“Autumn of the Oaks” Event Series

Imagine a stellar lineup of events covering the history of a DuPage County community that was settled due to its natural resources, including oak trees. Sierra Club River Prairie Group is proud to be a co-sponsor of programming this autumn that covers ancient and pre-settlement history through today. For thousands of years people managed this land. Today, old wisdom and the work of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is critical to maintaining our mature oak forests, and this informs us of what we can do in our own back yards.

Check back for updates regarding the events described below.

Lecture series:

Sept 22, 7 p.m.  Zoom talk w/ historian Robert Downes on Native American History, sponsored by Native American Cultural & Environmental Center – Register in advance for this meeting at through Zoom.

Sept 23, 7 p.m.  Sierra Club lecture on archaeology with Dale Simpson, Jr. – Registration

Oct 13, Oaktober tree panel discussion (under development)

Nov 10, Winter care of trees and healthy hedges/managing invasives (under development)

Walks:

Sept 29, 12 p.m.  Go Green Glen Ellyn daytime hike with Jeff Gahris, Forest Preserve Commissioner, at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve - https://www.gogreenglenellyn.org/events

Oct 27 - Go Green walk

Additionally, there may be self-guided walks on Saturdays with Morton Arboretum tree tags. Family friendly.

Partnerships:

Glen Ellyn Environmental Commission, https://www.glenellyn.org/631/Environmental-Commission

Go Green Glen Ellyn, www.gogreenglenellyn.org

Native American Cultural & Environmental Center (McKee Preservation Group), https://www.fundthecenter.org/

Sierra Club River Prairie Group, https://www.sierraclub.org/illinois/river-prairie

River Prairie Group at the County Fair!

 By Connie Schmidt

The River Prairie Group participated in the DuPage County Fair this year. We partnered up with the Conservation Foundation, DuPage Monarch Project, and Wild Ones to share literature at a table near the entrance. There was a lovely flower garden behind us prompting many discussions on the importance of native plantings for our local pollinator populations. 

In addition, each of these organizations and about 10 others created colorful planted pots sharing the message of each group. Ours had a “Three Sisters Garden” honoring the practice of our original people and their gardening techniques of growing corn, beans, and squash together, supporting each other with their nutrients and posturing in the container. It surely is symbolic of how all various species can and should lean in to add support and strength for each specie to survive and thrive.

The DuPage County Fair has a long history here in our county. On their website we learn:

“As one of the largest industries in Illinois, agriculture was the foundation for what is known today as the DuPage County Fair. Over 180 years ago when local farmers felt it was important to bring the community together, they decided to take turns hosting a fair. The gatherings promoted agriculture and farming and included livestock judging; judging of produce, flowers, grains, and baked goods; exhibits of new farming equipment; and various contests for the entire community to enjoy.

With the changing demographics in DuPage and surrounding counties, the fairgrounds have evolved over the years to not only host the annual DuPage County Fair, but to also provide a location where the community can gather throughout the year.”

Dale Simpson – IL Archaeology 2.0!

 

Wednesday, September 23, 2026  7:00 pm

Glen Ellyn History Center (800 N. Main Street)

 

Last year, during “Archaeology Week” here in Illinois, The River Prairie Group of Sierra Club hosted a presentation by Dale Simpson on early Archaeology in Illinois. It was very well attended, and the attendees left wanting to hear more about this historical time. This year, on September 23, 2026, the RPG treats you to PART 2 of Early Illinois Archaeology by Dale F. Simpson! Dale is a local and well-known archaeologist. He will continue his chat with us about the rich and fascinating story of the ancient peoples of Illinois. Last year he brought three large tables of interesting artifacts and activities for the attendees to investigate. It was spectacular, and we think the 2.0 program, the ongoing tale of our Illinois history, will be just as fascinating. You can register for the program in September here.

Bicycling With Butterflies

 

Sunday Sept 27, 1:30 – 4:00 pm

Begins: Montclair Monarch Meadow in Glen Ellyn

Come bike up close and personal with pocket prairies and pollinator-friendly gardens along the wonderful Illinois Prairie Path trail. September is peak monarch migration in DuPage County and there is a good chance of seeing monarchs on their journey to Mexico. This outing is a collaboration with the DuPage Monarch Project and the Illinois Prairie Path volunteer leadership. Volunteer Naturalists from DMP will chat with the group and highlight six natural areas and gardens along the way. The group will meet at Montclair Monarch Meadow in Glen Ellyn (at the north end of Montclair Ave in the commuter lot) and proceed west to Volunteer Park in Wheaton with a round-trip distance of six miles. Learn more about this fun opportunity and confirm the meeting location when you register at this link. 

Tour the Springbrook Water Reclamation Center

By Connie Schmidt

Representative Janet Yang Rohr reached out to the River Prairie Group in 2021, and we had a hike together chatting about nature, Naperville Knoch Knolls Park, and her work in Springfield supporting the environment.  We repeated the successful event in 2023 with RPG outings leaders, identifying plants both native and invasive, and sharing a great hike in the same area.  In 2025, we decided to offer a unique outing featuring environmental work in her district.  The state-of-the-art Springbrook Water Reclamation Center seemed like a perfect choice. However, because of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, all outings were canceled on the week of our tour in September, so we had to call off that tour.

Now, in 2026, we are back on track and offering a great opportunity to see this amazing operation. On Saturday September 19 at 2:00 pm, we will meet at the site and have a behind the scenes tour of this important facility servicing one of our state’s largest cities and some neighboring towns as well.

Register here.

On their website we learn: “The City of Naperville belongs to two watershed planning groups: the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup (DRSCW) and the Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition (LDRWC). Through these groups, Naperville will work with member communities to complete various stream improvement projects throughout the watershed intended to focus on improving water quality, habitat and aquatic life.”  Staff from the Center as well as members of the DRSCW, RPG leaders, and Representative Janet Yang Rohr and her staff will also be on hand for this informative event.  Please sign up here and watch for more information as the date approaches.

Beyond Our Senses: Bank Swallows Event

 A nature documentary, filmmaker talk, and Q&A

October 28 7:00 pm ~ Glen Ellyn History Center

David Busse will present his 18-minute film and discussion on the beautiful Bank Swallows of Lake Michigan bluffs.  He is a 4-time Emmy Award winning filmmaker and video producer, traveling from Milwaukee to present to the RPG.

Beyond Our Senses explores the intersection between life and perceptions. Each spring, thousands of Bank Swallows return to the Lake Michigan bluffs to build colonies, mate, and raise their young. Guided by extraordinary perceptions like tetrachromatic vision, magnetic senses, and aerial mastery, they navigate predators, rivals, and the relentless demands of survival in a hidden world beyond human perception.

The filmmaker shares the story of his obsessive quest to document the swallows, leading him to daily check-ins, surprising moments in nature, deep research, and collaborations with scientists, writers, and conservationists from New York to Ireland. He learns to see the world with fresh eyes, discovering key behaviors in the footage that he had overlooked many times, and culminating in a moment with his family at the dinner table that he never could have planned.

David’s previous work includes the nature documentary SNOWSTORM, and a photo series anchored by the lake’s landscape. Beyond Our Senses: Bank Swallows represents his most ambitious project to date. He is currently submitting the film to festivals and hosting screenings throughout the Great Lakes region to connect with local communities. Sign up here.

Sierra Club FALL Book Discussion

 BOOK:  Wear No Evil  by Greta Eagan

 November 1 at 2 PM: Helen Plum Library, Lombard

November 3 at 7 PM:  SCARCE, Addison

Copies available at local libraries, thrift book sites and on Amazon.

Discussion facilitated by Shannon Burns

 

Wear No Evil: How to Change the World with Your Wardrobe by Greta Eagan is a practical handbook that teaches readers how to build a stylish, sustainable wardrobe without sacrificing personal aesthetic. The book empowers consumers to align their fashion choices with their ethical values.

The book is divided into three actionable sections: 

Part 1: Highlights the environmental and human impact of fast fashion, providing facts on why the industry needs a sustainable reboot;

Part 2: Guides readers through a closet-cleansing exercise to assess their current eco-friendliness and introduces the “Integrity Index” —a simplified rating system to evaluate the ethics and sustainability of any clothing piece;

Part 3: Features eco-friendly fashion makeovers and a directory of natural beauty product recommendations for hair, skin, and nails. 

Check out the publisher’s overview on Hachette BookGroup.

SCARCE is located at 800 S Rohlwing Rd, Addison

Questions? Contact Shannon burns by email at shannonburns112@gmail.com, or by text or phone call at (630) 779-4893.