Chatter From the Chair

By Connie Schmidt

It’s coming folks, I promise—spring will be here in no time.  I always look forward to my first bloomers, the yellow aconite. Yes, I know they are non-native, but they do provide nectar that I have seen the pollinators craving in the early warming days of spring. Speaking of “craving,” don’t you just want to get out and start hiking?! Let me begin by highlighting three brief articles in this newsletter that invite you to join our experienced leaders in the field on local hikes: here. If these dates don’t work for you, please visit the RPG website frequently to check out our calendar for outings, programs, and best of all, workdays with Bruce at the Glen Ellyn Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve: here. What a great way to hang with like-minded folks, help the environment, and learn how to better care for your own personal property. 

Leaders of the River Prairie Group are beginning to work on clean transportation issues here in DuPage. In January, a “Listen Lead Share” event was held on the dangers of diesel pollution and what activists can do to help the transition to electric vehicles. Read on about this issue and what you can do.

The DuPage Monarch Annual report is on their website: here. Over the last year, we had several new signatories, and already in 2023, we have another in Naperville ready to sign on. In addition, I must mention, many of you may have attended the documentary sponsored by DMP at the Bloomingdale library in February. What a treat to see how a local IL church answered the call to “Plants, Pollinators and Prayers.” See a trailer for the film if you missed it: here.

Many of us are members and supporters of the Prairie Food Co-Op. Well, if you are not “under a rock” you must have heard, THEY HAVE A BRICK AND MORTER LOCATION! Read about this exciting news in the article included in this newsletter: here.

And finally, with news in mind, the Daily Herald added to their staff last year a writer specifically calling attention to the effects of climate change on the northern IL region. In an interview, writer Jennifer Whidden shares her thoughts as the author of these important features: here.