News and Events

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Monthly Program: Janisse Ray, Wild Spectacle: Seeking Wonders in a World Beyond Humans

Tuesday, January 4, 2022
7 p.m.
Via Zoom
Presenter: Janisse Ray

Please email nwilaudubon@gmail.com if interested in the program and a Zoom link will be sent out a week before the program date.

Northwest Illinois Audubon Society is excited to host an evening with Janisse Ray. Janisse is an American writer whose favorite subject is the borderland of nature and culture. Ray has won an American Book Award, Pushcart Prize, Southern Bookseller Awards, Southern Environmental Law Center Writing Awards, Nautilus Award, and Eisenberg Award, among others; and has been inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame. Her first book, Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, was a New York Times Notable Book. Her eighth book, in which she will read and tell stories was released in October 2021, Wild Spectacle. Ray repeatedly sets out to immerse herself in wildness, to be wild, and to learn what wildness can teach us. She lives and works inland from Savannah, Georgia.

Click here to view this program.

Click here to see all recorded programs on the NIAS YouTube Channel.

Meeting: Conservation Committee

Wednesday, January 5, 2022
6:30 p.m.
Via Zoom

The Conservation Committee meeting is open to anyone interested in conservation. Contact nwilaudubon@gmail.com if you are interested in joining this group.

Meeting: NIAS Board Meeting

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
7 p.m.
St. John United Church of Christ, 1010 Park Blvd., Freeport, IL

Movie Night: Other Side of the Hill

Wednesday, January 19, 2022
7 p.m.
Virtual

The Conservation Committee will be offering a screening of Other Side of the Hill, a 30 minute documentary that explores the impacts of a changing climate in rural America. The film amplifies the voices of rural communities often left unheard, and shines a light on stories of progress and hope. In a time of perceived cultural divide between rural and urban, left and right, young and old, we discover common ground in an urgency to address a changing landscape. The screening will be offered as a virtual event with a link provided for those interested in seeing the film and participating in the discussion after the film.
Contact nwilaudubon@gmail.com to get the link for the viewing of this film and the discussion.

Field Trip: Tracks, Trails, Signs and Scats

Thursday, January 20, 2022
10 a.m. – noon
Oakdale Nature Preserve, 4433 S. Cranes Grove Rd., Freeport, IL
Coordinator: Richard Benning, 815-865-5279
This will be a walk looking for tales left in the snow, mud, leaves or whatever medium is present at the time. It is important that participants dress for being outdoors, and waterproof insulated footwear is a must. We will meet at the parking lot near the Mogle Center. Call the number listed above to pre-register for this event.

Field Trip: To Build a Fire

Saturday, January 22, 2022
10 – 11 a.m.
Oakdale Nature Preserve, 4433 S. Cranes Grove Rd., Freeport, IL
Coordinator: Adam Moderow, 815-541-5842
A campfire is an imperative part of enjoying the outdoors for many people. It can also be a necessary one. When it’s cold and you’re in the wild, the knowledge of how to build a fire can be a vital difference in how the day turns out. During this demonstration, we will talk about strategies for building a fire in the winter, and how to manage it properly to keep you and the nature around you safe. Dress warmly. We anticipate not needing masks but please have one with you should guidelines change. Meet by the Mogle building, just off of the parking lot.
Contact Adam Moderow at adamoderow@gmail.com or at 815-541-5842 to register in case it becomes necessary to limit the number of participants.