Chapters in Illinois

Note:  This program will also be livestreamed and recorded.  The link to join the livestream can be found here https://www.youtube.com/live/yQ2QQuj7CK0.

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Don Gardner was always curious about the prairie plants he found along the railroad and at remnant sites around his childhood home at a small dairy farm in Kempton, IL.  In 1974 he began to the reconstruction of a prairie in the former cow pasture, and it has flourished over the last 50 years to now host around 140 species of native plants, all from within 100 miles. Don's careful approach to prairie reconstruction and intensive management of the site have resulted in a remarkably high quality and colorful prairie.  Join us as we explore methods of establishing and maintaining a rich local prairie and look at some of the current projects and challenges at the site.

Speaker Bio:

Scott Saffer fights invasive plants and helps manage Don Gardner's prairie in Kempton, IL.  He grew up wandering the woods around Moraine View State Park, fishing local creeks and lakes, and exploring Weston Prairie Cemetery.  After years of teaching science on Indian reservations in Arizona and New Mexico, he returned to teach in Central Illinois, retiring this year.  Along the way he worked on various research projects for the U.S. Forest Service, Centers for Disease Control, University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology, and Illinois Natural History Survey.  He's done field work on topics including rodents, Hantavirus, prairies, amphibians and reptiles, birds, and insects.  Currently he's learning the intricacies of tending the prairie from Don Gardner, and working with his students on a muti-year research project reintroducing prairie cicadas to the site.

Join us to tour the garden of Sara Simon and Scott Murray.  Their ongoing project has been over the space of only 3 years, but they have created a beautiful space.  After having pushback from the HOA who wanted them to re-install the sod, the Illinois Homeowners' Native Landscaping Act saved their gardens just in time.

After the tour, we will head to Blackberry Maples Forest Preserve, where Sara is the site steward. We will eat lunch at the shelter.  Wild Ones will bring snacks.  There are restrooms here.  

Join us for one or both.  The home address will be sent to you once you sign up.  The address of Blackberry Maples is 43W231 Main Street, Elburn.  

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F44A5A928A3FDC43-64451615-members

Native plant work day - North of 37th street and 8th ave, in Moline

Site Steward: Jack Jelen

Native plant work day.

Gold Coast Park, Davenport's Hamburg Historic District
Location: W 8th street and N Ripley street in Davenport, IA
Parking Info: Street Parking / Hiram Lodge Parking Adjacent Google Maps Gazebo Location will bring you to this Pocket Park.

Workday Leader: Lichen Holden <[email protected]>

Wild Ones mission is to connect people and native plants for a healthy planet. Wild Ones Tri-State Driftless Area is glad to have Bill Meyer join us to present concepts and practices homeowners can implement to help pollinators and birds thrive in your yards. Bill is passionate about creating a healthy wildlife habitat and his presentation will touch on native plants, and more, to help in your own backyard. 

Bill Meyer has an education in crop sciences, environmental water science, environmental ecology and pollination. Bill is employed as a District Conservationist. His duties include providing technical guidance to landowners on managing conservation reserve program plantings (prairie plantings).