIbZVqSQAgtnuYc-uw8QBj_7POKPmhRosZ16epkbRfU9FqsMTEKQ7Et_yPZ2W_FAhPPAFp3-7wV5MuNOz5uuoEnU3Poo4uGdYEl7CEG5W7VU002dPkKVnw1rPK2rSiJJIDHmCs2OoolBm6mqL4OWeWiV6KaHuECSpEYL-aoxluqzVnMcQ/s3264/IMG_9688.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlWIbZVqSQAgtnuYc-uw8QBj_7POKPmhRosZ16epkbRfU9FqsMTEKQ7Et_yPZ2W_FAhPPAFp3-7wV5MuNOz5uuoEnU3Poo4uGdYEl7CEG5W7VU002dPkKVnw1rPK2rSiJJIDHmCs2OoolBm6mqL4OWeWiV6KaHuECSpEYL-aoxluqzVnMcQ/w480-h640/IMG_9688.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This approach is sometimes used to cross wider wet swales. In this case, a less functional crossing was replaced when a large oak fell across the trail and needed to be cleaned up. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the Somme preserves, we spend most of our stewardship time restoring biodiversity directly. But we want people to appreciate and care, so we spend what time on trails as we can. (We sometimes hope to have more folks focusing on the trails.) Might you be interested? Might the photos below make sense to you?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3ylK2wGI7Pyu2csOZah3c8uroYDrdJvP4QIdhWfpPybMuDNjZc0lStJs0z09q6j6eZqL9txSPbMIOlKrhkawXsg5APo_S_spQbkOWKF1EQGYGxPgJsY764Y2lTM_XCtiblksLHvNhMzBZExcnd3cLcLm7iCa23VAQMXEWiKQWHHMRWXplw/s4032/flora%20trail%20approach%20Circle%20Grove_5537.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3ylK2wGI7Pyu2csOZah3c8uroYDrdJvP4QIdhWfpPybMuDNjZc0lStJs0z09q6j6eZqL9txSPbMIOlKrhkawXsg5APo_S_spQbkOWKF1EQGYGxPgJsY764Y2lTM_XCtiblksLHvNhMzBZExcnd3cLcLm7iCa23VAQMXEWiKQWHHMRWXplw/w480-h640/flora%20trail%20approach%20Circle%20Grove_5537.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>In the foreground, the path is thickly vegetated by path rush and in great shape. But see those two whitish patches ahead, as we approach the oak grove? Close up of them in next photo:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCJeD7E8H-kdChqJuGl6L881FE8HdscR6O6COU5uQKfP6IjyHTV3n5u3uo3-v4ia1Mti-Id7TYwkzNcAht9MIvvvVJCOCHJtUh77Gc41iNVFitDmfQ5Dk65PRYauBla9pdviu-_MDekV_vEm3Di-BArw1BarwibmukroIn6l3YJ4jobilcQ/s4032/thick%20pavers%20Circle%20Grove_5538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCJeD7E8H-kdChqJuGl6L881FE8HdscR6O6COU5uQKfP6IjyHTV3n5u3uo3-v4ia1Mti-Id7TYwkzNcAht9MIvvvVJCOCHJtUh77Gc41iNVFitDmfQ5Dk65PRYauBla9pdviu-_MDekV_vEm3Di-BArw1BarwibmukroIn6l3YJ4jobilcQ/w480-h640/thick%20pavers%20Circle%20Grove_5538.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Here two wet swales had been muddy messes. Pavers here are two- to four-inch bur oak trunks - quite a luxurious building material, but an "appropriate resource" as we were thinning bur oaks to improve the structure of the woodland and benefit other trees. They make a good surface, but the trail sections before and after them are still mud. More work is needed here, if we have time. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Further into the grove we find this area:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8TRnQh_vW2SRmOMfUsQUyOnpsV_4ork5ogm5uen759459musdIvlCFTcOiRo2tZ87CJrCRwJG4s3yqqPZbcKgeOJo0F0E66JErkugqqo6xDhW3-T5vBVdG5uOH-iefOQyyxqaJHJ8XAU12KTdbwPDkwxeiZosvBTVLf68LizCNYEwxrpMQ/s4032/seoarated%20pavers%20doing%20just%20ok_5530.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8TRnQh_vW2SRmOMfUsQUyOnpsV_4ork5ogm5uen759459musdIvlCFTcOiRo2tZ87CJrCRwJG4s3yqqPZbcKgeOJo0F0E66JErkugqqo6xDhW3-T5vBVdG5uOH-iefOQyyxqaJHJ8XAU12KTdbwPDkwxeiZosvBTVLf68LizCNYEwxrpMQ/w480-h640/seoarated%20pavers%20doing%20just%20ok_5530.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>One-inch buckthorn pavers are doing okay, protecting a stretch that had been bad mud. They're well sunk into the soil and don't look uncomfortable to walk on. They're mostly keeping feet and hooves from sinking in too far. Some additional pavers in between seem like they'd help. And where's the path rush? Perhaps in a growing season or two it will get a chance to recover.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6pn_pB3B26FVIP0e8jxixjMIWDl_GKXGeeFzqDMwzpVqCb31Juh-pHh7Dl3NhuourPN8I0oZm64-cjLkS6reSn2we1oF_SyjD81n4Ch9ICOsjNGkQz4I4QaxNvhFwsCjRPZFd9HpIx0aeTkebqN0Ozj5YIJ2P-ptrmPNmvrxvXqy8yzUQA/s4032/IMG_5798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6pn_pB3B26FVIP0e8jxixjMIWDl_GKXGeeFzqDMwzpVqCb31Juh-pHh7Dl3NhuourPN8I0oZm64-cjLkS6reSn2we1oF_SyjD81n4Ch9ICOsjNGkQz4I4QaxNvhFwsCjRPZFd9HpIx0aeTkebqN0Ozj5YIJ2P-ptrmPNmvrxvXqy8yzUQA/w480-h640/IMG_5798.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Above is what a savanna or prairie footpath looks like later in the year. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCa1gvTJTNQuze-gyR4uzTnpFq2BqlBwSGImHs6-sg8SFfeYsISnBTRLeDcKyOFRGHJrs6qwV6NESkWKLlPieC-coNRIL8K9aaaFBTZSyg5XSHac_bFx3dhQeAft21ajyMZsPvH4ZHCDU0QwluWwSFl0j04EEBhtxjhh5vFuDkIOH5L5rgBA/s4032/path%20through%20savanna%20in%20bloom_7658.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCa1gvTJTNQuze-gyR4uzTnpFq2BqlBwSGImHs6-sg8SFfeYsISnBTRLeDcKyOFRGHJrs6qwV6NESkWKLlPieC-coNRIL8K9aaaFBTZSyg5XSHac_bFx3dhQeAft21ajyMZsPvH4ZHCDU0QwluWwSFl0j04EEBhtxjhh5vFuDkIOH5L5rgBA/w640-h480/path%20through%20savanna%20in%20bloom_7658.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, further on down the path, a broad view. Visitors don't think about the trail. They are immersed in the ecosystem - and happy to be a part. Do we think the work is worth it? Oh yes we do. </span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Endnotes</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Endnote 1: Trail Design</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many good trail-design references, though most focus on wider and more-heavy-duty trails. We've appreciated a great little book, The <i>Indiana Trails Construction and Maintenance Manual</i> published by the Department of Natural Resources, as its geared to our kinds of trails. Other good practical guides to narrow trails are put out by mountain-bike groups. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In any case, one of the most basic principles is that trails should "traverse" slopes obliquely enough that rain water crosses the trail - rather that running down it and turning the path into an eroding stream. Trails should not go directly up or down slopes. They should cross slopes on an angle and frequently go up, then down, at least a little bit, so that water will flow off frequently. </span></p><div><b>Highly Obscure Endnote 1.5</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>We first noticed this unexpected trail tendency when there was a little stump on the side of the path which, over the years, moved into the middle of the path. A few years later, it had moved completely to the other side of the path. Of course, the stump didn't move. It was just the indicator that showed us that the path was moving downhill. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Endnote 2: How to Install Pavers</b></div><div><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although we’ve tried to route our trails through dry ground as much as possible, the trails necessarily cross some soil that turns to mud under foot traffic. This problem is especially severe in spring, often during the height of bloom of the spring flora. We want people to learn to love Somme. Walking through deep mud is a bad experience for people. It also wrecks the trail and kills adjacent quality </span>ecosystem<span style="font-family: inherit;">, which we'd hope people would be able to walk next to. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Paving” wet stretches of trail with a “corduroy” log surface solves that problem, but it takes some care to do it in a way that will be effective and will last for years or decades. Well-installed corduroy logs won’t be kicked aside or b</span>e<span style="font-family: inherit;"> uncomfortable to walk on, as they’ll be embedded in the soil. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">When to install the logs<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The time to install the log “pavers” is when the ground is as wet as it gets. This is typically in spring. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">If the soil isn’t wet enough, the tendency will be to use logs that are too narrow, and then when the trail gets wetter, the logs will sink lower, and there will be an inch or two of mud on top of them, and people will move their steps to the side, and when the ends are stepped on, the other end will pop up, and a subsequent walker will kick it out of the way, and the work will have been wasted. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">What kind of wood to use<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The best species is black locust. It lasts for many decades. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get a great many straight pieces of locust. </span>The best logs to use – that we have the most of – are buckthorn and maple. (We're restoring an oak woodland, and maple is often the major invasive that we must control.) If they’re being thinned for restoration, red oak, hickory, and hop hornbeam are also good. <br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The worst logs are spongy basswood or any dead and starting-to-rot logs. They’ll last just a year or less. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">How much curve can the paver logs have?<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Branches and curvature result in logs being kicked out, tripping people, and the corduroy surface starting to fail.</span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">What happens with curves is that the center of the log will get pushed down by feet – and the curved ends will stick up a bit. Then someone's subsequent steps will land on the sticking-up end, and the log will get levered up and later get kicked out.</span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">See below illustration below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpeH5iaCSdKTxc4ehCJg6R_9W9zwSYUfdcR2Y9dIHl-NmrW_Sv8_vgUQA_4dGezCypZDlYSn-jV8phf53kG17saXpCN-3eH8DTg84D5XWRJoXbYuo5M1JGv_57SNvn5tJ-Jm-SoBEWolG_TtJlKI9FMp3GlaYHpf36o-vKqxEWPybb-El5A/s537/straight%20and%20curved%20pavers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="537" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpeH5iaCSdKTxc4ehCJg6R_9W9zwSYUfdcR2Y9dIHl-NmrW_Sv8_vgUQA_4dGezCypZDlYSn-jV8phf53kG17saXpCN-3eH8DTg84D5XWRJoXbYuo5M1JGv_57SNvn5tJ-Jm-SoBEWolG_TtJlKI9FMp3GlaYHpf36o-vKqxEWPybb-El5A/w400-h210/straight%20and%20curved%20pavers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">How thick should the paver logs be? <br /></b><b style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only way to determine this is to put the logs into maximally wet soil. The surface of the log should be just above the soil surface. (Over time the logs may be pushed down as people walk over them. Just barely below this soil </span>surfaces<span style="font-family: inherit;"> a great place for the pavers to end up. The trail seems like just a “naturally non-muddy” trail.)</span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Normally, the logs should be thickest in the center of the wet patch and thinner toward the edges. See below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCQ6r8iZMJ59p6bzaWNUAq9R-wS-HYhMsx76tFKroWJX0kEgSvCcq3NFYiTFP276C4XOoMxd_nfBMkzslDD1wAsLrk1OBZdZ3KTp6c_J8OuqQ76pYVd27oQFL7JDV92707AAZyl8aVG_uiDFiqREEFldiOXdfetvAx78X2bDKKx1JGJaK2A/s516/fat%20and%20thin%20pavers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="127" data-original-width="516" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCQ6r8iZMJ59p6bzaWNUAq9R-wS-HYhMsx76tFKroWJX0kEgSvCcq3NFYiTFP276C4XOoMxd_nfBMkzslDD1wAsLrk1OBZdZ3KTp6c_J8OuqQ76pYVd27oQFL7JDV92707AAZyl8aVG_uiDFiqREEFldiOXdfetvAx78X2bDKKx1JGJaK2A/w640-h160/fat%20and%20thin%20pavers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">How close together should the paver logs be put?<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">They can be so close together that they touch. </span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>However</i></b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, it’s time consuming to cut all those paver logs. Feet are supported just fine by logs two to three inches apart. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">How long should the paver logs be?<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The longer they are, the more stable the trail will be. But longer logs have more chance of running afoul roots and thus not sinking down into the wet earth, the way you want them to. Also, it’s more time consuming to find and prepare long logs than short. So, a foot or two or three often seems like the best length. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">Tree roots<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Often tree roots are in the trail. They can make it difficult to get a log to settle into the soil as far as you want. On the other hand, roots at the surface may make a good contribution to the stability of the trail. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><b style="font-family: inherit;">Path rush<br /></b><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">One advantage of spaces between the logs is that they allow path rush to grow. For not-too-heavily-used trails, path rush is a great surface. It’s the “path version of a lawn.” It’s soft, flexible, alive, solar powered, and holds the soil. Path rush will spring up before long on any trail used by any feet. But we sometimes speed up the process by harvesting seeds and scattering them along new trails. </span><br /><o:p style="font-family: inherit;"> </o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-35356162643788889382022-03-14T10:00:00.005-07:002022-03-14T16:25:02.660-07:00Intolerable Common Names<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post is I suppose a minor one. But I thought readers deserved an explanation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">(I also suppose that the basic premise of this post is that - for the planet to survive, we who care need to develop messages and language and communication that make the science accessible to most people.) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Common names can be changed in response to common use. Decades ago, a sweet, generous, and otherwise obviously virtuous elderly Illinois Nature Preserve donor spoke to me of her love of wildflowers resulting from her grandfather long ago taking her and her siblings to nature on Sunday afternoons and showing and teaching about the beautiful trilliums, dog-toothed violets, and what she called "N-word-toes". Except that she used the actual N-word. Really? There was a lovely wildflower once referred to by respectable people using the N-word? That name is gone and rightly forgotten. I've never even wanted to find out what species she was referring to.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post at this moment results from a helpful comment on <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html">another post</a> here by Dan Carter of the Prairie Enthusiasts. I had referred to <i>Orobanche uniflora</i> by one of its common names: ghost pipes. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcfIqvD-JfeFBwsRX07CZFjsmepPfbqSmw7Cx6IDvA-LNTbkXL6Qaxlt8Q0RnUX6Y7VtCHMBJVA6vptd9n9cKBEpz_oNpf28w2lqJIzEbuCDh1DnERTJHKCPydQ3huO9WPLjr-Bcl-9zQIzI5zyViHY6iUSyoInHnKq_-FlURRY8V4t0eQ-A=s701" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="606" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcfIqvD-JfeFBwsRX07CZFjsmepPfbqSmw7Cx6IDvA-LNTbkXL6Qaxlt8Q0RnUX6Y7VtCHMBJVA6vptd9n9cKBEpz_oNpf28w2lqJIzEbuCDh1DnERTJHKCPydQ3huO9WPLjr-Bcl-9zQIzI5zyViHY6iUSyoInHnKq_-FlURRY8V4t0eQ-A=w556-h640" width="556" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soon they'll be up. What will we call them? Ghost pipes?</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2022/02/floristic-quality-assessment-and-plant.html?showComment=1645648903498#c2086805376562423266">Dan had written</a> "Oh, not ghost pipes. I'm referring to <i>Orobanche uniflora</i> - not <i>Monotropa uniflora</i>."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I responded to Dan: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sorry for the confusion. "Ghost pipes" here is a common name for Orobanche uniflora. We call Monotropa "Indian pipes". Perhaps showing questionable judgment, I often use common names, believing that many "learning stage" new conservationists will find them accessible - and the pros should know both names, <i>scientific</i> and common. But "ghost pipes" may not be that great a common name to use, in that it's about the "third most common." "Broom rape" and "cancer root" seem to be more common, but I'm reluctant to burden this beautiful non-rapist, non-cancerous plant with either of them. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjguqQCpkdHK8EM7LRIWbG_p16FBJdSpt_PXQ9WQhMjZ56AhdEzfse-RIZtIxFLMDiNQLpn6hhBoeEbz5Uwjk40kS-6R2UP73NF1NjzxVzT7sJ2k8Tjb20N9nNNsUNSPIxUYLX4ToPVNmepaNNZUudeYPjPR_CostNMqCrvcuHTTmYzAcZHXQ=s550" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="550" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjguqQCpkdHK8EM7LRIWbG_p16FBJdSpt_PXQ9WQhMjZ56AhdEzfse-RIZtIxFLMDiNQLpn6hhBoeEbz5Uwjk40kS-6R2UP73NF1NjzxVzT7sJ2k8Tjb20N9nNNsUNSPIxUYLX4ToPVNmepaNNZUudeYPjPR_CostNMqCrvcuHTTmYzAcZHXQ=w640-h436" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian pipes</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">At least one other person cares about the negative-sounding names for ghost pipes. A sweet and informative <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/nyregion/parasite-flower-orobanche-uniflora.html">New York Times article</a> called the "Plant That Must Not Be Named" discusses its plight. </span>If by any chance you know any common names that work better for this plant, please let us know. <p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">But, to return to the overall disarray of plant common names, compare much superior system that bird conservationists have. They agree on world-wide (or perhaps English-speaking peoples wide?) names, and most everyone sticks to them. Thus popular bird science is less confusing than plant science. Specialists and non-specialists can converse using easily recognizable names. When the "slate-colored junco" turned out repeatedly to be scientifically unsupportable as a species, it's scientific name stayed the same (in our region), and common names were changed: from slate-colored junco (1950) to northern junco (1980) to dark-eyed junco (2003 and today). In regions where birds formerly considered 'variants' turned out scientifically to be species, the scientific and common names were both changed. And everyone could continue to talk about them all with most of us using simple common names. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Botanists don't do that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">They change scientific names mercilessly and frequently, but at least there's science behind it. Common names replace each other at the whim of the botanist. In the case of Plants of the Chicago Region, there was an admirable light-heartedness about it. <i>Conobea multifida</i> was dubbed "Obe-Wan-Conobea." The "hairy green sedge" of <i>Plants of the Chicago Region</i> got its name changed to "fuzzy-wuzzy sedge" in <i>Flora of the Chicago Region. </i>But every sedge book seems to have different names for the sedges, and it seems hardly worth the labor to memorize them, as so few people know the sedges by common names. The people I know mostly just learn and use scientific names for the sedges.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then there are those names changed to make them more respectable. The plant charmingly called "bastard toadflax" in most old books is cleaned up and called "false toadflax" in many new books. Is that necessary? "False indigo" is called "wild indigo" to make it sound more righteous. To me, if the old names seem more true, I stick to them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the other hand "wood betony" was once called "lousewort" because of a false belief that it gave cows lice. The change to betony seems good. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Did the beautiful and descriptive "prairie white-fringed orchid" need to change? I </span>say no. Its scientific name was and is <i>Platanthera leucophaea</i>. But two fine botanists (Charles Sheviak and Marlin Bowles) determined that two different species were being called by that name. West of the Mississippi, the plant that seemed the same turned out to have fewer and larger flowers and other differences. They gave that western plant the scientific name <i>Platanthera praeclara</i> and the common name "western prairie fringed orchid." So far, so good. But then they proposed re-naming our long-cherished plant to "eastern prairie fringed orchid." I don't buy it. Beautiful, you'll always be "prairie white-fringed orchid" to me. </p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the case of great-blue lobelia, the scientific name is the problem. Long called </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Lobelia siphilitica</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - because of a discredited belief that it could cure syphilis - this fine plant deserves better. A scientific name shouldn't be misleading and distracting. I don't use it. Great-blue lobelia is fine for me. For common names, unfortunately, people can continue to have different opinions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Acknowledgements</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p>Orobanche photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.clifftopalliance.org/2012/12/vampires-right-in-the-bluffs-backyard/">Clifftop</a> and Bob Weck, Southwestern Illinois College.</p><p>Indian pipes photo thanks to SummitPost.</p><p>Thanks to Eriko Kojima for helpful proofing and edits. </p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-64269015223865129522022-03-03T06:48:00.003-08:002022-03-03T06:58:23.787-08:00The Six Biological Seasons: Spring Has Now Begun! <div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On February 28, sandhill cranes were migrating north over Somme Prairie Grove. They jumped the gun. March is the gloriously official beginning of biological spring.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0w7P56cLasiGaWPgb79-H4AxxU6GhADCfwKj9MfJR8hd3c2CLu169vj8IzBIA3bnVwBQRVeZs_XOPx95lJBaGWp0JB7FP1rtd9bkaWybzFiu4BcsZi3n9YrEJvuBs9TX9BLDKk2kChKMwbmdpS-8ZG6B0akNPSyTlAXNbuvi6Xmciq4LhjQ=s2006" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="2006" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0w7P56cLasiGaWPgb79-H4AxxU6GhADCfwKj9MfJR8hd3c2CLu169vj8IzBIA3bnVwBQRVeZs_XOPx95lJBaGWp0JB7FP1rtd9bkaWybzFiu4BcsZi3n9YrEJvuBs9TX9BLDKk2kChKMwbmdpS-8ZG6B0akNPSyTlAXNbuvi6Xmciq4LhjQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Forget those tired old Four Seasons. They are the "astronomical seasons." But other systems of seasons predominate in many cultures around the world</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. That system of four seasons doesn’t</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> fit us well, here in the Tallgrass.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of us have begun celebrating six rich seasons that we find more more meaningful and worth celebrating:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Early Spring</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– March and April</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhsbZWJ2lPt6yT8tT7EWfXGTvzNWVcR8SmM6Coas9XMug5S4hfmOgRmvivx3Cr7hpAMbfXzmU8n8jmhlSeKKXurCSuIfQduRyVX-OVQNfKjB6BOXXLj4B-DrRsv6t07HYlOSpkW9_xM_ineDu0ZSET3oZTnkmD5vF1J0Igg3Mmg-m3frjxcw=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhsbZWJ2lPt6yT8tT7EWfXGTvzNWVcR8SmM6Coas9XMug5S4hfmOgRmvivx3Cr7hpAMbfXzmU8n8jmhlSeKKXurCSuIfQduRyVX-OVQNfKjB6BOXXLj4B-DrRsv6t07HYlOSpkW9_xM_ineDu0ZSET3oZTnkmD5vF1J0Igg3Mmg-m3frjxcw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The year begins (Happy New Year!) Late snows are soft and sweet. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Early migrant birds arrive. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frogs head to ephemeral breeding ponds and sing up a storm.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Controlled burns for places missed last fall. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Permanent resident birds pair up and start to build nests. (Woodpeckers, chickadees, cardinals, mourning doves, red-tailed hawks, and more.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The few, the earliest, flowers bloom.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Late Spring</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– May and June</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMnXEeimuVLnJq3HYQRKIX26v9Cyvm0FXHzHcd8aPhyEnzxOIiT7V3U65qH2DrdBekePB7zRmwgj5gq_nALcNsOmOfX-fRX0a4PEDRlDFYs-HtXYogBixNLnbuOytup8sgFaEKvSRHw9it07srz2jffghh2JXvd_PyPjdLaJqSg7MydmNV7A=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMnXEeimuVLnJq3HYQRKIX26v9Cyvm0FXHzHcd8aPhyEnzxOIiT7V3U65qH2DrdBekePB7zRmwgj5gq_nALcNsOmOfX-fRX0a4PEDRlDFYs-HtXYogBixNLnbuOytup8sgFaEKvSRHw9it07srz2jffghh2JXvd_PyPjdLaJqSg7MydmNV7A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spring flora at its height.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tropical migrant birds return. (Warblers, tanagers, vireos, hummingbirds, buntings, and more.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heavenly temperatures.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most wild babies are born.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Summer</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– July and August<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXUP1e-uWflBrzQJj9E5gaIUb7hKfmTg6skfgXxw-iHrgtVE2cipRnucV2N-Vv-bHqNKs0CfiYQhZtOn1TC-KXH1JW26ogIsx2rHAnBnZTWdS9mH0sjdbplLL0JZDOjWMVcqdY-wrZ40vGGze8Grrro6lHGW268m74a91iQMGQJkDuldu6bA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXUP1e-uWflBrzQJj9E5gaIUb7hKfmTg6skfgXxw-iHrgtVE2cipRnucV2N-Vv-bHqNKs0CfiYQhZtOn1TC-KXH1JW26ogIsx2rHAnBnZTWdS9mH0sjdbplLL0JZDOjWMVcqdY-wrZ40vGGze8Grrro6lHGW268m74a91iQMGQJkDuldu6bA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wild babies grow full size – but in many cases are still kind of goofy and dependent.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many people (and ainmals) relish the wilderness most in its delicious mornings and evenings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Warm-season grasses and wildflowers reach full height</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Early Fall</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– September and October</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih4Ui1_64EjaufK7drnAaPdxWjoRlE06QjfY--rFJbyzKoWGMXWaDrmZk889Je2Ey3ZkkcPpQOSt7IQ7nNzD0Sfkf_9ov3PxHddezzoRNG-8CKbl9gzPzwG48HEt7ddY8FD3cB404geGWwbJ-KucdSz2OUbcLk1110ZNH5cjpgoUw6Pzq31A=s2159" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="2159" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih4Ui1_64EjaufK7drnAaPdxWjoRlE06QjfY--rFJbyzKoWGMXWaDrmZk889Je2Ey3ZkkcPpQOSt7IQ7nNzD0Sfkf_9ov3PxHddezzoRNG-8CKbl9gzPzwG48HEt7ddY8FD3cB404geGWwbJ-KucdSz2OUbcLk1110ZNH5cjpgoUw6Pzq31A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">First cool winds put a spring in people’s steps.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many migrant birds leave for Central and South America.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fruits, grains, and most seeds ripen (and are eaten and gathered).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most restoration seeds gathered and prepped for broadcast.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Numbers of birds, mammals, and insects massively greater than in spring.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Gentians cap a growing season of blooms with blue majesty. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Late Fall</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– November and December<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWs7dFwyuwiHQGv_7MIKtIc1aQDfGQeiujFsaNUg9QA8ICEvTzXWSSOx31TaHtqcJS2rULRbErfJDBFxQnV-kws_mzZhD0CQr_cAXLFciLd83j0Mfy00JvF45RSDdyjrMfktPWe1nT9os1Ox8iclFXlJypCfG9IbyHeEsQNZ6O59rvvkSidw=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWs7dFwyuwiHQGv_7MIKtIc1aQDfGQeiujFsaNUg9QA8ICEvTzXWSSOx31TaHtqcJS2rULRbErfJDBFxQnV-kws_mzZhD0CQr_cAXLFciLd83j0Mfy00JvF45RSDdyjrMfktPWe1nT9os1Ox8iclFXlJypCfG9IbyHeEsQNZ6O59rvvkSidw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Still many sweet days in which our spirits celebrate the growing season that’s been.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most restoration seeds blessed by broadcast into the ecosystem.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Warm season grasses die (above ground) and start a second life as fuel for fire. Tree leaves turn bright or somber colors and then, too, carpet the woodlands with fuel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fewer and fewer animals. They've migrated, hibernated, or are otherwise gone.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Healing or renewing fires sweep woods and grasslands.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Winter</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqVxUymIU4liU0w-B4kPfl3wRmMCQabGaxPaeDG7S6EHMLFnOYrqQIoUL5JHhviRJ1YL0UO8BLURksNDSxuXbKB4a1SvA5_rf1mC1gjmFzDU-HLqvwpGifX0BvkbI48h4XOjSSf21UuUMYlWaGa_O3kKUf19mMTP7WV_yQtgUyHyXPm8vdTA=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqVxUymIU4liU0w-B4kPfl3wRmMCQabGaxPaeDG7S6EHMLFnOYrqQIoUL5JHhviRJ1YL0UO8BLURksNDSxuXbKB4a1SvA5_rf1mC1gjmFzDU-HLqvwpGifX0BvkbI48h4XOjSSf21UuUMYlWaGa_O3kKUf19mMTP7WV_yQtgUyHyXPm8vdTA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></b></div>People and many other mammals live off food stored from the other five seasons.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Winter birds arrive from Canada (“Snowbirds” or juncos, “tree” or tundra sparrows, snowy owls in some years, and more).</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The season of brush-cuts and bonfires.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stewards study, plan, and prepare; c</span>ast off hypotheses that no longer make sense; <span style="font-family: inherit;">select </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">new ideals and priorities.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;">Cold and predation cull most of last year’s young.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Snow and cold prepare wild seeds to germinate in early or late spring.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Then a new year begins.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like many calendars in many parts of the world, the new year begins with the birth of another season of life and growth. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a wonderful world - especially for the people, animals, and plants of the tallgrass woods, savannas, prairies and wetlands. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We celebrate spring. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Acknowledgements</b></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cranes over Somme photo by Lisa Musgrave</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></p></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-55180814762029948722022-02-01T11:20:00.078-08:002024-01-17T07:20:01.141-08:00Minimalist Adventure with Scrub Sparrows.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Escapism? Or are we Celebrating the Opposite?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stewards spend our years partly in the tropics and partly on the arctic tundra, without a lot of travel time or petrochemical expense. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our secret? When we see the rough-legged hawk, a visitor from the high arctic, hunting voles over Somme Prairie, we are transported. The prolific voles and the vole-regulating raptors are there because of our work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO7WXcbvWZZ0TY2gktATDNwbRby4HJPXPQyH-lyKjIdNqlyEcYo2RsujT7I2OvE48W9gRA7RUDwrL-KNEDEelB0x4mmN9qKpv3eQynnd89wAiQt8gikIv3LysLr_23uMn-ZMfL7xB1EvRVoBUNebJRBWwHKg0pX-63dgk0aZZ27Tzy9_wk_A=s526" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="526" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO7WXcbvWZZ0TY2gktATDNwbRby4HJPXPQyH-lyKjIdNqlyEcYo2RsujT7I2OvE48W9gRA7RUDwrL-KNEDEelB0x4mmN9qKpv3eQynnd89wAiQt8gikIv3LysLr_23uMn-ZMfL7xB1EvRVoBUNebJRBWwHKg0pX-63dgk0aZZ27Tzy9_wk_A=w640-h426" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Physically, we’re in Northbrook, Illinois. We volunteer as stewards in tallgrass prairie, savanna, woods, and wetlands. We do deeds and think thoughts informed by Henry Thoreau, May Watts, Aldo Leopold, and Rachel Carson. But our text for today is from Emily Dickinson?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s no airplane like Internet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To take us lands away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well actually, she wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is no Frigate like a Book<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To take us Lands away …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This Traverse may the poorest take<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Without oppress of Toll – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How frugal is the Chariot<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That bears the Human Soul – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our consciousness travels. Every fall, some of “our” birds migrate to the Amazon, and others from the tundra migrate south to here. Our minds travel with them and we feel profound connection with (and have a helpful impact on) the lands they’re coming from and going to. Scarlet tanagers that nest in Somme Woods winter in Central America and the Amazon. In winter we restore their breeding habitat and read about and study them. How do we cut brush rightly to improve their lives here? Our summer Somme Prairie dickcissels winter in the savannas of Venezuela and Columbia. As we Google those places, we know that the South American winter ecosystem depends in part on our work here, as the Somme summer ecosystem's balance depends on the conservation by others, caring for those birds' winter habitats. We feel united and are united.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most people don’t know that scrub sparrow (or tundra sparrow) exists. We should change that, to everyone’s benefit. Among the few who know them, they’re sometimes called “LBJs” – little brown jobs – lumping them with other species into dullness. (For some details, see Endnote 1.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tundra or scrub sparrows thrill me. Here comes a still photo … then I introduce a drama from a few days ago … and its video: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWFtJgbWKGxWO0LTc8uDQcsLsiZU7KicZUpLTze2iy2_-JuGMBfiILA4kEnexHbsgwvl9RVGTAL6xTHJ2Jwrr8eQC4CEOJA_QqRyM3ATIm3R24djAuf8LfqWulxqa4PAA7-ybd389aGy9A46_7z1cZF7rVixcv1wngwSpGv6BLZXMzCL6q5g=s890" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="890" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWFtJgbWKGxWO0LTc8uDQcsLsiZU7KicZUpLTze2iy2_-JuGMBfiILA4kEnexHbsgwvl9RVGTAL6xTHJ2Jwrr8eQC4CEOJA_QqRyM3ATIm3R24djAuf8LfqWulxqa4PAA7-ybd389aGy9A46_7z1cZF7rVixcv1wngwSpGv6BLZXMzCL6q5g=w640-h476" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Photo taken at Montrose Bird Thicket by </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/chicagobirder/posts/10158280642627077/?comment_id=10158282914052077&notif_id=1643645507065373&ref=notif&notif_t=group_comment_mention" style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">Kyoji Nakano</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the drama commenced, two of us stood still while fifteen tundra sparrows performed closer and closer, until one was at our feet. They secure the grain from the tops of the tall grasses in a clever way. It's especially impressive when they're feeding on Indiangrass: they fly up, grab hold near the top of the stem, ride it down to the ground, then eat. As birds and grass go up and down, the flock looks like popping popcorn. No other birds have been visible in the savanna today. For a while (before I took the video), the tundra sparrows were so tame and trusting that they were closer to my feet than my feet are to my head. My colleague Eriko and I talk quietly.</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">S: It's as if we weren't here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">E: Maybe they've never seen a person before.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">S: They think we're something like caribou.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">E: This is one of my life's richest bird experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">S: It's an honor. We planted the seed of the grasses they're eating. </span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">E: They'll bring some of this sustenance back to raise their chicks in northern Canada.</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The tundra sparrow is a precious thing in many ways. This flock has been at Somme all winter. They are the only bird that lives in the Somme grasslands this time of year.</span> (See Endnote 2.)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='648' height='538' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwG3iguIMnIPGQzXvwQi9dNYeZZdgTWjERJsl0lrZPIZDH0aXFGXIxYmKffkG1aoJXmtseb4SR80jI' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you can watch this</span><span style="text-align: left;"> perhaps</span><span style="text-align: left;"> obscure </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">video in a peaceful setting on a large screen, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">you may get some taste of the magic. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Otherwise, you’re invited to step out into the winter ecosystem and experience it firsthand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">[This video doesn't work on some people's computers. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">If that happens to you, you can also try the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfTheSommePreserves">Facebook version</a>.]</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, winter is a relatively good time for being inside, reading, playing music, writing, researching, and getting ready for spring (as fall gives the pleasure of anticipating a great Winter. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, I enjoy more inside time in winter than any other season. I collaborate on scientific papers, write these posts, read, and do such normal inside stuff. But I’m out working the wilderness every afternoon. I used to ski, but now hardly ever do. My time being steward and partner with the ecosystem is just too pleasurable and rewarding. I cut brush, broadcast rare seeds on snow, enjoy laughs and insights with friends, and eat bacon and eggs cooked in a skillet on the bonfire; I need the energy and love the taste. (It’s the only bacon I ever get these days.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju5RM2ltFqUBs0P7GBiVBWjmWa4GGKGMYD6kN5WYvb7lpNJszDwvG5U0V8v8DEyEDHCjtdNB-40HmLDu6wi4rO6_pORhauF4SLiW5TtyIsMs0KGlk1dmdZwB2heSQOiy4DP72yzlCv80By0Wl0KIJ5Lne3HiKWPVdy5AW2kgFi1HjkqwRCGg=s716" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="716" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju5RM2ltFqUBs0P7GBiVBWjmWa4GGKGMYD6kN5WYvb7lpNJszDwvG5U0V8v8DEyEDHCjtdNB-40HmLDu6wi4rO6_pORhauF4SLiW5TtyIsMs0KGlk1dmdZwB2heSQOiy4DP72yzlCv80By0Wl0KIJ5Lne3HiKWPVdy5AW2kgFi1HjkqwRCGg=w640-h424" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Tundra sparrow with young. I found few photos of tundra (or "tree") sparrow nests and none showing their nesting landscape. (See painting and other tundra bird habitat photos in Endnote 1.) It would be wonderful to visit the tundra, although I understand it is flat, endless, and not easy to walk on. The ground is often spongy with deep lichens, mosses, sedges, wildflowers and shrubs (that are typically six inches or a foot high, max). It's said to be insanely mosquito-filled. I'm happy to delight in these birds here over the winter and study their habitat on the Internet. </span> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Working together, we stewards say “let there be light” – with our brush cutting. “May the diversity of life return!” we say – as it was created and as it evolved in such abundance. Too, we prophesy that spring will bring good, as we focus on the moment, now, tallgrass winter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnotes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnote 1</span></b></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What this post calls the "scrub" or “tundra" sparrow is called in most books the “tree sparrow.” Many birds are misnamed, but this one ridiculously so. We find them feeding and spending the night mostly well out in the tall grasses. In spring they'll return to breed in "open shrubby vegetation on tundra, which is illustrated below in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior</i>: <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieoQ_BWAa-XlMZVDpDn3V_-Ci-M6x53rGSCc_nvnnFVrusPVDIOhCOJqM33iDfK0gHd4cwY0ZLDE3PgCv3LKuV1keioJgCee78RTcPRvFlJiFLg2KleAOZfEn3IvBigTE9_6quoP8cAqjq3GPFlJL0dA7qEsXEgMpJ-XdHYdKj3d8XICWtDg=s3670" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="3670" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieoQ_BWAa-XlMZVDpDn3V_-Ci-M6x53rGSCc_nvnnFVrusPVDIOhCOJqM33iDfK0gHd4cwY0ZLDE3PgCv3LKuV1keioJgCee78RTcPRvFlJiFLg2KleAOZfEn3IvBigTE9_6quoP8cAqjq3GPFlJL0dA7qEsXEgMpJ-XdHYdKj3d8XICWtDg=w640-h226" width="640" /></span></a></div><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">The birds that nest with them in that habitat are listed by Sibley as the redpoll, parasitic jaeger, willow ptarmigan, and “shorebirds.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> A lot of the so-called shorebirds are also questionably named, as they don't need shores; they need open spaces; and beaches are often all that’s left as they migrate past us. For much of their histories as species, many of them migrated north every spring, feeding on burned prairies. Talk about "open." Many nest well away from water, out on the tundra. Examples include: red knots, </span></span>ruddy turnstones, golden plovers, yellowlegs, and Hudsonian godwits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwWjUcBZgGxxPcSug2yFkJq3AGYscsZ9sE6xkH0tLHOvkBtAs-zMTJ81wYdXOLqlSQzp-AU5liIbNUcHyHuYFc-lxn1fcoW_M4yaT3yBMkTHn2r-Cq2t4kSu87cU0vQfbeDLHM1TpKtr_5UzBKPqHS8eH_W8aLFt4NQKeBOsViHylfa1LdNg=s868" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="868" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwWjUcBZgGxxPcSug2yFkJq3AGYscsZ9sE6xkH0tLHOvkBtAs-zMTJ81wYdXOLqlSQzp-AU5liIbNUcHyHuYFc-lxn1fcoW_M4yaT3yBMkTHn2r-Cq2t4kSu87cU0vQfbeDLHM1TpKtr_5UzBKPqHS8eH_W8aLFt4NQKeBOsViHylfa1LdNg=w640-h400" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A nesting associate of our tundra sparrow, this Hudsonian godwit stands here in tundra habitat. It winters in southern Argentina and Chile, making its living there on mudflats and wet grasslands. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaPE7aicFtvd6Mn2c1TnBf-4FcUV8aLHtzRDpSRuUqdQ3THoxQG8oV-ai_CwPtBnLeBkPyzV5PEbsJpQQm_BV7Y7bGyCWnDNh2jEkc4BRVmc4vTtwdP145udIg4bGQpZkOek0FKMMCJ__Qffruo2tk44vD67T9EvV-gxXQJTDL_dG8Opv3rA=s579" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="579" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaPE7aicFtvd6Mn2c1TnBf-4FcUV8aLHtzRDpSRuUqdQ3THoxQG8oV-ai_CwPtBnLeBkPyzV5PEbsJpQQm_BV7Y7bGyCWnDNh2jEkc4BRVmc4vTtwdP145udIg4bGQpZkOek0FKMMCJ__Qffruo2tk44vD67T9EvV-gxXQJTDL_dG8Opv3rA=w640-h376" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red knot - another "shorebird" on its nest in the tundra. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFqqI4R14E-ZoUFInJDYmVftOngx4kjHW27ldTkkAlsR5GEz03DaEYArPNA_o4Eckn6w3MpKcbMa1WS7WRuuTH8XPUXfRctbCOcBJrbFD6S-AmG_PD-mR_nMqYdzRch8_mKIrig4IUSEIVRs_XxhFEHFA3aFpXHr7v6096jtqPkt5ekqU8pA=s570" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="570" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFqqI4R14E-ZoUFInJDYmVftOngx4kjHW27ldTkkAlsR5GEz03DaEYArPNA_o4Eckn6w3MpKcbMa1WS7WRuuTH8XPUXfRctbCOcBJrbFD6S-AmG_PD-mR_nMqYdzRch8_mKIrig4IUSEIVRs_XxhFEHFA3aFpXHr7v6096jtqPkt5ekqU8pA=w640-h272" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Parasitic jaeger on nest. Once again, we don't see a lot of trees in this "tree sparrow" habitat. But it's a pleasure to see the landscape our sparrow friends will return to. It would be great to go there, but perhaps a lot of work. </span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></b><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnote 2</span></b></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The winter bird species of the Somme preserves are actually mostly permanent residents: chickadees, cardinals, mourning doves, goldfinches, blue jays, nuthatches. </span>But most of these “permanent residents” spend most of their winter freeloading at back-yard bird-feeders, so we don't see them. <span style="font-family: inherit;">The species we most see in the preserves are four or five species of woodpeckers. Migrants from the north are mostly juncos (in the woods) and tundra sparrows (in the grasslands). Tundra sparrows are typically the most abundant winter bird in Somme Prairie Grove. They’ll be replaced in the summer by song and field sparrows. </span>Until<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the restoration matures, winter walks in the now fully open Somme Prairie reveal few birds, except possibly a hawk hunting voles. Four Somme raptors are permanent residents, red-tailed and Cooper’s hawks plus great-horned and screech owls. (The Cooper’s hawks also spend most of their time around bird feeders. But they’re not eating seeds and suet.) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Endnote 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Is winter the least fun of our six seasons? I suppose I’d say “yes” to that – if you asked me in May or September. But truly, my favorite season is always the one I’m in. We relish true winter only in</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> January and February. March and April are </span>Early Spring<span style="font-family: inherit;">. Then we note some birds start singing their spring songs, the return of early migrants and the opening of buds, while we enjoy what's left of the winter that was. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghrws-UQyRRm37-5QK7bniz2cMLYUO4tg0yh4BY1-BxQA9JqtdxpCBsdZLvj0WbdVBlXUHWAbcr9UjF2tOVYLH1shzbss2BBDebr_Wf2U6iSiLQ_OugjsFOBBxZW7rNAihdXnDoLL65h3JIpIjmCXru2e0FBj-JfGhIvQXDcPb97jGbXlFBA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghrws-UQyRRm37-5QK7bniz2cMLYUO4tg0yh4BY1-BxQA9JqtdxpCBsdZLvj0WbdVBlXUHWAbcr9UjF2tOVYLH1shzbss2BBDebr_Wf2U6iSiLQ_OugjsFOBBxZW7rNAihdXnDoLL65h3JIpIjmCXru2e0FBj-JfGhIvQXDcPb97jGbXlFBA=w640-h480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You call this "work"? Our "free aerobics" improve the planet. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additional Acknowledgements<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rough-legged hawk photo by Sandra Rust<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hudsonial godwit photo by Francesco Veronesi/Wikimedia Commons</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red knot photo thanks to Nature Picture Library</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parasitic jaeger photo by J. Del Hojo/Lynx</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. <br /></span><br /></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-74056498632820152152022-01-28T09:37:00.005-08:002022-01-28T10:49:10.912-08:00Bonfire Visitor<p>Two non-conformist Hermit Thrushes have a mysterious habit of visiting us at restoration bonfires in winter. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0aWFXUqzy8gLMJbcIjzjjHU7NhRV7sgtu4zS2khgp0Qbv0YaJ_qrla1UPSpkhUgKxNnSZjrk_zm8DfvTTHON0uqr9oJFNO0mlRtwtewrcTVGF71qh7LK7Pibq_pxB576O5Os_NRG6gEvrmKxNDih_ZqVVO0TEVxFdX0j_K-ijdjIuQKoiLg=s740" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="740" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0aWFXUqzy8gLMJbcIjzjjHU7NhRV7sgtu4zS2khgp0Qbv0YaJ_qrla1UPSpkhUgKxNnSZjrk_zm8DfvTTHON0uqr9oJFNO0mlRtwtewrcTVGF71qh7LK7Pibq_pxB576O5Os_NRG6gEvrmKxNDih_ZqVVO0TEVxFdX0j_K-ijdjIuQKoiLg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why are you here?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>For years at Somme Woods, one would show up in winter around the bonfire toward the end, as the crowd drifted away. We'd never see it at any other time. </p><p>This year, one has shown up thus at the end of our Saturday <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2021/11/anatomy-of-new-community.html">work sessions at Shaw Woods</a>. See more about this species in <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hermit_Thrush/id">All About Birds</a>.</p><p>According to standard sources, most thrushes winter in the Amazon or Central America. But some of the Hermits may winter as far north as the Ohio River - Kentucky, Missouri, and the very south edge of Illinois. Even so, we're far north of their regular winter range. (In the summer, we're far south of their breeding grounds.)</p><p>At the bonfires, they seem quite tame. They seem to be finding insect prey uncovered and/or warmed up by our work. They also seem like kind of friendly colleagues, even if we don't know quite what their presence means. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7vhCW8l0ljwt1d9rNuGBd-t2skFerf0-k4Qb_6KkEFVA7I3On6TxUvyJTf0RtNclL3JFTSNkliNNMkchK17Uq3xmZ6E0llns0kt5hVZk6qtdpB4h_Tfl4T4BmIeVlcT9M1kXoQTJ-qBOEC1zKxfFfdbShb0jRJbDiR8iQipRnpHwUbYMQ2A=s586" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="586" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7vhCW8l0ljwt1d9rNuGBd-t2skFerf0-k4Qb_6KkEFVA7I3On6TxUvyJTf0RtNclL3JFTSNkliNNMkchK17Uq3xmZ6E0llns0kt5hVZk6qtdpB4h_Tfl4T4BmIeVlcT9M1kXoQTJ-qBOEC1zKxfFfdbShb0jRJbDiR8iQipRnpHwUbYMQ2A=w640-h508" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Acknowledgements</b></p><p>Thanks to All About Birds for both photos and good info.</p><p>Thanks to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-70769021044131110792022-01-14T10:02:00.018-08:002022-01-28T05:23:48.543-08:00Love Among The Woodpeckers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVHKiyEGuwqUbzQJ1IrS_WRwUYi_bX-mx1I3X8a4ZsWTCABJjGI7U1RjIx_QDI1BOxoeYoJHP9GoS0IrijmU7S664p9X_DlsrH4X0iof7FQN2L3gvKiy7f-HRaijHu3aJk-U-xPXlN0WPEOf1NJ2YU87sfrwWNcCClbi2MQTIFva6FY_Jnvg=s2448" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="2448" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVHKiyEGuwqUbzQJ1IrS_WRwUYi_bX-mx1I3X8a4ZsWTCABJjGI7U1RjIx_QDI1BOxoeYoJHP9GoS0IrijmU7S664p9X_DlsrH4X0iof7FQN2L3gvKiy7f-HRaijHu3aJk-U-xPXlN0WPEOf1NJ2YU87sfrwWNcCClbi2MQTIFva6FY_Jnvg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><p>I had a <b>little big experience</b> in early January. See YouTubes and photos below, but it was so much more than they show. To try to put this drama into words: </p><p>At first, three downy woodpeckers, in stylized fashion, danced and sang their hearts out - most spectacularly. Then one "got voted off the island." </p><p>I watched for about 15 minutes. I'd never seen anything like it. Very fast, very precise, it reminded me of David Attenborough videos from the tropical rain forest. I realized that a lot of the magic of the exotic tropics is how hard people work to get great video. This performance was as spectacular as the Attenborough miracles, but would anyone go to that much trouble to record it? And if not, do we lose a lot of potential love/respect/constituency for the needy temperate ecosystem? </p><p>Please, someone, make compelling videos, YouTubes, TikToks and more, to help We The People learn to care for the ecosystem near us as much as it deserves and needs. </p><p>Nothing I can find on-line comes close to what I saw. The best I could find was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG6apxtdAUk ">some sweet dancing by flickers</a> - marred by the photographer scaring them from time to time. But it basically held only a vague hint of the dramatic performance I saw. </p><p>It was a warm day in the "dead" of winter. The birds had amorous thoughts of spring. When my downies were a <b>splendidly operatic threesome</b>, there were crescendos of passionate calls and feather-flourishes from all three. Winter is the time for pairing up. Then, once one of two competitors was chosen, the dance began in earnest. </p><p>They'd face each other, often on horizontal branches, and with lightning speed crane their heads and bodies from side to side, striking various dramatic poses, in unison, or each going precisely the opposite the direction from the other, almost too fast to watch, singing their impassioned soprano duet all the time. </p><p>LesleyTheBirdNerd has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceBustKaSuA&t=492s">a nice piece on the downies</a>, but for drama, I'm sorry, it pales. You probably already need to be a BirdNerd to want to watch it? What I saw deserved both Spielberg and Attenborough. </p><p>There is a video of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKh2wHpLFxw">red-headed woodpeckers mating</a>. But the interest comes mostly from handsome plumage. The videographer missed the dancing and caught only "the act" - which, in the bird case, has little prurient interest - or any other kind. </p><p>I did find a video of woodpeckers doing a pale version of what I saw. I this case, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAdLYVzjYt8">pileated woodpeckers danced </a>(with nice technique, but less obvious passion) on Thomas Shue's gravel driveway. <br /><br />Thanks, Thomas, a treat. But the world of conservation needs more, if people are to get excited about our temperate ecosystems. The planet needs us to fall in love with (and have our lives be inspired by) what's near and dear to us.</p><p><b>Parental advice from downy woodpeckers:</b> </p><p>"About 2-3 days before the young fledge, the adults will reduce feeding in order to encourage the young to leave the nest. Adults will continue feeding and teaching their young for as many as 3 weeks after the young leave the nest."<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>The Woodpeckers of the Somme Preserves</b></p><p>Somme has rare species and impressive numbers, in part because so many trees have died of elm and ash diseases and in part because stewardship kills many invasive trees in the process of improving prairie, savanna, and oak woodland habitat. Let's enjoy elevated numbers of woodpeckers while we can ... and let's continue good stewardship to assure good habitat for all, into the future. </p><p><b>Red-headed Woodpecker</b></p><p>This beauty had been called the fastest declining bird species in North America, because its savanna and open woodland habitat is degrading so fast under the onslaught of invasive trees and shrubs. No red-headed woodpeckers were seen at Somme during the early years of restoration. Once Somme Prairie Grove savanna restoration was well under way, a single pair showed up and raised young. But the big woodpecker triumph was at Somme Woods. Though these 200+ acres were slower to get opened to healthy sunlight and biodiversity, now that the zone stewards are making rapid progress, four pairs nested last year. Wonderful. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-J2qotnWsSpQokHyI8HdH4_wgFvToeFvdcujowtHrd1cwdCCkMrt3TijprHxlrTYCVdBib7a79RsSvzl-AR6QDWvI66bqst4aJ5XJOxSujdWdceebf6AhGHRkhUFAhqY2I0WPBksZkDY6oGwZ7MkpvIK_gR4PhtwbKQOHaH03tVyBN5RkJA=s1602" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1602" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-J2qotnWsSpQokHyI8HdH4_wgFvToeFvdcujowtHrd1cwdCCkMrt3TijprHxlrTYCVdBib7a79RsSvzl-AR6QDWvI66bqst4aJ5XJOxSujdWdceebf6AhGHRkhUFAhqY2I0WPBksZkDY6oGwZ7MkpvIK_gR4PhtwbKQOHaH03tVyBN5RkJA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Lisa Musgrave. In this species, both sexes have completely red heads. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Northern Flicker</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXpmj0UIimjhq0Rdii16O_--x6L5lnhUzN-pf8bXMxmTX30GJPYfiOSG1w888yFgQzVE1WsJz5-IpTGREFiXi7gM3ZcSnTbb3yet15EWjQXz2bfEk1z3oqkOAbLdGfmmFgkk-qyILRmFTHY2d-9ckLzGHLS--IuEWIdQv974EYGXauwBCmKw=s358" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="358" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXpmj0UIimjhq0Rdii16O_--x6L5lnhUzN-pf8bXMxmTX30GJPYfiOSG1w888yFgQzVE1WsJz5-IpTGREFiXi7gM3ZcSnTbb3yet15EWjQXz2bfEk1z3oqkOAbLdGfmmFgkk-qyILRmFTHY2d-9ckLzGHLS--IuEWIdQv974EYGXauwBCmKw=w640-h574" width="640" /></a></div>Northern flicker is listed as a species of concern by the Bird Conservation Network, mostly because the natural habitat of this ground-feeding, ant-eating woodpecker is sharply reduced. It can breed in yards and parks, if pesticide levels are not too great. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ommzXuEL54s&t=45s">LesleyTheBirdNerd has a nice piece</a> on them. <p></p><p><b>Pileated Woodpecker</b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqDpkKUvI-iL-ukTZzy8lysW1yL8d8eFl1B9rfPUdicDt3xZj9JU14nvkEiHOiGFYLlfC6qnx7y0PNdXxkFaC5SQTxXZG5tstB2F_bmfPuNgwxi6bYJpiC7z9Xz2oFydaRfjsfORzhBrJK5-BCJz9KBiskllPG_Be_Ms3a0oyKfHkyHvITfw=s1632"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="1088" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqDpkKUvI-iL-ukTZzy8lysW1yL8d8eFl1B9rfPUdicDt3xZj9JU14nvkEiHOiGFYLlfC6qnx7y0PNdXxkFaC5SQTxXZG5tstB2F_bmfPuNgwxi6bYJpiC7z9Xz2oFydaRfjsfORzhBrJK5-BCJz9KBiskllPG_Be_Ms3a0oyKfHkyHvITfw=w426-h640" width="426" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not expected at Somme, this crow-sized woodpecker has started showing up fairly often. Keep your eyes out for something big. Photo by Lisa Musgrave.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hairy Woodpecker</b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFrnp6yuiQMvuK-I3RYdmQsY8n7X9oYdndQPJ2YgSphRHDvvHHPMCVR93wBdphLR5W-t00fCEpP5XpMQ50oiGz5zc2bNcercMkaElkVUVEp0mn3dWLyEqwcfFqHD4NEMFLlAI7fZy2BvGcLwbGHJC0NIY9urbbc1npeSDJdyJW32ck-N0uuw=s417"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="417" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFrnp6yuiQMvuK-I3RYdmQsY8n7X9oYdndQPJ2YgSphRHDvvHHPMCVR93wBdphLR5W-t00fCEpP5XpMQ50oiGz5zc2bNcercMkaElkVUVEp0mn3dWLyEqwcfFqHD4NEMFLlAI7fZy2BvGcLwbGHJC0NIY9urbbc1npeSDJdyJW32ck-N0uuw=w640-h548" width="640" /></a></div><div><p>Downy on left. Hairy on right.<br />The hairy looks a lot like the downy. To tell them apart, the main clues are the overall size, size of bill, and the calls. The hairy is deeper-voiced and does "a rattle like a kingfisher." (Also, the downy has black dots on its white outer tail feathers. The hairy typically does not.) The the photo below Lisa Musgrave captured a still of hairy woodpeckers doing a similar mating dance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYrOlMmg85tcv0cOxW2CY9mERmanJ3mMwBzgjyzBjkSY-tx66OVCPqDviC6l49fALZbKTNWxsIA0Y5V-pb1sZ4YB_6O-VbuKpZN6BRU5mrfXudtn_effgqvBydZhikNYFyRQyzKSpKYppVdsKw8Q2RQ8u8jcRJ54VlQyY5yFissB5yz2n7Yw=s1086" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="724" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYrOlMmg85tcv0cOxW2CY9mERmanJ3mMwBzgjyzBjkSY-tx66OVCPqDviC6l49fALZbKTNWxsIA0Y5V-pb1sZ4YB_6O-VbuKpZN6BRU5mrfXudtn_effgqvBydZhikNYFyRQyzKSpKYppVdsKw8Q2RQ8u8jcRJ54VlQyY5yFissB5yz2n7Yw=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>Red-bellied Woodpecker</b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjh6sspH5MWp9cI85T4eANYyE2eVJ3TDTv4fy-CW_3izQxckJ1WG8a8lBQbm6t5uD0i4qRWxBTNfbnKqqOYwqXCXg4s7EbIpqBQzSJf5EiNrrPkZCMHFU4zdQ3zfqXewdONSyV5kd6EKzQKSw1b6KN5xdRyaKH-BK2Gz-B9gAE02tcciwVCLg=s391"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="323" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjh6sspH5MWp9cI85T4eANYyE2eVJ3TDTv4fy-CW_3izQxckJ1WG8a8lBQbm6t5uD0i4qRWxBTNfbnKqqOYwqXCXg4s7EbIpqBQzSJf5EiNrrPkZCMHFU4zdQ3zfqXewdONSyV5kd6EKzQKSw1b6KN5xdRyaKH-BK2Gz-B9gAE02tcciwVCLg=w528-h640" width="528" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">Red-bellied woodpecker rarely has even a hint of red on its belly. Some people call it "red-headed" - which wouldn't be a bad name, if another bird didn't already have it. This head has its kind of orangy red on the back and top - not on the sides and front. </span></div><p><b>Yellow-bellied Sapsucker</b></p><p>Eriko Kojima points out that there is another woodpecker that, though not regularly seen, is a constant presence at Somme - and indeed, most places that have trees. We mostly don't see these birds; they just pass through in spring on their way to the northern forests; instead we see the lines of holes they leave in trees. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV9bUlRb9dkK6vuK1_kYSnI8WzLARaWZIHyjbYFUhZXO129foG5_ZVV_D2ada4xaxTF1i7HkCFLJT_PFAIOU-8KllhXbzG0BZp_nyMUFah1o0yctbGSb6nRqASs_YHfm2Kt3YYhkZbkV3C-ZCUyhB-0OUFue4xpJE-YseHdTPTunmwQuhT2g=s421" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhV9bUlRb9dkK6vuK1_kYSnI8WzLARaWZIHyjbYFUhZXO129foG5_ZVV_D2ada4xaxTF1i7HkCFLJT_PFAIOU-8KllhXbzG0BZp_nyMUFah1o0yctbGSb6nRqASs_YHfm2Kt3YYhkZbkV3C-ZCUyhB-0OUFue4xpJE-YseHdTPTunmwQuhT2g=w432-h640" width="432" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sapsuckers eat the tasty inner bark of trees and drink the sweet spring sap. They return to their lines of holes after a while to eat more - especially the insects attracted to that sap. And after they do all the work, many freeloaders join them. These feeding stations are said to be important to early migrant hummingbirds under some weather condition. Warblers, kinglets, orioles, squirrels, and other join in the banquet - though the sapsuckers sometimes patrol their lines of food founts and drive others off. The handsome culprit with a mix of old and recent holes is shown below:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFwWEjPCficlAaFO_czAW8ZQrdcgf5UFII4dgF3ae6ypi0t1YBzcvvvgDQrvMPfv86LjnGwM88HdwxAe4SOw8B6piSepCz597Btbr7hQ-W0_m7zUTz3jsqQrU6CukQuW4JDA5Mfb0SjQoTyu36GghXBRnWf05f1ipXL9VresTHRheIe-X2bw=s525" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="525" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFwWEjPCficlAaFO_czAW8ZQrdcgf5UFII4dgF3ae6ypi0t1YBzcvvvgDQrvMPfv86LjnGwM88HdwxAe4SOw8B6piSepCz597Btbr7hQ-W0_m7zUTz3jsqQrU6CukQuW4JDA5Mfb0SjQoTyu36GghXBRnWf05f1ipXL9VresTHRheIe-X2bw=w640-h406" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><b>Credits and references</b><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(99, 99, 99);">Opening photo of downies dancing by Lisa Musgrave. Lisa writes: "</span>There was a lot of chirping, but the most obvious part (to me) in all the woodpecker courting was the neck stretching, left and right, back and forth, as they circled the tree truck. Then they would fly to another tree and start again. It was fun to watch!"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(99, 99, 99);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parental ad</span>vice thanks to: </span><a href="https://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Downy_Woodpecker.html" style="caret-color: rgb(99, 99, 99); color: #636363; font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Wild Bird Watching</a><span face="Droid Sans, arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(99, 99, 99); color: #636363;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">. </span></span></div>Flicker, red-bellied, and downy/hairy photos courtesy of AllAboutBirds from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo of old sapsucker holes from Nature Watch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo of actual handsome sapsucker with holes thanks to blog.nature.org. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for proofing and edits to Eriko Kojima and Kathy Garness.</div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-60505813071438831712021-12-28T07:15:00.004-08:002023-01-20T07:25:08.418-08:00Boxing Tree. Boxing Meadow. Bound for Glory.<p>We begin with an undistinguished photo. I was tempted to label it "photo of nothing much." But it's the setting for a drama.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOdqp1jLG4eQB2EItr9xd_jmTwmhFqzQKjC_0KLT3J3ewdYo8lpRa4foPephlhMdHAn2e5Li8MdNc3edHDUz1_F8OeQsBMSt_QFEiIlwg7o6pzhRy6NPQPUIi-8wEApzMOhfTPi8kRQyp3b2qXxkF0_SGtgyXhPuO3teEap7ItQIw8Zg1P2w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOdqp1jLG4eQB2EItr9xd_jmTwmhFqzQKjC_0KLT3J3ewdYo8lpRa4foPephlhMdHAn2e5Li8MdNc3edHDUz1_F8OeQsBMSt_QFEiIlwg7o6pzhRy6NPQPUIi-8wEApzMOhfTPi8kRQyp3b2qXxkF0_SGtgyXhPuO3teEap7ItQIw8Zg1P2w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Indeed, soon this scene will be transformed to this:</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRqgHtCNZFe5XrkfR6qBntR1ay2-4_bK9bHbh16qGdMBdayhJKI8NO6TgvY3y5bz-gV6hJxl3hUppqI05eGpup0DQ7KhHBW_xwbBkL9OZYOViz7LIfgClgFJuHHmWiUVKHJRzRIjcttSL6E7Mcwawv12ODZ7u9SC3427-hcU8ZOO1Yvbl0iw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRqgHtCNZFe5XrkfR6qBntR1ay2-4_bK9bHbh16qGdMBdayhJKI8NO6TgvY3y5bz-gV6hJxl3hUppqI05eGpup0DQ7KhHBW_xwbBkL9OZYOViz7LIfgClgFJuHHmWiUVKHJRzRIjcttSL6E7Mcwawv12ODZ7u9SC3427-hcU8ZOO1Yvbl0iw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div>... a grass roots magic trick and adventure.</div><div><br /></div>On the morning of December 26th, Boxing Day (see Endnote 1), a cohort descended on this area, to do good, as we perceived it. Though delicately covered with morning dew, the nasty shrub up front in the first photo is buckthorn. Once the most common tree and shrub of this 85-acre Forest Preserve, a nasty and malignant invader, it now survives here mostly in narrow strips where the preserve borders a road. Today we'll expand the good and drive back the bad yet further. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwwJfBI5Ws9M5ex77BCwMkJ9GUTIQpLblSjpywmEvRTH-k98VHeIgh_sTx6IXdl70lhp2CSGsayF82gYAHIrVbH7EFqJcD913iRxkPxXi6P1V9IFJeqdv1CcNRBgogF_5izNX-e_ZHZTgRGMXB5M6Ok2700iY77ri31b1VeRZoHiBvnhrCww=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwwJfBI5Ws9M5ex77BCwMkJ9GUTIQpLblSjpywmEvRTH-k98VHeIgh_sTx6IXdl70lhp2CSGsayF82gYAHIrVbH7EFqJcD913iRxkPxXi6P1V9IFJeqdv1CcNRBgogF_5izNX-e_ZHZTgRGMXB5M6Ok2700iY77ri31b1VeRZoHiBvnhrCww=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>In the middle of the buckthorn and other invaders is one woody plant that we will spare from axe and saw. The blue and white ribbon identifies this young oak as a tree-to-save.<div><br /></div><div>For some of us, this year-end event is an annual ritual. Others are here for the first time. We start with a circle and share thoughts about ecology, safety, and goals. In all today, we are 44 people - showing up for a drama, workout, and mitzvah (see Endnote 2). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj5TG0HlYSlpHBoG_hoRddTwHh_MIU-S3SeB_7OUvZ3UHA85Gpyfqc4jJ_vHC3YHYO5c_acosYlqbW4Oc56ByxdvtBx-dFdw7d06bXtMgMz0sHKHIfPcVvD3brbxtiTB3gUvDW6ydbBCR5m0lVzc3p5KooPzFFh0kLoI0Hm4qjU10pBT7H3g=s3174" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2530" data-original-width="3174" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj5TG0HlYSlpHBoG_hoRddTwHh_MIU-S3SeB_7OUvZ3UHA85Gpyfqc4jJ_vHC3YHYO5c_acosYlqbW4Oc56ByxdvtBx-dFdw7d06bXtMgMz0sHKHIfPcVvD3brbxtiTB3gUvDW6ydbBCR5m0lVzc3p5KooPzFFh0kLoI0Hm4qjU10pBT7H3g=w640-h510" width="640" /></a></div>Covid was still with us. We don't know whether to wear masks or not. Some do; some don't. Out here in the free-flowing air, we feel safe. <br /><div><br /><div><div>A ten-minute hike brings us to the work area, and pretty soon a bonfire is eating cut brush.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-pfgsErw89f-7Do8TonKjb4jWPw3EibYpZJ0GPd9yv9vsa_Y-zinWbNQrEffnh_pzkJzScfuuTn9ul8vZL239xUdXqg8pfJy-A9Tapv5zSwWjp_LFVEGPRpupApujMfYlAk52Dpjy7rTQ4CazqgWbryi-lz9ABzOzyiEnHIO4PPieQ1kYZA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-pfgsErw89f-7Do8TonKjb4jWPw3EibYpZJ0GPd9yv9vsa_Y-zinWbNQrEffnh_pzkJzScfuuTn9ul8vZL239xUdXqg8pfJy-A9Tapv5zSwWjp_LFVEGPRpupApujMfYlAk52Dpjy7rTQ4CazqgWbryi-lz9ABzOzyiEnHIO4PPieQ1kYZA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Somme Prairie Grove was an oak savanna ... and is becoming one again. No "pristine" tallgrass savannas survive. This site (alongside a few other lucky remnants) is in rehab. It has progressed enough that it was recently honored (and permanently protected) by legal dedication as <a href="https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2021/05/highest-legal-protection-for-formerly.html">an Illinois Nature Preserve</a>. The core of its 85 acres is rife with uncommon young oaks, native grasses, orchids, butterflies and birds. They have names like prairie dropseed, eared false foxglove, Edward's hairstreak, purple twayblade orchid, and willow flycatcher. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilM300pisufVLlQB0m5IF0o4zCFO1mK5gs38WPC_y7KfCN7Wxa2YicHzCg6TbHp2f7qNvXN7yIqoZvZcbasmQy4LBGXLl7Jm4w3XX3S29Tn7Y1Hf8gyixyAtgC4mJRD_mHe6uKqFl60V8Ukifao9dHVfjx6mkOCnm3om_SZw4GQ6TSzttm3Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilM300pisufVLlQB0m5IF0o4zCFO1mK5gs38WPC_y7KfCN7Wxa2YicHzCg6TbHp2f7qNvXN7yIqoZvZcbasmQy4LBGXLl7Jm4w3XX3S29Tn7Y1Hf8gyixyAtgC4mJRD_mHe6uKqFl60V8Ukifao9dHVfjx6mkOCnm3om_SZw4GQ6TSzttm3Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>We too are diverse. Here balding, famous, and irreverent photographer Mike McDonald throws an armload of slain brush on the fire. His dramatic and fun book, "<a href="https://www.chicagonature.com/chicago-book/">My Journey Into The Wilds Of Chicago</a>" includes a photo or two of Somme. </div><div><br /></div><div>As the day proceeds, there is a certain amount of laughter, socializing, questions, suggestions, and regular actual human interactions. Below, at right - chemist, writer, and zone steward Christos Economou talks with performance artist and Morton Arboretum Adult Learning Programs guy Robb Telfer. Christos wrote some of the early Bell Bowl Prairie alarms. Robb published the first big expose on what was happening, influentially in the Chicago Tribune. Robb masked and Christos not, they rest from work a moment to plan and plot more initiatives for this important mission. (<a href="https://www.savebellbowlprairie.org">Save Bell Bowl Prairie!</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOF1ppK5H_QSw7BDW2gPlG1Mz2-Zfzzlaj_HMR4GBpKiQG3LkirUnPj4v8Xzt3t8Et2AiM_hxDW52i05iBo81ZNqPsuo74mrxWNWopnZ3Q2GqxkisrBX8PvtdtnPzziukNPxRhcTvcknPSNB8MVj-PFBKkgsAVV8S2FcGB8EYMZwwXFQJX7Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOF1ppK5H_QSw7BDW2gPlG1Mz2-Zfzzlaj_HMR4GBpKiQG3LkirUnPj4v8Xzt3t8Et2AiM_hxDW52i05iBo81ZNqPsuo74mrxWNWopnZ3Q2GqxkisrBX8PvtdtnPzziukNPxRhcTvcknPSNB8MVj-PFBKkgsAVV8S2FcGB8EYMZwwXFQJX7Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I was impressed by a young woman (below) who, on this winter day, dressed in a tee-shirt. Behind her, in regulation safety-helmet and chaps, Estelle Ure with quiet electric chain saw cuts stumps low so they won't trip us up. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD57LQzmrP1spfGn2D0IvCz_PNUhuNk6NdyZals6GhYT0EHtod9JqSGTSSCkwHydJpOBJLzPE0pgBfx-zhH_v9g5Go4Q0i3pPed9kJdFXFuVTT3yH9iVBkb5mZQ6gmaO-CzVapx4Fwas4MzU6nQsza9itcB-mVVBnuikpZ2q6oaI4g-AyHKQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD57LQzmrP1spfGn2D0IvCz_PNUhuNk6NdyZals6GhYT0EHtod9JqSGTSSCkwHydJpOBJLzPE0pgBfx-zhH_v9g5Go4Q0i3pPed9kJdFXFuVTT3yH9iVBkb5mZQ6gmaO-CzVapx4Fwas4MzU6nQsza9itcB-mVVBnuikpZ2q6oaI4g-AyHKQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next I notice the young woman throwing an invasive trunk into the fire like a javelin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQuvIrQh8ZLSB26a5SKvmxzRAEJq5x0xi0KoPePOWiVMbI-DRMzIZL8q0laLg9fBtw-KJ60BS4MrOqh6xgCYTtP5bimKf_g2kQV8vaJvE5LL0nMtMMnsu52bM5lBgy0RAVy92Jx3O9G91zrLJaWluzBGRz1JgvyWm1XC4k81TBciU7BbpKCg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQuvIrQh8ZLSB26a5SKvmxzRAEJq5x0xi0KoPePOWiVMbI-DRMzIZL8q0laLg9fBtw-KJ60BS4MrOqh6xgCYTtP5bimKf_g2kQV8vaJvE5LL0nMtMMnsu52bM5lBgy0RAVy92Jx3O9G91zrLJaWluzBGRz1JgvyWm1XC4k81TBciU7BbpKCg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLbfhP-9aP57mxdDh8lUP18P-CGGclu_Y1usKspDI3UdUF-8mJLV6BpiWg2Jhsl110YlSz3Yvpq2jaacppVA6ngIszkJNq3frAwzg-zJJ-A2T5El6e_B39pTASrKpkRuyVKDPwRA_xeZznin4NYvl-DsPtbzWkoZEfWCdWLxw3HehM42EyDA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLbfhP-9aP57mxdDh8lUP18P-CGGclu_Y1usKspDI3UdUF-8mJLV6BpiWg2Jhsl110YlSz3Yvpq2jaacppVA6ngIszkJNq3frAwzg-zJJ-A2T5El6e_B39pTASrKpkRuyVKDPwRA_xeZznin4NYvl-DsPtbzWkoZEfWCdWLxw3HehM42EyDA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>No one was in the way, so why not? (We hear that this mighty warrior actually went to ecosystem restoration summer camp in Michigan. Yes, apparently, there is such a thing.) <br /><div><br /></div><div>Once the brush is cut and shortened, it gets dabbed with herbicide, so it won't re-sprout.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRqgHtCNZFe5XrkfR6qBntR1ay2-4_bK9bHbh16qGdMBdayhJKI8NO6TgvY3y5bz-gV6hJxl3hUppqI05eGpup0DQ7KhHBW_xwbBkL9OZYOViz7LIfgClgFJuHHmWiUVKHJRzRIjcttSL6E7Mcwawv12ODZ7u9SC3427-hcU8ZOO1Yvbl0iw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRqgHtCNZFe5XrkfR6qBntR1ay2-4_bK9bHbh16qGdMBdayhJKI8NO6TgvY3y5bz-gV6hJxl3hUppqI05eGpup0DQ7KhHBW_xwbBkL9OZYOViz7LIfgClgFJuHHmWiUVKHJRzRIjcttSL6E7Mcwawv12ODZ7u9SC3427-hcU8ZOO1Yvbl0iw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_ktBbaF7SF6nvgr-C21PGGaan22bV0mOnEV5e1OJr4Yij9ma8Xpj7CUYST9kx_tpwyAdVZ2JEI01cYSUZnzo69fNtOP9TGtpqVqpaqUTSNKQ3_nEJUGYzXOw5xsj-x7cHMqcDErKek9cTTPjv1U6jE5uu67_5ANVWBSGv5EInza-TjlNpIA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_ktBbaF7SF6nvgr-C21PGGaan22bV0mOnEV5e1OJr4Yij9ma8Xpj7CUYST9kx_tpwyAdVZ2JEI01cYSUZnzo69fNtOP9TGtpqVqpaqUTSNKQ3_nEJUGYzXOw5xsj-x7cHMqcDErKek9cTTPjv1U6jE5uu67_5ANVWBSGv5EInza-TjlNpIA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Once the brush was cleared around it, this baby oak - which could end up to live three or four hundred years - seemed so precious that one person proposed that we name it. Many engaging names were suggested, but when Joe Handwerker came up with the Boxing Tree, a blessed murmur of consent arose. It will henceforth be Boxing Tree. And it will not stand in bare dirt as it does now.<br /><div><br /><div>On Friday, December 24th, Eriko, Christos, and Katie finished assembling our Somme 2021 ecosystem <a href="https://vestalgrove.blogspot.com/2021/09/how-happy-do-seeds-make-us.html">seed mixes</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBpvIhAYiZJE6t8sEVZfV_dLY3Y5_r6iicte8OpPvOiMDDL19GCtZ4ZWJeOQJsbF0Vtc-7FP46bIRk7YEIgajkelXZ5D-1w_3QHP6P3Vf11CBxpHEM3MjntfeMvtNxqOHUhIZPI3Th-9Gjce9TNcuJLnHQjBh2Bk665UdezMli7gXPT2O6g/s3778/seeds%202021_8713.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2639" data-original-width="3778" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBpvIhAYiZJE6t8sEVZfV_dLY3Y5_r6iicte8OpPvOiMDDL19GCtZ4ZWJeOQJsbF0Vtc-7FP46bIRk7YEIgajkelXZ5D-1w_3QHP6P3Vf11CBxpHEM3MjntfeMvtNxqOHUhIZPI3Th-9Gjce9TNcuJLnHQjBh2Bk665UdezMli7gXPT2O6g/w640-h448/seeds%202021_8713.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Don't be fooled by the grocery bags. These are hundreds of rare, local species, hand gathered, now in twenty-three carefully crafted mixes. Tomorrow we will spread "wet-mesic closed savanna" seed under this tree and "wet-mesic open savanna" seed in nearby in the newly-under-restoration and newly-named Boxing Meadow. Following this drastic cut-and-herbicide operation, we will also need to ward off various kinds of infection by weeding and possibly scything invasives for two or three years. But we can see the future, because we know how to provide this short term intensive care. It will be rich with diversity here, as in the photo below, or a similarly rescued bit of ecosystem. Thanks to this recovery, the species populations on the whole site will be that much more numerous, robust, and sustainable. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWg7K4pt0KM40euPepJVUknfeY2mjrugckdaPwdOAGp9JI463PSd7po00oa8zrnLYTElmX8L_Ssoh_5hcYumMcN7Wn9llt2vjsZC1q48B1K52nIwQXC90WEAuTX9XZ3HoizABfJeoBUlnq0yeLIwAdqjncVgqI26e0OYTykyohhf1xFvVTiQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWg7K4pt0KM40euPepJVUknfeY2mjrugckdaPwdOAGp9JI463PSd7po00oa8zrnLYTElmX8L_Ssoh_5hcYumMcN7Wn9llt2vjsZC1q48B1K52nIwQXC90WEAuTX9XZ3HoizABfJeoBUlnq0yeLIwAdqjncVgqI26e0OYTykyohhf1xFvVTiQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>This precious site has been restored mostly a half-acre or so at a time, over the decades, on days like this.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Rare butterflies, gentians, salamanders, pollinators, and perhaps even future generations of people thank us, in their inchoate ways. Or at least that's what we feel. </div><div><br /></div><div>What a day!</div><div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Endnotes</b></p><p><b>Endnote 1</b></p><p>Boxing Day seems to be kind of a ridiculous holiday. I've long heard it mentioned without knowing what it was. In fact, it's a product of imperial British income inequality - a holiday for servants who have to work on Christmas day. They get a box of presents on the next weekday. Thus, Boxing Day is the day after Christmas - unless it falls on a weekend, which changes it to Monday. So today, being the Sunday after Christmas, turns out not to be the real Boxing Day after all. But we have no intention of forfeiting the fun. It was Boxing Day to us. We'll take any excuse for a celebration. This treasured young tree and bit of soon-to-be-seeded ecosystem will be Boxing Tree and Meadow from now on. </p><p><b>Endnote 2</b><br /><br />A mitzvah is an individual act of human kindness in keeping with religious law. The word conveys a sense of heartfelt sentiment beyond mere legal duty, as in "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). In this case, our neighbor is the Somme Prairie Grove ecosystem: more than 500 species of plants and uncounted thousands of animal species (many very small) along with probably-many-more-rare species, yet smaller, often-symbiotic: bacteria, protists, fungi, algae and others. Biodiversity of future importance to the planet recovers here.</p><p>Our one species had been unintentionally wiping out this diversity, mostly over the last century. Tis the season to do some good for it. If you might like to volunteer, for an extended such season, check out the <a href="https://sommepreserve.org/calendar/">Somme Preserve volunteer schedule</a>. </p><p>Or raise awareness and take part in sharing ideas at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sommewoodscommunity">Somme Community Facebook page</a>. </p><p><b>Acknowledgements</b></p><p>Photos by Stephen Packard and Eriko Kojima.</p><p>Thanks to Eriko Kojima for proofing and edits. </p><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-79485567486351694792021-09-07T06:43:00.008-07:002023-10-27T07:57:30.790-07:00Faith In Seeds<p class="MsoNormal">Again and again, seeds turn out to be crucial to restoring health to naturally diverse ecosystems. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsXxlnk8kukzXRZefYm3dlkwUAMVF4DeAPRcY7B-ojZtG5vewozaFpx5Wm5nqtm8M30YasUJFcPSy4_X1Guv9QABnyIIYL2cVfjIxnbPx6uRIx0SVMc60PupKWZsrFOCTirUp/s2048/spring+seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsXxlnk8kukzXRZefYm3dlkwUAMVF4DeAPRcY7B-ojZtG5vewozaFpx5Wm5nqtm8M30YasUJFcPSy4_X1Guv9QABnyIIYL2cVfjIxnbPx6uRIx0SVMc60PupKWZsrFOCTirUp/w640-h480/spring+seeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Seeds for "Mesic Woods Turf" - before they're mixed.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Carrying bags full of specialized rare seed mixes, we walk through an irregular and partly blighted landscape, recently cleared of deadly brush. In the original sense of the word, we broadcast handfuls of tens of thousands of seeds, from big to tiny. There’s the tactile feeling of those valuable and beautiful plant embryos. The smell of dirt and fresh air and the vision of recovered richness … all this motivates and inspires us.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We broadcast seed mixes in the Somme preserves. It’s hard work, a lot of moving parts. We’re switching back and forth among 14 different seed mixes, according to slope, wetness, amount of tree canopy, and more. The seeds we’re broadcasting represent thousands of hours of dedicated, unpaid work by perhaps 100 people. When we finish, our GPS tracker will record that we’d broadcast those seeds over 1.8 miles. From time to time we exchange thoughts. Eriko said, “I’m so happy to start these seeds on their journeys … and just in time for Rosh Hashanah!”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Really? Rosh Hashanah? She’s of Japanese ancestry and religiousl<span style="font-family: inherit;">y a <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Bahá’í</span></span>? I grew up sort of Christian. But I got her meaning: let's celebrate at every opportunity. Life is good!</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmBS-UoxhuDbhpaBbJvr5ihK0uUii4h9CYcXYAcaXd5c5dmMQu0Jg-7lthTJhFwTv5VZBnbV61k6vIYo41GPnU4hE-mLan3mrj-S8139zpdESKitrNML6hoU5f-l47xGgR58i/s2048/Leiberg+seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmBS-UoxhuDbhpaBbJvr5ihK0uUii4h9CYcXYAcaXd5c5dmMQu0Jg-7lthTJhFwTv5VZBnbV61k6vIYo41GPnU4hE-mLan3mrj-S8139zpdESKitrNML6hoU5f-l47xGgR58i/w480-h640/Leiberg+seeds.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Finding and gathering is the hardest<span style="font-family: inherit;"> part. Here 12 Leiberg's panic grass seeds are more-or-less in focus by an edge of prairie dock leaf and s<span style="text-align: start;">ilhouetted</span><span style="text-align: start;"></span> against Black-eyed Susan petals. Leiberg's is one of the most important, hardest to spot, rares</span>t, and rarely gathered species in restoration. Few will notice it. And yet, it's key to the structure and sustainability of a high-quality grassland. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimr5MtM8NwvdvgXOahrNWtcydlpFCz7e5WT6Xl1COTb8BcT6v0HaGT1ER5Cx1XXftLJKuewblpXxs9SDWPikW3IWahqfdndTRM0rTBvay1K_6Ri9znG-U4za6FO83GbQurIuy/s2048/IMG_8141.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimr5MtM8NwvdvgXOahrNWtcydlpFCz7e5WT6Xl1COTb8BcT6v0HaGT1ER5Cx1XXftLJKuewblpXxs9SDWPikW3IWahqfdndTRM0rTBvay1K_6Ri9znG-U4za6FO83GbQurIuy/w640-h480/IMG_8141.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Hard work" doesn't mean "not fun." There's space for deep conversation and pleasant banter. A photo of Emma Leavens and Eriko Kojima seed gathering at Shaw Woods and Prairie catches the spirit pretty well. The context goes a long way toward ensuring happy work. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGqnJlh7hyphenhyphen3okVbNYP2MN58vBAOwyC1fp5oY7uu6nI4vHoIgJs556TnBwBEgq5aQKFbbWH9gIf0-cOmiuXKHtPtQIqKFJRwl7Q6Ix-ZaM9KOQEHRVzao8pFSA9WOuOzot4gjg/s2048/hepatica+seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGqnJlh7hyphenhyphen3okVbNYP2MN58vBAOwyC1fp5oY7uu6nI4vHoIgJs556TnBwBEgq5aQKFbbWH9gIf0-cOmiuXKHtPtQIqKFJRwl7Q6Ix-ZaM9KOQEHRVzao8pFSA9WOuOzot4gjg/w640-h480/hepatica+seeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />When we see hepatica in bloom, we love its beauty, but we're equally inspired by those seeds we see forming where the petals have dropped. They'll go in our spring seed mixes. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mXa1hctZqw8cmErMKN18HB4atvrzw2ROmr2o0JK2yY-ySuOYdQxgbY9YGo6tAFPB4jK75ElMl0KaXyyLXlyMSloub5BNQiNYVxa0UIeDLlFBzWAqEQaibhOSfdt-dEfeq0Pv/s2048/pick+seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mXa1hctZqw8cmErMKN18HB4atvrzw2ROmr2o0JK2yY-ySuOYdQxgbY9YGo6tAFPB4jK75ElMl0KaXyyLXlyMSloub5BNQiNYVxa0UIeDLlFBzWAqEQaibhOSfdt-dEfeq0Pv/w640-h480/pick+seeds.jpg" width="640" /></a>And soon, the big fall seed season will begin. Young and old will all chip in at so many worthy prairies, woods, and wetlands across the region. It's becoming a Rite of Passage of the Seasons. </div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KN6JfyHbBx0uO_ImQ0qXOz_BfeQx6fWpEJBqkKfoCAi5KTNL_ggv3zrXyiKarnLGmOOUNzfOyrNNDKj-Y0cv-nKaj5OR1awTBVNSVErE6VOFUPCydnxILc0RbQ2YRJhAVx-5/s1330/DerEriSaiGeo+seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="1330" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KN6JfyHbBx0uO_ImQ0qXOz_BfeQx6fWpEJBqkKfoCAi5KTNL_ggv3zrXyiKarnLGmOOUNzfOyrNNDKj-Y0cv-nKaj5OR1awTBVNSVErE6VOFUPCydnxILc0RbQ2YRJhAVx-5/w640-h180/DerEriSaiGeo+seeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;">Still, our happiness is not matured until the seeds are broadcast and resurrect themselves as new generations of healthy and sustainable life. They are coming attractions.</div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Seeds rule!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Acknowledgements</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thanks to Eriko Kojima, Christos Economou, and Kathy Garness for proofing and edits. </p>Stephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.com0