For the Love of Oaks

Look at that red oak acorn! Looking like a chubby head with a cap that's a bit too small!

Did you know that an oak tree has to be 20 years old before it produces acorns? At 20-years, an oak is technically mature, but still just a kid -- kind of like people, I guess.

That is why the state of McHenry County's oak woods is so alarming. The rate things are going, we are going to lose a lot of the large old oaks in the next 20 years, but there are not many young oaks growing in the local woods to take their places when the ancient giants succumb to age or disease.

There are a number of reasons why oaks are not reproducing, but most of the problem has to do with what is happening on the ground under the trees, after the acorns fall. One of two conditions is often to blame: either a lawn is maintained under the oaks - meaning that any young seedlings that start to grow will be killed by the mowers; or, invasive brush chokes them out and blocks the sun that they need to grow!

For many years, I had one of those mowed lawns around our large bur and white oaks on our lot in Harvard. Then, about 5 years ago, we started restoring areas of the yard to native plants, gradually replacing large parts of the lawn with savanna & woodland species - grasses, wildflowers and shrubs like hazelnuts. We even installed a rain garden, and then last fall, mulched a couple of areas extensively to help eliminate even more lawn around the oaks.

And we see young oaks growing, thanks to the many squirrels that bury their acorns all over the yard!

TLC works with a lot of landowners who are tackling buckthorn and honeysuckle thickets around their oaks. One piece of advice we hear over and over again is "start small." Pick one oak, and decide to clear the brush around it - being sure to paint the cut stumps with an appropriate herbicide like glyphosate. When clearing the brush, keep an eye out for any young oaks trying to grow, and avoid harming them -- they are the future!

You don't have to do everything at once, but by resolving to at least start to make things more hospitable for oaks, we can all make a difference!

County 2030 Land Use Plan Meetings

Public Meetings on the McHenry County 2030 Land Use Plan are scheduled for the first week of March: March 1, McHenry; March 2, Harvard; March 3, Crystal Lake; March 4, Marengo; March 6, Woodstock. Details can be found here. The weekday meetings will take place from 5-7pm and the Saturday meeting from 9am-noon.

Taking the time to view the maps and read at least some of the plan is important for residents, especially those who live in the north and west portions of the county that are predominantly farmland.

This is the document that will/should guide future land use changes in the rural areas of the county. The words are important, but let's face it, most people just look at the pictures anyway, so the map is really important.

I can sum up my comments in three words: Change the map.

The text is pretty good - actually quite strong in some areas - but the current map doesn't match the text. [Caution: do not try opening the plan document unless you have a high speed internet connection - it is 89 MegaBytes in size. Copies are available at local libraries.]

One of the big disconnects between the text and the map is in the area of projected population growth and the amount of land needed to accommodate all the new people and jobs that may be needed over the next 20 years.

The map was drafted using a very high future population number, but the text includes a smaller number that is more realistic. The map, therefore, shows a lot more rural residential development in the future than is realistic given the number of new people that are realistically projected to want to move here.

The result it that there are thousands of acres planned for rural residential development that are far outside any municipal boundaries. This directly contradicts one of the plan's primary goals, which is to promote compact & contiguous growth in and around municipalities where essential services are already available, rather than continuing to allow scattered development throughout the rural areas.

Fortunately, the County Planning staff already did a really excellent analysis of the possible changes to the map's sprawling residential development (as recommended by the Planning Commission). The map that staff prepared recommends removing various areas that were initially planned for rural residential development, and showing them as agriculture.

I found the planning staff's memo describing possible map changes to bring the plan's maps into line with the text very helpful in thinking about comments to make at the public meetings. Since this is information that has been provided to the County Board members who will ultimately decide what changes to make, I think using it as a reference is helpful.

There are other issues as well.

For instance, vast areas of farmland far outside of municipalities are planned for industrial development, far in excess of what could be needed to support job creation for future residents. Also, industrial development is planned for areas that are highly sensitive groundwater recharge soils, particularly in the area around Marengo and the Kishwaukee River. These mapped industrial uses are in conflict with the text which supports protection of groundwater resources and compact & contiguous growth patterns.

So, please attend one of the meetings near you and say something, even if it is that you support the map changes proposed by the staff. But it is important to say something, and to say it now, because in a couple of weeks it will be too late. Thank you.

Playing possum

Here's a picture of our "mascot" the as-yet-unnamed-possum who shows up from time to time in search of food at Hennen Conservation Area.

This is one of those critters that people either hate or find adorable, so I decided to look up a few facts about possums.

First, I want to clear up a misconception that they are viscious. While they may show their many sharp teeth when frightened, they are actually very shy and just want to be left alone -- they are not aggressive. In fact, when attacked, they will often just role over and "play dead," which is where the term "playing possum" comes from. There are lots of stories out there of dogs carrying "dead" possums back to their owners, only to have the possum walk away as soon as the dog is distracted!

Opossums are the only North American marsupial, females carrying and feeding her young in a pouch (marsupium) for 2-3 months, and then carrying the young on her back for another couple of months. (If you are wondering what a marsupial is, think of the most well recognized marsupial, the kangaroo!)

They are comfortable living in trees, and their furless tail is prehensile, helping them climb. But don't believe the rumors that they hang upside down from their tails! The tail is really more like another arm, providing stability.

Opossums are omnivores, meaning they eat a little bit of everything -- insects, berries, grass, vegetables, etc. Note, if you leave a bowl of cat or dog food outside at night, and it is empty in the morning, it might have been a possum who cleaned it out. They are nocturnal, so generally not seen during the day.

They are one of the shortest-lived mammals, typically surviving only 2-4 years. They are killed by larger critters like dogs & owls, and are a frequent casualty of cars while crossing roads at night. They are slow moving, so don't have the ability to rush across the road when a car comes - they either freeze, or continue moving ahead slowly.

I hope this provides you with some appreciation for this gentle animal that is just trying to get by!

The information in this post was found through the National Opossum Society's website: http://www.opossum.org/

Go Play Outside!

Those are the three words that American children do not hear enough. Michelle Obama talks about battling childhood obesity. Chicago Wilderness runs the Leave No Child Inside project. A whole organization called the Children & Nature Network now exists to encourage and support people and organizations working to connect young people with nature.

Results of a recent University of Michigan study show that our brains work better when we have regular exposure to nature. This echoes the results of many other studies that say there are abundant reasons to spend more time in nature. Health. Kids are less likely to have attention-deficit disorder. Hospital patients get well faster. And... there is an ever-growing list of reasons to spend time outdoors. The Association for Psychological Science has a nice summary of the Michigan study on their website.

The effects of nature on the brain are especially important during the years from birth through age 11, when many of the basic patterns and processes in the brain are being formed. The term videophilia has been coined by researchers to describe the new state we are living in. They define videophilia as meaning "the new human tendency to focus on sedentary activites involving electronic media."

Videophilia has been a trend since 1987 -- about the time that video games, home movies, VCRs, home computers, etc started to appear. Since 1987 the trend has also been that there are fewer visits to local, state & national parks. There are fewer hikers than before 1987. There are fewer campers. You get the picture.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but a good start would seem to be "Go Play Outside!"

Parks employ more people than WalMart!

I'm pasting the entirety of an article that a friend just forwarded to me. The next time anyone hints that the environment must play second fiddle to the economy in these tough economic times, just whip this puppy out and show them some facts!

Text of article from The Daily Green follows:

Two New York Times articles published earlier this month illustrate the highs and lows of land protection right now. One, "Preservation Groups Find Bargains in Housing Bust," described how plummeting real estate prices have provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for land conservation organizations to protect irreplaceable natural treasures once destined for sprawling development. From Idaho to Florida and Virginia to Oregon, groups have preserved fields and forests, marshland and ocean waterfronts that as little as a year ago were slated for massive housing projects. Many of these scenic wonders now will be turned into parks.

That's the high. The low, "New Year but No Relief for Strapped States," noted the challenges many state governments face to rein in skyrocketing deficits. Actually, the earlier article hinted at this dilemma's environmental implications: dedicated funds for protecting land and creating new parks already have been a casualty of fiscal belt-tightening in statehouses from Olympia to Albany – just when they could do the most good. With red ink continuing to rise, even more drastic cuts are likely. There's a trickle-down effect, too. With less state support, county and municipal governments are being forced to slash their own budgets, so land preservation and parks often take another hit on the local level.

Why are these initiatives such easy deficit-reduction targets? Because there's a presumption they are luxuries. Sure, parks make us feel good and wildflower-filled meadows are pretty to look at, but they don't pay the bills. That's the all-too-common perception among legislators and even the public at large. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

For proof, take a look at Conservation: An Investment That Pays, a study released last year by The Trust for Public Land. It's one of the most comprehensive looks yet at the myriad benefits land protection offers our cash-strapped economies.

The report compiles a wealth of statistics offering incontrovertible evidence that:
- Parks increase surrounding property values and hence local revenues, while protected open space such as farms keep the costs of municipal services low. (Remember, cows don't go to school);

- New parks spur economic development and boost nearby businesses, often providing the catalyst for downtown revitalization. This point was driven home forcefully in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., (headquarters of Scenic Hudson, the organization I head) with the October opening of Walkway Over the Hudson, which transformed a rusting railroad
bridge into a dramatic park. In its first two months of operation, it attracted 400,000 visitors, while local restaurants have enjoyed a spike in business;

- Those of us who live near parks are more likely to exercise, which helps us ward off medical conditions responsible for out-of-control health care costs;

- Preserved forests and fields naturally purify our air and water while conserved floodplains prevent property loss from natural disaster – all reducing the need for costly manmade protections;

- By enhancing our quality of life, parks and open space attract new jobs and residents. (A healthy local environment is among business executives' top concerns when looking for a place to relocate or set up shop.)

Parks aren't freeloaders. Far from it, they provide communities with direct economic benefits. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has calculated that Americans who engage in hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching spend nearly $125 billion annually, supporting an industry responsible for 1.6 million jobs – more people than are employed by Walmart, the largest U.S. retailer. The National Parks Conservation Association reports that for each $1 invested in our national parks, there's a $4 return in local spending. In New York, figures are comparable for state parks; I bet the same holds for other states.

In many states, including New York, funds for land protection already have taken disproportionate cuts that fail to take into account these far-reaching economic and environmental benefits. It's imperative we let our legislators know they can't let the landscapes that enrich our lives – and, as it turns out, contribute so much to the bottom line – be the primary victims of future reductions. For in the end, it's us who wind up being the true victims.

Find this article at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/employment-parks-jobs-synd

This is also true in Illinois where funding for the environment, conservation, public parks and the like has been on a steady decline for most of the last decade.

T.S. Eliot may have said that April is the cruelest month, but if you were a bird, you would surely say that February ranked first on that list.

February is "Bird Feeding Month," promoted by the National Bird-Feeding Society (birdfeeding.org). February was selected because it is the hardest month for most wild birds, particularly in northern climates like ours. The weather is typically harsh, and food is scarce.

Project FeederWatch has nearly 16,000 participants across North America monitoring the activity at their backyard bird feeders. The data collected by these “citizen scientists” is used by ornithologists (bird specialists) and wildlife ecologists to monitor trends in bird populations. For instance, their data helps scientists spot when a species might be in trouble.

About 250 Illinois residents participate in Project FeederWatch, and the data they have collected over the past two decades revealed some interesting trends.

For example, the number of crows seen at feeders dropped dramatically between 2002 and 2003, and numbers have remained near 2003 levels since that time. The drop coincides with the arrival of West Nile virus in the region. Crows are particularly susceptible to this infection which is spread by mosquito bites (yep, birds are bitten by those pests too).

Another trend has been a steady increase in sightings of Cooper’s hawks at birdfeeders. As residential development expanded into previously rural areas throughout the 1990s and the 2000’s, the hawks found themselves having to adapt to suburban surroundings. The backyard birdfeeders proved a very attractive addition to the landscape for these hunters even though they do not eat the seed. Rather, the hawks eat small seed-eating birds that are found in large numbers at bird feeders. (Think: hawk buffet table.)

Anyone who feeds the birds can participate in Project FeederWatch which is run through the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University in New York. For more information on the program, and to find out how to sign-up, please visit: www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/. Participants are sent a kit with instructions on how to collect and submit data. New participants are accepted through the month of February.

Join TLC on February 6th at Hennen Conservation area at 1pm to learn how to make your own pinecone birdfeeder. There is no charge for the event, and materials will be provided. Please call the TLC office at 815-337-9502 to register.

Celebrate with TLC on January 31st!

Ninety one years ago this month, January 6, 1919, Teddy Roosevelt died in his simple house on the outskirts of Oyster Bay New York. His passing affected many, for he was recognized by Americans in his day as a friend of the people and a man of courage.

TLC is pleased that the former President will come to life on January 31st at our Annual Meeting, giving those present a chance to meet the man responsible for preserving millions of acres of land through the creation of National Parks, the designation of National Monuments, and the establishment of the National Wildlife Refuge system.

We are still taking reservations, but with nearly 150 people signed up for the event, we will run out of room soon! Please visit our website to make your reservation today. Member tickets are just $35, and non-member tickets $45 (which includes a year membership - what a deal!!)

Among the items that will be included in the "Local, Green, Natural & Handmade" Silent Auction is a salesman's copy of the 1919 book 'The Life of Theodore Roosevelt" written by S. Draper Lewis. The book is in fair condition, but the many photos included in the book are all in good shape.

The brunch starts at 11am, TLC's awards program will begin at 12:30, and the President will speak starting at 1pm!

Bully!