Restoration Work Day

On Saturday I went to the Grove to do a restoration work day.

We were told to grab gloves, large cutters, and goggles. Then we headed out to the very back of the property.

The man that was leading our group told us that we were going to be cutting down buckthorn. Buckthorn is something that we learned in class already. It is an invasive species. The reason that it is especially a problem at the Grove is because the Grove's forest was predominately all oak hardwood. But because the buckthorn has grown all over the forest's floor, the seeds of the oak trees cannot fall and reproduce on the ground. The buckthorn is shading the light of the ground and the oak trees are unable to grow. Also the only importance that buckthorn provides to the animals and environment of the grove is, the deers use the tree to rub on and also get rid of their antlers when it is time.

The picture on the left is a picture of the distinctive color of the inside of buckthorn bark. It is an orangish pigment and when I cut into the tree it looked as though there was an orange circle going around the outer part of the tree.

To begin with, almost all of the forest floor was covered with the invasive tree, but at the end it looked more like the picture to your right. We made many piles of buckthorn.

These piles will be burned and the stubs remaining will be poisoned by workers at the Grove. It was a great experience and I'm glad that I was able to help out my community, i can't wait to see if the oak forest is able to grow back!

Extra Credit!

SPECIAL PROGRAM! Saturday, April 30th and Tuesday, May 10th: Emerald Ash Borer Workshops

The Emerald Ash Borer beetle has damaged millions of trees in the U.S. an has now invaded Glenview. Join the Village of Glenview and the Glenview Park District to learn more about this noxious pest, including its biology and natural history, treatment and prevention programs and what to do if you suspect an infestation; Workshops held in the Program Barn at The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave.; Sat., April 30, 2-3:30 p.m. (includes field observations) or Tues., May 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
E-mail for more information about the workshop: judy.ksiazek@glenviewparks.org
See this website for more about the Emerald Ash Borer: http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/
Saturday, May 14th is CHICAGO RIVER DAY
You're invited to join in the fun at the 19th annual Chicago River Day! Help to beautify the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River with trash pickup. Work gloves and bags will be provided, as well as FREE T-shirts for participants! Please meet at Kohl's parking lot off of Willow Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
E-mail for more information: rflakne@glenview.il.us
Saturday, May 14th: Restoration Work Day at Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie
Help Air Station Prairie's restoration team remove invasive plants to make way for native prairie grasses and forbs. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm

Saturday, May 28th: Restoration Work Day at The Grove National Historic Landmark
The Grove's restoration team needs your help to remove non-native, invasive plants and make way for native wildflowers, grasses and trees. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Grove Interpretive Center, 1421 Milwaukee Ave.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm

Crazy News!!!!

Have you heard? Scientists are redefining what it means to be living? Do you know how? Have you heard about the new biological discovery that was announced on Dec 2nd???? If so, email me... be sure to completely explain (in your own words!) what the discovery was, the science (and genetics) behind the discovery, and WHY its sooooo very cool!!!

More Restoration Dates for Extra Credit!!!

More Dates for extra credit! Same rules as before... take pictures there, post it to the blog... write about your experience on the blog... You may do this ONCE a semester for extra credit. But you may go as many times as you would like... however, you can only get extra credit once a semester.


Saturday, December 4th: Restoration Work Day at Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie
Help the Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie's restoration team remove invasive plants to make way for native prairie grasses and forbs. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm


Saturday, December 11th: Restoration Work Day at The Grove
Help The Grove restoration team remove non-native, invasive plants to make way for native wildflowers, grasses and trees. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Grove Interpretive Center, 1421 Milwaukee Ave.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm

Sunday, December 12th: Restoration Day at Harms Woods
Sponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at the Forest Preserve Glenview Woods parking lot on the west side of Harms Rd. just south of Glenview Road; 9:00-12:00 or 1:00-4:00.
https://webmail.glenbrook225.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=f6c5a1bd8e3549a880bef69ca287cf62&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.northbranchrestoration.org%2fcalendar.html

Saturday, January 8th, 2011: Restoration Work Day at Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie
Help the Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie's restoration team remove invasive plants to make way for native prairie grasses and forbs. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm

Saturday, January 22nd: Restoration Work Day at The Grove
Help The Grove restoration team remove non-native, invasive plants to make way for native wildflowers, grasses and trees. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Grove Interpretive Center, 1421 Milwaukee Ave.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm


Saturday, January 22nd: Restoration Day at Harms Flatwoods
Sponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Seasonal activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Harms Road, directly west of Old Orchard Road where it ends on Harms Road; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

Sunday, January 30th: Restoration Day at Harms Flatwoods
Sponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Seasonal activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Harms Road, directly west of Old Orchard Road where it ends on Harms Road; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

Saturday, February 5th: Restoration Work Day at Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie
Help the Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie's restoration team remove invasive plants to make way for native prairie grasses and forbs. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm


Saturday, February 19th: Restoration Work Day at The Grove
Help The Grove restoration team remove non-native, invasive plants to make way for native wildflowers, grasses and trees. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Grove Interpretive Center, 1421 Milwaukee Ave.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm

Sunday, February 20th: Restoration Day at Harms Woods
Sponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at the Forest Preserve Glenview Woods parking lot on the west side of Harms Rd. just south of Glenview Road; 9:00-12:00 or 1:00-4:00.
https://webmail.glenbrook225.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=f6c5a1bd8e3549a880bef69ca287cf62&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.northbranchrestoration.org%2fcalendar.html
Sunday, March 6th: Restoration Day at Harms Flatwoods
Sponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Seasonal activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Harms Road, directly west of Old Orchard Road where it ends on Harms Road; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

Saturday, March 12th: Restoration Work Day at The Grove
Help The Grove restoration team remove non-native, invasive plants to make way for native wildflowers, grasses and trees. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Grove Interpretive Center, 1421 Milwaukee Ave.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm

Saturday, March 19th: Restoration Work Day at Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie
Help the Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie's restoration team remove invasive plants to make way for native prairie grasses and forbs. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm

Saturday, March 26th: Restoration Day at Harms FlatwoodsSponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Seasonal activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Harms Road, directly west of Old Orchard Road where it ends on Harms Road; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

BUCKTHORN EXPERIENCE

Yesterday, Anastasia and I were a part of the North Branch Restoration Project, and cut buckthorn at Harms Flatwoods. When we got there, we signed in and went went to the west side of the forest preserve to cut buckthorn. With us were normal volunteers and also students from New Trier. The person in charge of the group told us that buckthorn was being a problem in that it surrounds native trees like the oak tree and doesn't allow them to reproduce. He told us that whatever was green, was buckthorn. Buckthorn was the only plant still standing with its leaves, so it wasn't hard to miss. When me and Anastasia got to the site where we were going to cut buckthorn, we saw SO much of it! It was everywhere. It was taking over everything else. When we went inside the forest preserve, we took a clipper and we went and cut buckthorn, while the experienced people were putting up controled fires so we can burn the buckthorn. For some odd reason, this computer isn't leting me upload the pictures onto the post, so see Anastasia's. SORRY.

Anyways, Anastasia and I thoguth we'd be cold so we dressed up so warmly, and when we got there, with the four fires and the hard work, we were dying of heat. It was pretty interesting in that me and Anastasia helped the forest preserve from this invader, buckthorn. It was a lot of fun, and I would do it again any time!

Buckthorn Adventure!

Today Vicky and I went to Harms Flatwoods. When we got there we signed in, and they explained to all of us what buckthorn is. Buckthorn is an invasive plant that causes a big problem. It out-competes native plants for nutrients, light and moisture threatens the future of forests and serves as a host to other pests.
We then walked to the forest preserve and there they gave us saws, and clippers.

Materials we used:



Clipper



Saw



Me cutting buckthorn



Buckthorn





Buckthorn was EVERYWHERE! We knew what plants were buckthorn because they had marked them with orange paint.

After cutting the buckthorn we took it and added it to the fire they made. The purpose of the fire was to burn the bucktorn down. They had set up 4 fires and this is how they looked:



Fire

We had a lot of fun!  

DNA, RNA, Protein Synthesis Practice

Check out this review link... it should help you to review for the test on Tuesday! Be sure to log in using your name.

http://www.quia.com/quiz/891796.html

DNA Workshop!

Check out the DNA Workshop!  Complete the activity and email me the following:
1.  What color is the backbone of the RNA molecule?
2.  What three amino acids are formed at the end of the protein synthesis activity?

Have Fun!

John Snow and Cholera

Since I am such a John Snow fan...i found these videos that i thought you might exjoy.  Watch them and email me the answers to the following 2 questions..
1.  Who was often spared from cholera outbreaks and WHY?
2.  What was the name of the other 'protagonist' in Stephen Johnson's book Ghost Map?

Video Thoughts?

Did anyone have any thoughts about Friday's film? I have seen that film many times now, and everytime I watch it I always really admire those 'disease warriors' who worked so tirelessly to bring vaccines to remote parts of the world. I feel that so many people are only concerned with themselves... to travel to places like India and Africa to try and rid the world of such horrible diseases really says something about those volunteers.. They really made a difference in the world... not everyone can say they have done so. How amazing would it be to be able to rid the world of HIV like they did with smallpox? What were your thoughts? Reply to my post with a comment as to what your thoughts or reflections were on the movie.





The cover of a World Health publication from 1980.

Re-seeding at the Interpretive Center

This saturday I went to the Interpretive Center at the Air Station Prairie.

For the time I was there, we gathered the seeds of a plant that were going to spread when the wind came, unbalancing the ways of the prairie.

By the end of the morning we had gathered many bags that looked like this.These seeds are to be taken to other locations where invasive species, such as buckthorn, has been cutdown and the land is in need of another plant.

In front of the prairie was a building that ran on the solar panels on the roof and a wind mill in front. Also the tables and all materials used were made out of different recycled woods that could been removed without having the tree die. They also had countertops that were made out of sun flower seeds.

Not only did the solar panels and wind mill provide electricity, it also heated the building and the water.

Overall, I learned a lot about the air station and the prairie, a part of my town that I never really knew about.

Extra Credit!!! Shhhh!!!! It's a secret!

Click on this picture and play the Cell Cycle game!  Who is the "supervisor" in the game?  Email me the answer!  Extra credit will be awarded to the first 5 people from each section who email me the correct answer PRIOR to the start of class.  Don't tell anyone. Shhhhh!

MORE EXTRA CREDIT DATES!

SATURDAY, September 18th & SUNDAY, September 19th:: Restoration Work Day at Air Station Prairie

Help Air Station Prairie's restoration team collect seeds or remove invasive plants to make way for native prairie grasses and forbs. Bring work gloves if you have them. Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

Saturday, September 25th
Come out to The Grove from 9:00 to 12:00 and do your part by collecting native seeds or removing invasive brush. Please meet at the Interpretive Center.  OR join the North Branch Restoration Project at Harms Flatwoods from 9:00-12:00 for brush cutting, weed removal and general cleanup. See these websites for more information:
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#
http://www.publiclandsday.org/involved/sites.htm?state=Illinois

Saturday, October 9th: Restoration Work Day at The Grove
Grove Interpretive Center 9:00-12:00.

Saturday, October 23rd: Restoration Work Day at Air Station Prairie
Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.

Saturday, October 30th: Techny Basin River Cleanup Day
Help to beautify the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River with trash pick-up, brush cutting and weed removal. Work gloves, tools and bags will be provided by the Village of Glenview's Natural Resource Commission. Please meet in the Kohl's parking lot off of Willow Rd.; 9:00-12:00. PLEASE NOTE: We are also looking for a site captain to oversee this work day! Contact Henrietta Saunders or Robyn Flakne for more information.

Sunday, October 31st: Restoration Work Day at Air Station Prairie
Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

Saturday, November 13th: Restoration Work Day at The Grove
Grove Interpretive Center 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm

Saturday, November 20th: Restoration Work Day at Air Station Prairie
Please meet at the Tyner Interpretive Center, 2400 Compass Rd.; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/Air-Station-Prairie-Tyner-Center/restoration-work-days.htm

Sunday, November 21st: Restoration Day at Harms Flatwoods
Sponsored by the North Branch Restoration Project. Seasonal activities include brush cutting, weed removal and seed collection. Please meet at Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Harms Road, directly west of Old Orchard Road where it ends on Harms Road; 9:00-12:00.
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/calendar.html#

Extra Credit & Battle at Kreuger

Looking for Extra Credit?  Looking to help fight invasive species in Glenview?  Go to the Grove on Saturday 9/25/10 for the Grove Restoration Day.  Take atleast one photo of yourself (NOT YOUR FACE) working at the Grove and post it to the blog.  On your post, write a short paragraph about what you did there and why it was important.  OR take a video at the work site and SPEAK about what you are doing and why it is important. Post that video to the blog (DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR FACE).

For more information, check out the link below.
http://www.glenviewparks.org/The-Grove/get-involved.htm

Below is the link to the video we weren't able to see in class.

The next scribe is Vicky