News and Events

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Stewardship: Silver Creek Biodiversity Preserve

Monday, August 2, 2021
7 – 9 a.m.
Silver Creek Biodiversity Preserve, Leaf River, IL (SE corner of Leaf River and West Grove Rds)
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore, 815-938-3204

Please join us for this stewardship session. We will be doing a variety of tasks such as removing sweet clover, burdock and wild parsnip, cutting brush, girdling saplings or otherwise reducing the competition to our native prairie, woodland and wetland species.

COVID Precautions: Please bring your mask for when social distancing is not possible. No carpooling will be arranged. Bring your own water.
You Supply: Wear long pants, long sleeves, socks long enough to tuck your pant legs into (for tick avoidance), a hat and footwear that can get wet (earlier is dewier!). Take along insect repellent, sunscreen and work gloves.
We Supply: Tools, snacks and directions about our work always will be provided.

The preserve is about 2 miles south of Leaf River in the southwest corner of the intersection of Leaf River Rd. and West Grove Rd. Parking is off of Leaf River Rd. (S. Main St. crosses HWY 72 in Leaf River and becomes Leaf River Rd.

Stewardship: Silver Creek Biodiversity Preserve

Wednesday, August 4, 2021
7 – 9 a.m.
Silver Creek Biodiversity Preserve, Leaf River, IL (SE corner of Leaf River and West Grove Rds)
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore, 815-938-3204

Please join us for this stewardship session. We will be doing a variety of tasks such as removing sweet clover, burdock and wild parsnip, cutting brush, girdling saplings or otherwise reducing the competition to our native prairie, woodland and wetland species.

COVID Precautions: Please bring your mask for when social distancing is not possible. No carpooling will be arranged. Bring your own water.
You Supply: Wear long pants, long sleeves, socks long enough to tuck your pant legs into (for tick avoidance), a hat and footwear that can get wet (earlier is dewier!). Take along insect repellent, sunscreen and work gloves.
We Supply: Tools, snacks and directions about our work always will be provided.

The preserve is about 2 miles south of Leaf River in the southwest corner of the intersection of Leaf River Rd. and West Grove Rd. Parking is off of Leaf River Rd. (S. Main St. crosses HWY 72 in Leaf River and becomes Leaf River Rd.

Field Trip: Summer Stroll on the Freeport Prairie

Monday, August 9, 2021
9 a.m.
Freeport Prairie, Walnut Rd, Freeport, IL (SW corner Walnut and Meadows Dr)
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore, 815-938-3204

We’ll take a leisurely stroll on this local prairie gem to see Cylindric Blazing Star as well as other blooming forbs, and hopefully some butterflies. Owned by the Jane Addamsland Park Foundation, the Freeport Prairie was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in 1977.

Depending upon the temperature, we’ll wander for an hour or two. Bring water and insect repellent. If the weather is questionable, call Mary. The Freeport Prairie is located on Freeport’s south edge along Walnut Rd., a couple of blocks south of the beltline.

Event: Perseids Campfire at Elkhorn Creek Biodiversity Preserve

Thursday, August 12, 2021
7:30 p.m.
Elkhorn Creek Biodiversity Preserve, Forreston, IL (SE corner of West Grove and Freeport Rds)
Coordinator: Mary Blackmore, 815-938-3204

Perseids Campfire at Elkhorn Creek Biodiversity Preserve. We hope to catch the peak of this annual meteor shower. Prairie walk at 7:30 p.m.; campfire at 8:00. Because social distancing continues to be crucial to slowing the spread of the virus, our group size will be limited. Call Mary at 815-938-3204 to RSVP. Stroll the trails at 6:30 p.m.; campfire at 7:00. We will provide packets of s’mores and individual roasting sticks. Please bring your own water, if desired, plus a lawnchair and flashlight. Prior to each campfire we’ll take a short socially-distanced stroll to observe blooming plants, birds and insects.

The preserve is located about 3 miles southwest of Forreston in the southeast corner of West Grove and Freeport Rds. The parking lot is off of West Grove Rd.

NIAS Newsletter Deadline

Saturday, August 28, 2021