Chatter From the Chair

 By Connie Schmidt

It takes about a month for us to get the newsletter articles collected and edited, and several rounds of proofreading and layout before it hits your inbox. MUCH gratitude goes to our committee of several Ex-Com members who brainstorm the subjects, Sherry Stratton our editor, Jeff Gahris our layout editor, and Peter Chung, Chapter staff, who sends it along to you. I mention this because the photo included here is from the MONTH-long Earth Day celebrations in April (yes, old news), but boy, RPG was EVERYWHERE! We spread the word at SCARCE, several Park District celebrations, Forest Preserve Events, you name it. It was great to see the interest in our work regarding clean energy, stream monitoring, election endorsements, informative programs, and one favorite topic, increasing and preserving healthy habitats for all creatures, especially our pollinators, with news of the DuPage Monarch Project.

One facet of our River Prairie Group work, purposefully not mentioned in the list above, is our restoration work at Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn. I didn’t list it because I wanted this opportunity to encourage you to read the article in this issue on the amazing work Bruce Blake is doing at this special location.

Many of us watched our lawns grow during May in uneven tufts with mini flowers tucked between blades of grass. Well, that is because Lonnie Morris, our incredible volunteer coordinator of the DuPage Monarch Project, alerted us to the benefits of “No Mow May” (or at the very least, as far into May as you dare go) so that early emerging pollinators have something to munch on as the flowers in our gardens ramp up later in the month. The DuPage Monarch Project is doing so very much, and in this newsletter issue there are several articles to share with you. Their website is a must, and I encourage you to check it out.

It really does impress me the variety of information we gather for you in each newsletter. Also, here you can check out a featured outing by experienced leader and naturalist Ed Max, learn how our Forest Preserve District of DuPage is being inclusive in creating a Kayak accessibility ramp in Blackwell Forest Preserve, be reminded of the very important movement for Dark Skies highlighted in an article contributed by Glen Ellyn activist Adam Kreuzer, and more--much more! 

So please now relax, enjoy the lovely summer months, and rest up thoroughly because this fall, we will be working diligently for the candidates we have endorsed who are committed to policies that protect our environment for all creatures. More on that in our Fall issue, or reach out to me personally.

Every Day Needs a (Dark) Night

By Adam Kreuzer

We sometimes forget that every day has a night! Unfortunately, because of the recent explosion of light pollution, our nights are now bright. Until only about 50 to 60 years ago, we had dark nights. Our grandparents and their parents walked summer nights under thousands of bright stars. Now, on the best of nights, we can see with our naked eyes not more than 40 stars. While we have adjusted somewhat to this very recent dramatic change in our environment, our birds and other wildlife friends have not.

For birds, the new widespread use of bright white LED lights at night is especially troublesome during migration. Twice a year, during spring and fall, millions of birds migrate through our area. Unfortunately, according to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Chicago area is the #1 most hazardous location in the U.S. for migrating birds. In addition to how buildings are built, artificial light at night is a significant cause of bird fatalities. Every year, an estimated 600 million birds die from building collisions.

The great majority of birds migrate at night. During the day, they eat to fuel their trip. At night, fueled to fly all night, some birds become distracted by bright white lights. They descend from the sky and strike lighted windows. Some fly in circles, tire, and fall on the sidewalks. In Chicago, volunteers with the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors wake early every morning to rescue injured birds. Survivors are taken to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn. A recent 20-year study of bird fatalities at McCormick Place conducted through the Field Museum concluded that by turning off just half of the lighted windows during migration, fatal bird collisions dropped by 60%.

Bright white lights at night affect most nocturnal animals, including nocturnal pollinators. Moths, which at night pollinate flowering and fruiting plants, circle bright white lights until they are eaten or tire and die. Fireflies, which rely on their bioluminescence to find mates, are less plentiful now.  Recent research has shown that bright white LED lights, when shining into our bedroom windows, can also have an impact on human health by affecting our circadian rhythm. We sleep less and eat more. As a result, we suffer physically and mentally.

Every day needs a dark night! Fortunately, there are four easy things we can do at home to help our planet at night. Who knows, if we do these things, maybe we can see a few more stars…and fireflies!

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE

Flip the switch. Consider turning off outdoor lights before you go to bed. If security is a concern, turn off all but the truly necessary light(s). If available, use a motion sensor. You will save $$ and will use less fossil fuel.

Shield, shield, shield. Consider installing fully shielded outdoor fixtures that keep your light on your property instead of on your neighbor’s house or into our night sky. The International Dark Sky Association website www.darksky.org will direct you to hundreds of locally available fixtures.

Please avoid using “bright white” or “daylight” bulbs. Instead, use a more amber color, not more than 2700Kelvin. “Soft white” bulbs are 2700Kelvin.

Not so bright! LED lights are much more intense than the bulbs we once used. With your “soft white” bulb, consider using fewer watts (40, not more than 60) or lumens (450 or less). An Earth-friendly bulb, if on, is shielded fully, is less white, and is less bright.

- Adam Keuzer is an International Dark Sky Association Delegate. He provided the photos for this article.

Glacial Ridge, a Gem in Glen Ellyn

By Connie Schmidt

Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve, part of the Forest Preserve District of Dupage County’s many preserves, lies south of the main section of Churchill Woods. It is located west of Hill Avenue and Longfellow Avenue in Glen Ellyn, just along the Illinois Prairie Path. To access it, users must walk past a children’s playground and cross the Illinois Prairie Path.

Enjoy the rocky trail at Glacial Ridge.

Once dubbed “The Special Eight,” referring to eight acres that have not been under plow, Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve (A part of Churchill Woods) is indeed a SPECIAL place. Nestled between two sets of train tracks, the Union Pacific West and what was previously known as the Aurora-Chicago-Elgin line and now hosts the Illinois Prairie Path (IPP), this chunk of land has had few scars from plows and farming. It was purchased by the Forest Preserve District of Dupage County many years ago to prevent it from being lost to development.

Thousands of years ago, glaciers worked their way south from Wisconsin shoving rocks and debris creating land formations in Illinois. At this preserve in Glen Ellyn we have a “kame,” which is a hill-like formation left by a glacier.  Local lore claims that the ridge just north of the IPP in this preserve is actually the highest natural point in DuPage County. A winding rocky trail leads hikers upward to gaze down where the electric train once traveled, and where now bicyclists and joggers enjoy the IPP.

Volunteer steward Bruce Blake admiring native plants

Although the area was disturbed by excavation for the railroads, the site still is home to more than 100 different native plant species, including some state-endangered ones. Bruce Blake, of the River Prairie Group of the Sierra Club, is the Volunteer Steward for this unique location.  In his words:  “… DuPage Forest Preserve District has set aside these areas for us to enjoy. Every season brings a change in what you can see and experience. What I notice most is how native plants return after the removal of invasive plants like buckthorn and honeysuckle.” 

Bruce leads 3-hour workdays at the site, removing those invasives. They also collect and plant native seeds to help restore the area as it once had been.

If you wish to join Bruce on a workday, check out the River Prairie Group Calendar on our website or look on the Forest Preserve of DuPage Volunteer site for listings. It is a special place of peace and quite amid our suburban sprawl. Check out this video for a brief interview with Bruce on his work at Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve. 

Photos taken by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Pollinator News

By Lonnie Morris

Protect Caterpillars, Butterflies, and Bees from Mosquito Spraying

Sleeping with the windows open on a warm summer evening is delightful until you hear the sound of a truck slowly moving down the street spraying for mosquitoes. A quick jump to close the windows protects you from the spray, but what about the bees and caterpillars in your garden?

Covering milkweed and flowers will protect monarch caterpillars and other creatures sheltering in your garden. Register for prior notice of aerial spraying for mosquitoes so you can be prepared when the truck rolls down your street.   www.clarkeportal.com 

Celebrate Pollinator Week at the Aurora Pollinator Festival

Did you hear the BUZZ? At Phillips Park Zoo, 2022 is the Year of the Pollinator!

Photo by Andrew Cohen

To kick off their new pollinator conservation initiatives, the zoo will be hosting the City of Aurora's very first Aurora Pollinator Festival in honor of National Pollinator Week on Saturday, June 25th 1 pm – 6pm.

The festival will include a pop-up farmers market, food trucks, a beer garden, a plant sale, milkweed giveaways, children's activities, educational presentations, live demonstrations of pollinator conservation action steps, pollinator host plant tours in the park, a visit from the Aurora Public Library Bookmobile, and more!

• Discover the wildly wonderful world of pollinators at the learning fair with hands-on activities and live demonstrations.
• Explore the flavors of pollinator-powered foods at a pop-up farmer's market, beer garden, and food trucks.
• Learn about pollinator conservation initiatives, gardening projects, and wildlife habitats in our community.
• Take home a free milkweed or other pollinator plant!

 Phillips Park Zoo, 1000 Ray Moses Drive, Aurora

Healthy Practices for Monarchs

Butterflies have a number of things going against them from loss of habitat, pesticides, predators, and diseases.

Photo by Kim White

Kim White, the Natural Naturalist and DuPage Monarch Project Educator, will share techniques for providing a healthy start for monarch butterflies. 

June 15, 2022, 10:00 am, Peck House, 355 E Parkside Ave, Lombard

 Suggested donation $10.00

Let's Go for a Hike!

By Ed Max

What greater way to spend Father's Day than atop a kame viewing the fen below? The small botanical treasure that is Bluff Spring Fen is chock full of flora - with over 450 species found so far. 

Echinachea steals the spotlight at this time of year to create a purple haze on the hillsides and trails. Not a difficult hike, but an easy to moderate jaunt, botanizing along the way, on a loop trail for a few hours. 

So come along this Father's Day, June 19^th, on a foray into a wonderful park located in a rather unusual place off Rt. 20 near Elgin.

Register for this popular hike here. Hope to see you there!

Solar Power Hour

By Connie Schmidt

Since the passing of CEJA last fall (The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act), interest in solar energy is skyrocketing. In the words of one installer, “It feels like the wild west gold rush” as folks clamber for estimates for rooftop solar or for registration for community solar installations. 

A representative from CUB (Citizens Utility Board) will be presenting a free Solar Power Hour for River Prairie Group on June 22nd at 7:00 pm at the DuPage Events and Fairgrounds! (Previously known as the Fairgrounds on Manchester Rd. in Wheaton.) You will learn the basics of solar power, get access to a free site assessment for a competitively selected installer, and be eligible for a group-buy rebate that grows larger depending on how many participants sign up. An experienced installer will also be present to give a portion of the presentation and to answer more technical questions on solar installation feasibility.  Register here.

This initiative is being dubbed “Grow Solar Chicagoland,” and once learning the basics, participants will be eligible for a no-obligation site assessment/cost estimate. Solar energy is a great way to reduce your energy bills, support the local economy and help create a healthier environment. 

I can personally testify that our rooftop array, installed in 2017, will be paid off with the state and federal rebates as well as the monthly savings in just a little over seven years. After that, we will continue to reap the savings on each and every bill, thus lowering our expenses each month.

Bonus! If you arrive by 6:20 or so, we will walk around and see the recently planted pollinator gardens at the Fairgrounds. The fair director, Jim McGuire, has been working with The Garden Works to establish plantings on the ground as educational opportunities for visitors all summer long. 

Please share this information with friends and neighbors who may be interested in solar energy and benefiting from financial savings while helping the planet. The deadline for signing up for the group buy is September 30, so gather your information now and consider this important investment in lowering your monthly utility bills while making a difference for our planet.

Solar Power Hour Registration

Forest Preserve District of DuPage opens new ADA-accessible kayak and canoe launch

By Jeff Gahris

On April 23rd the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County inaugurated a new ADA-accessible kayak and canoe launch at Silver Lake in Blackwell Forest Preserve. The launch accommodates people of all abilities, making water recreation more accessible to our residents.

"We’re thrilled to provide a permanent launch that allows individuals of all ages and abilities to launch a kayak without help, making it easier for everyone to enjoy our preserves,” stated DuPage Forest Preserve District President Daniel Hebreard in a recent news release. 

As you can see in the photo, the launch features a boat slip and is designed with handrails that allow an easier transfer into a watercraft. The District strongly believes that accessibility of District amenities is important so that everyone can enjoy recreational activities in a natural setting.

Photos by Jeff Gahris