An Illinois State Native Bee?

By Connie Schmidt

What a pretty bumble bee! Meet the black and gold bumble bee or Bombus auricomus. We hope it may soon be the Illinois State Native Bee. This story begins in the office of Janet Yang Rohr, the IL State Representative for District 41. Last summer she held an environmental advisory discussion with residents of her district. Many topics were covered including transportation, clean energy, and carbon capture, but to highlight habitat protection and the importance of pollinators, Connie Schmidt of the River Prairie Group suggested having an Illinois state native bee. The purpose for this is to celebrate and educate residents on the importance of our native bees to our ecosystems. The recommendation for an Illinois state native bee was hatched.

Donna Wandke, Representative Yang Rohr’s Chief of Staff, contacted Barbara Bell, a teacher from Lincoln Junior High in Naperville, who brought the idea to fellow teachers in her school including Emily Barlog. All 208 8th graders at the school worked on the project to choose the native bee for Illinois. It was exciting to give students the opportunity to have a voice in government in this multi-disciplined project. There are over 400 native bees found in Illinois, so the initial task was narrowing the field, and with help from DuPage Monarch Project Coordinator Lonnie Morris, they were able to do so. The students looked at habitats, pollination benefits, and various traits to narrow the field to their top 10 choices. Then the students worked on presentations for nominating the top three choices, and those were shared across the state of Illinois by the State Superintendent’s office. The final presentation by the students with reasons for choosing the back and gold bumble bee is presented here. Please listen to their short video.

Three Cheers for Representative Yang Rohr and Donna Wandke, her Chief of Staff, who was pivotal in coordinating this project!  The Illinois State Native Bee bill was submitted in January for consideration. It is now IL House bill 4438, and we hope that this bill will be a bipartisan success. The River Prairie Group Executive Committee voted unanimously to encourage Illinois Chapter to consider it on the list for supplemental priority efforts as we lobby this year. Watch the Chapter Website for the priority issues for 2026 to be posted in early March. However, anyone can ask their local legislators to support this bill, and we encourage you to do so. In addition, please contact Representative Yang Rohr’s office to thank her for being a good friend to native bees.

A Trifecta for Active Transportation

By Connie Schmidt

Jeff Gahris, Chair of the River Prairie Group, put together a trio of wonderful presenters for our January meeting to discuss DuPage trail systems, active transportation, and e-bikes. We had Dave Simmons from Ride Illinois, Ken McClurg from Illinois Prairie Path, and Steve Johnson and Libby A’Hearn from the Friends of the East Branch River Trail.

Dave talked about how his organization is responding to e-bikes, moto-bikes, and trail and bike lane safety. For the past 6 years, Dave has been working with the nonprofit headquartered in Elk Grove promoting safe bike use for recreation and transportation. Their mission is to “Make Illinois Better with Biking”. We learned that legislation coordinated with Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias was introduced for the 2026 session to improve e-bike safety statewide. Individual municipalities have been wrestling with regulation and policy. With leadership from state legislation, law enforcement, education, and health care working together the campaign for “Ride Safe, Ride Smart, Ride Ready” is launched. Details can be viewed here.

The second speaker was Ken McClurg, a longtime leader from the Illinois Prairie Path, an east-west trail with several spurs as it travels from Cook County to the Fox River in Kane. This trail is arguably the first successful rails to trails conversion project in North America and dates back to 1963.  A fascinating WTTW documentary that includes history of the IPP and the origin of many of the rail trail projects across North America can be viewed here. Ken talked about the impact of e-bikes and moto-bikes along the Illinois Prairie Path. Their concept is a “suggested speed limit of 15 mph” with recommendations for trail etiquette including wear a helmet and a friendly shout-out when passing to be posted on temporary signs along various sections of the path. Although the actual trail is part of the DuPage Department of Transportation and regulated by the County, the Illinois Prairie Path group is a member volunteer effort to support the trail. Their website includes activities and clean-ups, maps, historical information, and their efforts to add amenities along the trail for the many users. Check out their information here.

The final presentation was made by Steve Johnson and Libby A’Hearn of the Friends of the Friends of the East Branch DuPage River Trail. The DuPage County Division of Transportation has been discussing various routes for this trail project for nearly 25 years when this concept was first introduced. For the last 10 years an advocacy group has written a petition and been extremely active lobbying for governing bodies to move forward. Steve and Libby were on hand to talk about the various plans for a north-south trail that would eventually run from Bloomingdale down to Woodridge. Now a phase one study is in process to look at alignment for the trail from The Great Western Trail down to Butterfield Road. Three routes were discussed, with one being a bike path along Rt. 53, hopefully funded by IDOT when Rt. 53 is widened. One of the other two routes travels through a residential neighborhood on the west side of the river and the other more preferred recreational route would highlight the river habitats following the banks of the East Branch of the DuPage River. Phase one has been funded and is in progress. Read more on the DuPage County website about the East Branch DuPage River Trail project here. There is another website created by the volunteers with the petition and plenty of other advocacy actions to encourage steady progress of this effort as it appears to be stalled. You can access the petition here.

 

Starved Rock Getting Some Lovin’ from Springfield

By Connie Schmidt

For years and years, River Prairie Group Outings leader Ed Max has taken members on hikes through the nearby Starved Rock State Park. Wildflowers, rambling creeks with waterfalls, ridges and overlooks, and meandering trails make this a perfect destination. So much so that Ed has reported, “It is being loved to DEATH.”  Litter, erosion, and off-trail wandering all make for human impact on this special place. 

Thank heavens we recently learned that Springfield has heard the call and is responding with an $18 million dollar trail-improvement project. The following is from the press announcement sent out by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources:

SPRINGFIELD – Starved Rock State Park, including the Starved Rock Lodge and other park amenities, will remain open to visitors during an $18 million trail improvement project that is expected to get underway this winter and continue through 2026.

The work will allow the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to reopen several closed trails and expand the hiking and recreational opportunities at Starved Rock, which is Illinois’ most visited state park, attracting more than 2 million visitors annually.

The park, in LaSalle County, features numerous timber trail bridges, stairways, boardwalks and retaining walls that have deteriorated over the years and require repairs or replacement. In addition to making trails safer and more accessible, the project will enable IDNR to better control erosion and protect plants and habitat from excessive foot traffic.

“It’s been 30 years since Starved Rock has benefited from a significant trail improvement project like this,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “The park, the lodge and other amenities will never close during this project. Even if a specific trail is temporarily unavailable, there will be other beautiful trails to explore, as well as the Starved Rock Lodge and additional nearby state parks for visitors to enjoy.”

To watch a local YouTube personality describe the announcement, click here.

Visitors planning trips to Starved Rock are encouraged to visit the park’s website and Facebook page in advance to confirm trail availability and plan accordingly. Updates will be posted weekly. Trails within the park west of the lodge and east of Parkman’s Plain will not be affected by the project.

 

Our Power for Policy Decisions: ENDORSEMENTS!

By Connie Schmidt and Linda Sullivan

The Sierra Club is unique among many organizations because we have a rigorous all-volunteer led process to endorse candidates for political office. Barbara Hill, the Chair of the Chapter Political Committee, describes the process like this: “Endorsing candidates helps us make and keep friends in office so that they will pass environmental legislation. We want to elect people that will be most effective at advancing our environmental agenda”. Helping with the endorsement process is also a great gateway to involve new members.

A questionnaire is developed which is specific to the office for which the candidate is running. The Sierra Club Illinois Chapter office sends questionnaires to all General Assembly candidates whose contact information can be found. RPG volunteers send the questionnaire to candidates in local races such as Forest Preserve Commission. 

The RPG’s Political Team meets with the candidates who return questionnaires and interviews them. Linda Sullivan, the River Prairie Group Political chair, runs the process. Commitments for support of environmental issues is crucial as well as a sound plan for electability.

This is not a “one-step” process. There are check and balance factors along the way. The RPG’s Political Team makes a recommendation whether to endorse. Their recommendation is then sent to the RPG Group Executive Committee who must vote with a 2/3 majority on the endorsement. The decision must then go up to the Illinois Chapter or the Chapter Political Committee for yet another 2/3 majority vote. In the case of the US Congress and US Senate, The National Sierra Club Political Team also must vote before an endorsement can be announced.

Endorsements can be crucial benefits for candidates. We provide our logo to the campaign to use on literature. In many situations, we rally volunteers to walk, phone bank and attend events in support of endorsed candidates. Our endorsements are available online. In some cases, Sierra Club funds field workers to the campaign offices.

Because of the many environmental champions that the Sierra Club has put in office, Illinois has passed numerous environmental bills including the recent Clean and Reliable Grid Act, Transportation Bill, Protecting the Mahomet Aquifer downstate and many other efforts. Illinois shines both in clean energy job creation and as a top-tier state for clean energy in the Midwest, ranking 5th in the nation for total installed wind, solar, and battery storage capacity. 

We are proud of our all-volunteer led endorsement process. When the call goes out to join us in helping the campaigns of our future champions, we hope you will join us in whatever way you can. 

Take Action on Single-Use Plastic in Illinois: What You Can Do in 10 Minutes

By Wendy Vernon

Plastic pollution and the health impacts of microplastics are deeply concerning, yet taking action doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Even 10 minutes can make a real difference when it comes to influencing state policy. The 2026 Illinois General Assembly spring session runs from January through May 2026, a critical window for action. State legislators pay close attention to what they hear from constituents. A quick phone call or email helps them understand which issues matter to you, and repeated outreach builds momentum for change.

Step 1 (3 minutes): Find Your State Legislators

1. Go to the Find My Legislator page of the Illinois General Assembly website:
   https://www.ilga.gov/members/FindMyLegislator
2. Type your address into the box labeled “Search Illinois” located right above the Show Senate and Show House check boxes on the right side of the screen.
3. Make sure the Show Senate and Show House check boxes remain checked.
4. As you type, your full address will appear underneath the box. Click on it.
5. Your Illinois State Senator and State Representative will appear underneath the check boxes.
6. Click on their pictures to see their contact details, including phone numbers and email addresses.

Step 2 (5 minutes): Call or Email Your Legislators

Your message doesn’t need to be long; it just needs to be clear and sincere.

Plastic reduction legislation can face strong opposition from the chemical and fossil fuel industries, which is why constituent voices are so important. Let your legislators know that you support policies that reduce single-use plastic for environmental and health reasons, while also helping communities and businesses cut unnecessary waste. 

Here are a few practical, common-sense bills you can advocate for right now:

• SB 1531 – Polystyrene Foam Foodware Ban
  Phases out polystyrene foam foodware statewide by January 1, 2030. Polystyrene foam foodware contains styrene, a possible carcinogen that can leach into hot, acidic, or high‑fat foods, and it is not recyclable. The bill has passed the Senate and now needs approval in the House, so contacting your State Representative is especially important.
• HB 1600 – “Skip the Stuff”
  Requires restaurants to provide single-use plastic disposable foodware only upon request. This approach would save restaurants money and reduce unnecessary waste from items you didn’t ask for. The bill has passed the House and is now under consideration in the Senate, making outreach to your State Senator especially impactful.
• SB 1872 – Plastic Bag Ban
  Supports legislation that would prohibit retail establishments from providing single-use plastic checkout bags. Reusable bags are easy to use, and many retailers already encourage them. According to Environment America’s Single-use Plastic Bag Ban Waste Reduction Calculator, a statewide plastic bag ban in Illinois could prevent 3.7 billion plastic bags from polluting the environment each year.

If you want to take an extra step, check how your representative or senator has acted on these bills. If they have sponsored, co-sponsored, or voted for them, don’t forget to thank them. Thanking legislators reinforces that constituent voices matter, encourages them to continue supporting environmental and public health policies, and builds goodwill for future advocacy.

Step 3 (2 minutes): Multiply Your Impact

Share this action with a friend or family member, or spread the word on social media. Even a quick share helps spread awareness and lets more people take action.

Legislators were elected to represent you, and hearing from constituents is one of the most powerful ways to influence policy. Ten minutes today can help reduce plastic pollution for years to come.

 

Jeff's Jots, March 2026

 By Jeff Gahris

This is a challenging moment for the United States, and it invites an important question: Who are we, as the River Prairie Group of the Sierra Club?

In recent years, we’ve made a deliberate effort to broaden our reach — connecting with youth, people of color, Indigenous communities, and residents across DuPage County. We’ve stepped into difficult but essential conversations about climate change, a just and equitable clean‑energy transition, plastic pollution, and the protection of our water. These issues aren’t abstract. They shape the health, safety, and future of the place we call home. 

Our work is rooted in something simple but powerful: the quality of life in DuPage County. Many of us are fortunate to enjoy its forest preserves, trails, and open spaces. We encourage that connection through hikes, outings, and opportunities to experience nature firsthand. After all, the Sierra Club began in 1892 as a hiking club. But we quickly learned a truth that still guides us today: nature must be protected if it is to be enjoyed. That realization sparked generations of advocacy to defend wild places from destruction.

In recent years, our mission has expanded even further. We now recognize that protecting the environment also means protecting the health and well‑being of people — especially those most at risk. This isn’t just a moral responsibility; it’s a practical strategy. When everyone has a seat at the table, our movement becomes stronger, more representative, and more effective. With a broader coalition, we can speak to legislators with real influence. That power allows us to endorse candidates, advocate for meaningful policy, and push for legislation that safeguards environmental quality and advances our state and local climate goals.

If this vision resonates with you, we invite you to explore the articles below and learn more about our work. And if you feel inspired, we hope you’ll get involved in whatever way fits your life. There are many ways to contribute — just tell us what you care about, and we’ll help you find your place in the movement. Feel free to email us at dupagesierran@gmail.com.

See many of our feature stories on Blogger.

Early Feasting Evidence Long Before Pilgrims at Ancient Cahokia Mounds in IL

The following excerpt is from a story about Cahokia Mounds by Brittney Price, Data Specialist for The Conversation.

"As I note in my 2025 book, 'Religion in the Lands That Became America,' for instance, celebrants gathered for a communal feast in the late 11th century in the 50-acre plaza of Cahokia. That Native city, across the river from present-day St. Louis, was the largest population center north of Mexico before the American Revolution.

Cahokians and their neighbors came in late summer or early autumn to give deities thanks, smoke ritual tobacco and eat special food – not corn, their dietary staple, but symbolically significant animals such as white swans and white-tailed deer. So, those Cahokians attended a thanks-giving feast five centuries before the Pilgrims’ harvest-time meal."

More research can be found here, and Brittney Price's full article from The Conversation appears here.

Photos by Wendy Vernon