The Conservationist | Winter 2012 by Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

t he

Conse nserr vationist

A Quarterly Publication of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Winter 2012

from the president In many ways, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County faces the same challenges as other government agencies and many corporations, but for nearly a century its stewardship strategy has provided a good open-space return on county residents’ tax investments. This success, though, has not been by chance, for as Thomas Edison once said, “Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.” Early in the District’s history, its leaders developed a long-term and aggressive land-acquisition strategy to line forest preserves along rivers and streams to provide miles of contiguous corridors for people and wildlife. In the process of achieving that goal, the District has preserved nearly 12 percent of the county’s landmass; over 60 forest preserves balance the effects of development while providing safe havens for hundreds of plant and animal species. Today, we continue to cultivate those plans. Lands once purchased as picnic groves now provide additional recreational opportunities in the form of regional trails, shelters, fishing piers, off-leash dog areas, an archery range and boat-rental facilities. Five of our forest preserves host acclaimed educational centers where current and future generations can learn about our natural and cultural histories and the importance of preserving them. And floodwater-storage systems and water-recharge areas within the preserves offer their own benefits to DuPage communities. Along the way, the District’s conservative financial approach has balanced public interest for new services with financial stability, and we continue to do our best to make our resources go further to support our mission of conservation, recreation and education. We involve a strong network of volunteers and corporate and conservation partners and actively seek additional revenue from grants and donations to help green things up, roll out new trails, and build educational and enjoyable places to learn, play and relax. Rest assured that we will continue to plan ahead for an equally successful future, and as we embark on a new year, I hope you include DuPage County’s forest preserves in plans of your own.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS President D. “Dewey” Pierotti Jr., Addison Commissioners Marsha Murphy, Addison — District 1 Joseph F. Cantore, Oakbrook Terrace — District 2 Linda Painter, Hinsdale — District 3 Michael Formento, Glen Ellyn — District 4 Carl Schultz, Aurora — District 5 Roger G. Kotecki, Warrenville — District 6 Executive Director Brent Manning

BOARD MEETINGS For schedules and agendas, visit dupageforest.org.

I THE CONSERVATIONIST Winter 2012, Vol. 48, No. 1 Editor William Weidner Associate Editor Beth Schirott Editorial Assistants Johanna Biedron Jayne Bohner Audra Mason Bonnet Bonnie Olszewski Graphic Designer Deanna Eichenauer

I FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DU PAGE COUNTY P.O. Box 5000, Wheaton, IL 60189 (630) 933-7200, TTY (800) 526-0857 dupageforest.org

D. “Dewey” Pierotti Jr. President, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Subscriptions to The Conservationist, a Forest Preserve District of DuPage County quarterly publication, are free for DuPage County residents and $5 per year for nonresidents. To subscribe, call (630) 933-7085 or e-mail forest@dupageforest.org.

conte n ts Vol. 48, No. 1 | Winter 2012

4 News & Notes 6 CSI DuPage: The Dead of Winter 8

8 Winter Calendar 16 Trail Talk 17 Winter on the Farm 20 Explore

22 Directory 23 Map On the cover: Weasel © Kurt Schumacher

OUR Mission 17

To acquire and hold lands for the purpose of preserving the flora, fauna and scenic beauty for the education, pleasure and recreation of DuPage County citizens

d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

news & notes DISTRICT PURSUES NATURE PRESERVE STATUS AT FIVE SITES

The Board of Commissioners has directed staff to pursue Illinois Nature Preserve status for areas within five forest preserves: the 8-acre Glacial Ridge area of Churchill Woods in Glen Ellyn, 76 acres at Des Plaines Riverway in Burr Ridge, the 49-acre west grove of Meacham Grove in Bloomingdale, the 257-acre Brewster Creek Marsh area of Pratt’s Wayne Woods in Wayne and 111 acres of Swift Prairie in Addison. The designations would permanently protect these high-quality natural areas by voluntarily restricting future land use to preserve natural conditions. The District may receive preliminary approval from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission by early 2012. From there, the District would develop management plans and final agreements to present to its Board of Commissioners for approval.

LAND Acquisition

Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners meetings and planning sessions are open to the public and are held at District headquarters at 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton. Schedules and agendas are available in advance on the District’s website, dupageforest.org. Commission meetings normally take place the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 9 a.m. Planning sessions normally take place the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 9 a.m. At both, the board hears comments from the public and reports from staff and discusses District business; at commission meetings, the board also votes on agenda items.

The Forest Preserve District recently acquired 10.2 acres in Bloomingdale that are adjacent to East Branch Forest Preserve in Glendale Heights. The property is on the west side of Valley View Road one-quarter mile south of Army Trail Road and contains flood plain and a small creek that flows 250 feet to the west into the East Branch of the DuPage River. The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation awarded the District a Natural Areas Land Acquisition Grant for $482,500 to use toward the $1,065,000 purchase price.

OFF-LEASH DOG AREA IMPROVEMENTS The District is in the permitting stage of a project that will convert 2.15 miles of turf and wood-chip trails to 8-footwide crushed-limestone trails at the off-leash dog areas at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, East Branch Forest Preserve in Glendale Heights, and Springbrook Prairie and Greene Valley forest preserves in Naperville. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring or summer of 2012.

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

In addition, the District took possession of 2.7 acres adjacent to Fullerton Park Forest Preserve in Addison on the north side of Fullerton Avenue west of Stewart Avenue. The property contains flood plain and maintains open space for wildlife habitat.

PUBLIC Meetings

SUPPORT THE FOREST PRESERVES TODAY The Forest Preserve District is pleased to announce its new online donations Web page, which allows individuals and businesses to adopt an animal at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn, sponsor the St. James Farm Family Field Day in Warrenville or support other conservation-, education- or recreation-related programs and initiatives. Simply visit dupageforest.org, and click on “Donate” to explore the many ways you can make a difference in your local forest preserves.

SNOWY, Frozen Fun Before you put on your mittens and head outdoors, visit the “Winter Activities” page in the “Recreation” section of dupageforest.org for information on cross-country skiing, snow tubing, ice fishing and other seasonal fun.

FROM the Field This fall, District arborists planted 950 trees and shrubs at forest preserves across the county. Ninety percent of the plants were from the District’s own nursery. Crews inventoried each by size, age and health and installed deer and beaver deterrents as needed. Many of the trees replaced those lost to storms, old age, beaver damage or disease. Some replaced trees that the arborists felt were particularly susceptible to emerald ash borer infestations or Dutch elm disease. Others will help control erosion, provide screening or enhance picnic areas, campgrounds or new trails, such as one at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn.

MANY Thanks

ONLINE Project Updates

The Forest Preserve District thanks the following donors who contributed to its efforts between July 1 and Nov. 1.

Are you looking for information on new trails or other forest preserve improvements? Then visit “Plans and Projects” under “District News” at dupageforest.org for updates and images of forest preserve projects.

Event Sponsors Arboretum View Animal Hospital Barrington Saddlery Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool Brunswick Zone Roselle Chiro One Wellness Centers Corporate Center ChiroSolutions The Cloud Foundation College of DuPage Connie’s Pizza The Conservation Foundation Consummate Canine Costco Wholesale Current Dog Training DC Spinal Wellness and Sports Rehabilitation, Ltd. DePaw University Canine Campus, Inc. Eagle Academy of Martial Arts Engineering Resource Associates, Inc. Family Health and Wellness Clinic Geneva Lakes Jewelry Greyhounds Only Adoption and Rescue Heartland Food Corporation Hickory River Smokehouse Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort Hoving Pit Stop Illinois American Water Invisible Fence Brand Jason’s Deli Juice Plus

Land O’Lakes Purina Feeds, LLC Lombard Animal Clinic Luxe Home Interiors Lynfred Winery Malnati Organization, Inc Mesirow Financial Mom.com The Mystery Shop Narnia Pet Behavior and Training Noodles & Company Olympic Chiropractic and Physical Therapy PACE Suburban Bus Company Patch.com Plank Road Folk Music Society Prosek’s Greenhouse and Military Model Shop, Inc. Radio Disney REI Robert W. Baird and Co. Rosati’s Pizza of Wheaton Sardee Industries Seguin Gardens and Gifts Suburban Home Care Summit Chiropractic Sylvan Learning Center Testing Service Corporation TFD Writing Services Tom and Eddie’s Uncle Bub’s Award Winning BBQ US Cellular WERV — 95.9 The River West Suburban Community Pantry Wheaton Orthodontic Center — Dr. David Allen, DDS

Wheaton Park District — Cosley Zoo Whole Foods Market Hinsdale Whole Foods Market Wheaton Whole Foods Market Willowbrook Wight and Company Williams Associates Architects, Ltd. Woodridge Animal Hospital Gifts of Note Commissioner Joseph Cantore $3,267 – St. James Farm, Fullersburg Woods, Mayslake Peabody Estate, Willowbrook Wildlife Center and Outdoor Explorers Summer Camp BP Foundation, Fabric of America Fund $2,440 – in honor of volunteer Patricia Banaszak Allstate Foundation $2,500 – St. James Farm Volunteer Workday Wally Hastings $5,000 – Mayslake Hall Restoration Aunt Marlene Foundation $12,000 – Observe Your Preserve International Paper Foundation $1,500 – Outdoor Explorers Summer Camp Lieselotte Gengler $1,000 – Mayslake Hall Restoration

STAY UPDATED YOUR WAY Sign up today for Forest Preserve District updates on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. (Look for DuPageForest on Twitter and YouTube.) Plus, enjoy The Conservationist 24/7 at dupageforest.org. If you prefer to read The Conservationist online, e-mail forest@dupageforest.org, and have your mailed copy discontinued.

BRING THE Outdoors In Invite a Forest Preserve District speaker to your next meeting, and learn the latest about DuPage County’s forest preserves, from ecological restoration projects to innovative, hands-on educational programs. Speakers are available through April. Call (630) 933-7246. d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

CSI DuPage: The Dead of Winter by JACK MACRAE, NATURALIST, WILLOWBROOK WILDLIFE CENTER

time to walk through a forest preserve, but if you’re an armchair detective or cop-show aficionado, you might enjoy a few regular visits. The frozen, snow-covered, relatively quiet landscape can contain a variety of well-preserved natural mysteries that might go unnoticed at other times of the year. Here are four minimysteries encountered on the trails of DuPage forest preserves in winters past. It’s important to remember that these accounts are not actual crimes but merely real-life predator-prey encounters that are part of the natural food web. A wild animal’s motive to attack another is most often to obtain food and occasionally to defend itself or its young. Still, the particulars are a little graphic and may not be for the faint of heart. Read on if you find this wildness interesting, and see if you can solve these whodunits and identify the main characters.

An Inside Job On a sunny February afternoon, a frosty stand of goldenrods at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton 6

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

showed signs of vandalism — or more. Something had ripped open and emptied a fat, globular growth on one of the stems. To solve the mystery, nature detectives needed only to run a few background checks. In autumn, some insects deposit eggs inside the stems of plants. Each egg develops into a larva, which spends the winter inside the fibrous vegetation. As the larva gets bigger, the plant grows around it, creating a bulge called a “gall.” In

The hole in this goldenrod gall shows signs of a predator trying to access the grub inside.

inter might not seem like an exciting

Snowy Evidence It was an early morning in February near a pond at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn. The fresh snow showed signs of a struggle. There were clumps of fur and drops of frozen blood but no body. The prints of one animal led to the site of the attack and were joined by prints from another, but there were none leaving the scene. After several minutes, naturalist investigators gathered the following information. The fur was from an eastern cottontail, as was the first set of prints. The short distance between prints indicated the animal was moving slowly when assailed, unaware of any danger. If it was fleeing, it would have been in a full sprint, and the prints would have been farther apart. The second set of prints was from the talons of a sizable raptor. Additional marks were from the flight feathers on the tips of the bird’s wings, and with a wingspan of 36 inches, this bird had long, broad wings. Other marks were from its breast and tail feathers. The snow even preserved signs of the bird’s “mantling” behavior, in which it covered its meal with its wings. The clues pointed to one conclusion: the classic predatorprey relationship between cottontails and great horned owls. Gruesome Remains It was the middle of March at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve in Oak Brook. The remains from several animals lay at the base of a tree. There was a wing and a foot from a

A weasel’s coat — usually red or brown with a white belly — becomes fully white in winter to camouflage it when the snow falls.

spring, the larva eats its way to freedom. This could have been an inside job, but the empty gall was found in winter. So what happened? Some birds such as chickadees and downy woodpeckers seek out high-calorie foods, especially in winter, and insect larvae fit the bill (literally). The tough outer layer of a gall that surrounds a juicy meal is no deterrent. Either bird will use its beak to reach the grub inside. If the entry point was a neat round hole, the predator was a woodpecker. In this case, the ragged, torn opening meant it was a hungry black-capped chickadee.

This perfectly preserved “crime scene” shows evidence of a predator-prey encounter between a rabbit and an owl that swooped in for an attack.

mallard. The hind leg of an eastern cottontail was a foot away. Someone later noticed the wing of a northern flicker and more cottontail feet. The mystery deepened. Why were there parts from different species? What predator would place food scraps at the base of a tree? The answer appeared when a large shape silently launched from the tree, landed in another and hooted. High in the branches was the stick nest of a great horned owl and a female keeping her owlets warm inside. Great horned owls care for their chicks in pairs, and while the female roosts, the male delivers food for their young. The remains at the base of the tree were simply uneaten parts of meals that had fallen from the nest. Mystery in the Meadow On a frigid January day, a trail at James “Pate” Philip State Park in Bartlett was the site of a gruesome discovery: five headless meadow voles. Naturalists could not rule out a raptor, but it would have been a small one, such as a kestrel. A larger bird would have taken the vole in one gulp. They later hypothesized it was the work of a weasel, an efficient predator that can dispatch a vole with a single bite to the cervical vertebrate. Its modus operandi may seem harsh, but its actions are beneficial not only for the weasel but also for the ecosystem. A quick attack ensures greater success and a shorter fight, which means the weasel uses less energy. When prey is abundant, multiple attacks mean the weasel can afford to eat only the most nutritious parts, leaving the rest for thankful scavengers. More importantly, without weasels, populations of voles, mice and other small mammals could easily overrun an otherwise ecologically balanced habitat. Despite this strong theory, though, this particular mystery remains unsolved. So, the next time you go on a walk in the winter woods, look closely at the freshly fallen snow around you, and play the part of a nature detective looking for clues to additional wildlife mysteries. There’s much to be learned about the natural world in trying to crack the case. • d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

winter calendar See pages 10 through 15 for program descriptions.

jan

feb

mar

January 1 Archery for Beginners 3 Archery for All Ages 4 Archery for All Ages 5 Knitting for Beginners Sit and Stitch 6 Owl Prowl 7 Hard-Water Classic Ice Fishing Tournament Volunteer Restoration Workday 8 Archery for All Ages Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids 10 Exploring Watercolors Begins

14 Music at Mayslake â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nature Calls: Answer and Volunteer!â&#x20AC;? Open House 15 Archery for All Ages Ice Fishing for Beginners Owls of DuPage Volunteer Restoration Workday 19 Ice Harvesting Knitting for Beginners Sit and Stitch 21 Beekeeping for Beginners Ice Fishing for Beginners Ice Harvesting Volunteer Restoration Workday

11 Archery for Active Adults

22 Cast-Iron Cooking Ice Harvesting

12 Art Journaling Begins Knitting for Beginners Sit and Stitch

26 Ice Harvesting Knitting for Beginners Sit and Stitch

13 Amphibians: A Closer Look

29 Snowshoe Hike

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

February 4 Taffy-Pulling Party Volunteer Restoration Workday Wonders of Winter 5 Ice Fishing for Beginners

March 2 Sap Collectors 3 Maple Sugaring Volunteer Restoration Workday 4 Maple Sugaring

8 “Nature Calls: Answer and Volunteer!” Q-and-A Session

8 WDCB Jazz Salon at Mayslake

9 WDCB Jazz Salon at Mayslake

9 Bread-Baking Class Sap Collectors

11 Romantic Night Hike Taffy-Pulling Party Volunteer Restoration Workday

10 Bread-Baking Class Volunteer Restoration Workday

12 Archery for Beginners Wild Dogs of DuPage

11 Get Sticky! Maple Syrup Sundays The Return of the Large Predators

18 Ice Fishing for Beginners Taffy-Pulling Party

13 Home-Schoolers Nature Hike

19 Cast-Iron Cooking Volunteer Restoration Workday

17 Acappellago Concert When Darkness Falls

20 Ice Fishing for Beginners Tapping Into Fun 24 Raptors: A Closer Look

18 Cub Scout Adventure: From Sap to Syrup Get Sticky! Maple Syrup Sundays Volunteer Restoration Workday

25 Volunteer Restoration Workday

19 Spring Night Hike

26 Snowshoe Hike

23 Woodcocks: A Closer Look

16 Sap Collectors

31 Trout Fishing for Kids Volunteer Restoration Workday

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winter calendar

Acappellago Concert

Archery for Beginners

Enjoy the a cappella sounds of Acappellago as they perform “Escape to … Where Time Flies.” $15 per adult; $12 per student or senior. For tickets, call (708) 484-3797, ext. 2.

Discover the basic techniques of this classic sport, and learn about equipment and rules in an indoor setting. Equipment provided. Ages 7 and up; under 18 with an adult. Free. Registration begins two weeks prior. Call (630) 933-7248.

Mar 17

7 – 9 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Jan 1 Feb 12

Amphibians: A Closer Look This home-school field trip will focus on the frogs, toads and salamanders that live in and around our area. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. $5 per family. Registration begins Dec. 26. Call (630) 942-6200. Jan 13

6:30 – 8 p.m.

Willowbrook

1 – 3 p.m. 1 – 3 p.m.

Herrick Lake Herrick Lake

Art Journaling Find your creative voice using several different mediums in this six-part class. Adults only. $135 per person. To register, call (630) 206-9566. Jan 12 – Feb 16 Thursdays

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Beekeeping for Beginners Learn about the honeybee and beekeeping, including how to assemble a hive and care for a colony, during this six-session course. Course will meet monthly on Saturdays; additional dates will be determined at the first session. Adults only. $25 per person (includes book). To register, call (630) 876-5900. Jan 21

9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Kline Creek Farm

Bread-Baking Class Learn how to bake bread the way that it was done in the 1890s, and take home a pan of rolls along with instructions and recipes. Ages 10 and up; under 15 with an adult. $25 per person. To register, call (630) 876-5900.

Archery for Active Adults Try your hand at archery indoors at a nationally registered landmark. Equipment provided. Ages 50 and up. Free. Registration begins Dec. 28. Call (630) 933-7248. Jan 11

10 – 11:30 a.m.

Mar Mar Mar Mar

9 9 10 10

10 – 11:30 a.m. 1 – 2:30 p.m. 10 – 11:30 a.m. 1 – 2:30 p.m.

Kline Kline Kline Kline

Creek Creek Creek Creek

Farm Farm Farm Farm

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Cast-Iron Cooking Archery for All Ages Learn basic archery techniques in an indoor setting. Equipment provided. Ages 7 and up; under 18 with an adult. Free. Registration begins two weeks prior. Call (630) 933-7248. Jan Jan Jan Jan

3 4 8 15

10 – 11:30 a.m. 10 – 11:30 a.m. 1 – 2:30 p.m. 1 – 2:30 p.m.

The Conservationist

Mayslake Mayslake Mayslake Mayslake

| Winter 2012

Peabody Peabody Peabody Peabody

Estate Estate Estate Estate

Help prepare a hearty meal over an open campfire, and learn tips for cooking with cast iron. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. $10 per person ages 13 and up; $5 ages 5 – 12. Registration begins two weeks prior. Call (630) 933-7248. Jan 22 Feb 19

1 – 3:30 p.m. 1 – 3:30 p.m.

Herrick Lake Herrick Lake

Cub Scout Adventure: From Sap to Syrup Cub Scouts, learn how sap from maple trees is turned into delicious syrup, and try a taste over ice cream. $6 per Scout. To register, call (630) 876-5900. Mar 18

9:30, 10, 10:30 and 11 a.m. Kline Creek Farm and 12:30, 1, 1:30, 2, 2:30 and 3 p.m.

Exploring Watercolors During this six-part class, explore and enhance your own artistic style while enjoying the process of watercolor painting in a beautiful and relaxed setting. Adults only. $125 per person. To register, call (630) 206-9566. Jan 10 – Feb 14 Tuesdays

10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago (630) 876-5900

Get Sticky! Maple Syrup Sundays Take a self-guided stroll through the woods, and discover the secret of turning tree sap into syrup. Activities ongoing. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call (630) 850-8110. Mar 11 Mar 18

Noon – 4 p.m. Noon – 4 p.m.

1890s Living

Fullersburg Woods Fullersburg Woods

Registration is not required for these free programs. BLACKSMITHING DEMONSTRATIONS Stop by the wagon shed to see the blacksmith repair equipment and demonstrate the tools and techniques of the trade. Demonstrations ongoing. Jan. 7 – March 31 Saturdays 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. MEET THE BEEKEEPERS Learn about the important role that bees serve in our food supply, and see how beekeeping equipment is used. Beekeepers will be on hand to talk about caring for bees. Jan. 8 – March 25 Sundays 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. LAMBING See the season’s new lambs — some as they’re being born — and learn the role livestock played on an 1890s farm.

Hard-Water Classic Ice Fishing Tournament Take part in a competitive ice fishing tournament on Blackwell’s Silver Lake. Awards ceremony and raffle will follow fishing. Anglers must bring their own bait and gear. All ages. $15 per person at signmeup.com/79739; $20 per person on tournament day. Call (630) 876-5931. Jan 7

Noon – 3:30 p.m.

February. Call for estimated due dates. Thursdays – Mondays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. COURTING IN THE 1890S Hear excerpts from love letters written in the late 19th century, and learn about the role that a home’s parlor played in courtship during a house tour. Feb. 2 – 27 Thursdays – Mondays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the hour

Blackwell

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winter calendar

Home-Schoolers Nature Hike

Knitting for Beginners

Learn about natural and cultural histories while exploring a forest preserve. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. $5 per family. Registration begins March 1. Call (630) 942-6200.

Learn the foundational skills of knitting, and learn to knit a dishcloth. Take home yarn, knitting needles and a pattern. Ages 10 and up; under 15 with an adult. $25 per person. To register, call (630) 876-5900.

Mar 13

1 – 3 p.m.

Greene Valley

Ice Fishing for Beginners Learn the basics of ice fishing, including safety, equipment, techniques and tips for forest preserve lakes. Fishing will follow if conditions permit. Equipment and bait provided. Ages 6 and up; under 18 with an adult. Free. Registration begins two weeks prior. Call (630) 933-7248. Jan 15 Jan 21 Feb 5 Feb 18 Feb 20

1 – 3 p.m. 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. 1 – 3 p.m. 1 – 4 p.m. 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Herrick Lake Songbird Slough Herrick Lake Pratt’s Wayne Woods Wood Dale Grove

Jan Jan Jan Jan

5 12 19 26

10 10 10 10

– – – –

11 11 11 11

a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m.

Kline Kline Kline Kline

Creek Creek Creek Creek

Farm Farm Farm Farm

Maple Sugaring See how 1890s farm families tapped trees and boiled the collected sap into maple syrup and sugar. Then, try to tap a tree yourself. Activities ongoing. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call (630) 876-5900. Mar 3 Mar 4

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Kline Creek Farm Kline Creek Farm

Music at Mayslake Enjoy an evening of baroque and classical music featuring cellist Katinka Kleijn and members of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. Ages 8 and up; under 18 with an adult. $31 per adult; $7 per student; $65 per family. For tickets, call (630) 941-0202. Jan 14

7 – 9 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

“Nature Calls: Answer and Volunteer!” Open House Find out how to become a District volunteer with Danada Equestrian Center, Development, Education, Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, Kline Creek Farm, Mayslake Peabody Estate, Natural Resource Management, St. James Farm, Trail Patrol, Volunteer Ranger Experience, Volunteer Services and Willowbrook Wildlife Center. Registration not required. Call (630) 933-7681.

Ice Harvesting See the tools and techniques farm families used to cut and store ice before mechanical refrigeration. Weather permitting, help cut and transport ice from the lake to the icehouse. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call (630) 876-5900. Jan Jan Jan Jan

19 21 22 26

1 1 1 1

– – – –

4 4 4 4

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

The Conservationist

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| Winter 2012

Creek Creek Creek Creek

Farm Farm Farm Farm

Jan 14

9 a.m. – noon

Danada/Headquarters

“Nature Calls: Answer and Volunteer!” Q-and-A Session Get details about the Forest Preserve District’s volunteer programs. Ask questions, and decide which option fits your interests and schedule. Call (630) 933-7681. Feb 8

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Danada/Headquarters

Owl Prowl

Sap Collectors

Discover the adaptations that make owls excellent nighttime hunters. Then, take a short hike, and try to call in wild screech and great horned owls for a closer look. Ages 6 and up; under 18 with an adult. $5 per person. To register, call (630) 850-8110.

Hike to the sugarbush to collect sap from sugar maple trees. Ages 6 and up; under 14 with an adult. $3 per person. To register, call (630) 850-8110.

Jan 6

6 – 8 p.m.

Fullersburg Woods

Mar 2 Mar 9 Mar 16

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Fullersburg Woods Fullersburg Woods Fullersburg Woods

Owls of DuPage Find out why people give a hoot about owls, and learn about the species that live in DuPage. Ages 10 and up; under 16 with an adult. Free. Registration begins Jan 2. Call (630) 942-6200. Jan 15

2 – 3:30 p.m.

Willowbrook

Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids Learn how to experience the outdoors through “Leave No Trace” camping. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. Free. Registration begins Dec. 27. Call (630) 933-7248. Jan 8

1 – 3 p.m.

Herrick Lake

Raptors: A Closer Look

Cultural Events

Meet the resident raptors of Willowbrook, and learn about the raptors of the area in this home-school field trip. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. $5 per family. Registration begins Feb. 1. Call (630) 942-6200.

Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook mayslakepeabody.com

Feb 24

6:30 – 8 p.m.

Willowbrook

The Return of the Large Predators Learn the stories and facts behind wolf, cougar and bear sightings in northern Illinois. Ages 14 and up. Free. Registration begins Feb. 26. Call (630) 942-6200. Mar 11

2 – 3:30 p.m.

Willowbrook

Romantic Night Hike Enjoy a lantern-lit self-guided walk through the woods with your sweetheart; then, warm up with hot cocoa around a cozy fire. Adults only. $10 per couple. To register, call (630) 850-8110. Feb 11

7 – 9 p.m.

Fullersburg Woods

FIRST FOLIO THEATRE PRESENTS “UNNECESSARY FARCE” Doors slamming, clothes flying and bagpipes bleating add to hilarious mayhem in the Chicago premiere of this laugh-out-loud comedy by Paul Slade Smith. Adults only. Tickets $26 – $37. Call (630) 986-8067 or visit www.firstfolio.org. Feb. 4 – March 4 Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 8 p.m. Sundays 3 p.m. RESTORATION-IN-PROGRESS TOURS Learn about the past — and future — of this historic 1920s Tudor Revival-style mansion. $5 per person. Registration required for group tours. Call (630) 206-9566. Beginning Jan. 18 Wednesdays at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Saturdays at 9:30, 10, 11 and 11:30 a.m.

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winter calendar

Sit and Stitch

Spring Night Hike

Gather in the farmhouse kitchen for tea and cookies as you work on your own handwork, such as crochet, quilting and knitting. Ages 10 and up; under 15 with an adult. Free. Registration not required. Call (630) 876-5900.

Experience a forest preserve after dark, when animals are accustomed to going about their activities undisturbed. Ages 7 and up; under 18 with an adult. Free. Registration begins March 5. Call (630) 206-9581.

Jan Jan Jan Jan

Mar 19

5 12 19 26

11 11 11 11

a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m.

– – – –

1 1 1 1

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

Kline Kline Kline Kline

Creek Creek Creek Creek

Farm Farm Farm Farm

Snowshoe Hike Learn the history and basic safety of snowshoeing. Then, step into a pair of snowshoes, and hit the trail with a ranger. Ages 10 and up; under 18 with an adult. Free. Registration begins two weeks prior. Call (630) 933-7248. Jan 29 Feb 26

1 – 3 p.m. 1 – 3 p.m.

Herrick Lake Herrick Lake

7 – 8:30 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Taffy-Pulling Party Tour an 1890s farmhouse, and learn how kids lived more than a century ago. Then, make taffy from molasses to take home during this one-hour program. Ages 6 and up; under 18 with an adult. $6 per person. To register, call (630) 876-5900. Feb 4

9:30 and 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 and 2:30 p.m.

Kline Creek Farm

Feb 11

9:30 and 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 and 2:30 p.m.

Kline Creek Farm

Feb 18

9:30 and 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 and 2:30 p.m.

Kline Creek Farm

Tapping Into Fun Hike to the sugarbush to tap a sugar maple tree, and learn how syrup is made. Ages 6 and up; under 14 with an adult. $3 per person. To register, call (630) 850-8110. Feb 20 Feb 20

10 – 11:30 a.m. 1 – 2:30 p.m.

Fullersburg Woods Fullersburg Woods

Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton Take a ride through prairies and woodlands of Danada Forest Preserve, and learn about the features of this historic preserve. $5 per person ages 13 and up; $2 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Rides are 12 – 15 minutes long. Wagons will be used if there is less than 4 inches of packed snow on the trail. Groups of 15 or more are encouraged to reserve private sleigh rides. Call (630) 668-6012. Jan. 1 – Feb. 26 Sundays Noon – 3 p.m.

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

Trout Fishing for Kids Introduce your young anglers to trout fishing at this preseason special event that’s just for kids 15 and under. Bait provided. Free. Registration not required. Call (630) 933-7668. Mar 31

8 a.m. – noon

Wood Dale Grove

Volunteer Restoration Workday

Wild Dogs of DuPage

Help restore a natural area by removing nonnative vegetation or planting seed. All ages; under 14 with an adult. Free. To register, call (630) 933-7681 at least five business days in advance. Groups or five or more must call 10 business days in advance.

Learn the natural history of wild dogs, including the foxes and coyotes that make DuPage County home. Ages 10 and up; under 16 with an adult. Free. Registration begins Jan. 29. Call (630) 942-6200.

Jan 7 Jan 15 Jan 21 Feb 4 Feb 11 Feb 19 Feb 25 Mar 3 Mar 10 Mar 18 Mar 31

9 9 9 1 9 1 9 9 9 1 9

a.m. – noon a.m. – noon a.m. – noon – 4 p.m. a.m. – noon – 4 p.m. a.m. – noon a.m. – noon a.m. – noon – 4 p.m. a.m. – noon

Springbrook Prairie Springbrook Prairie Fullersburg Woods Springbrook Prairie Fullersburg Woods Springbrook Prairie Springbrook Prairie Springbrook Prairie Fullersburg Woods Springbrook Prairie Springbrook Prairie

Ages 8 and up; under 14 with an adult. Free. Groups of 10 or more must register. Call (630) 293-1627. Jan 7 Jan 21 Feb 4 Mar 3 Mar 18 Mar 31

9 1 9 9 9 9

a.m. – noon – 4 p.m. a.m. – noon a.m. – noon a.m. – noon a.m. – noon

West West West West West West

Chicago Chicago Chicago Chicago Chicago Chicago

Prairie Prairie Prairie Prairie Prairie Prairie

Feb 12

2 – 3:30 p.m.

Willowbrook

Wonders of Winter Discover the fun of visiting a forest preserve in winter through horse-drawn hayrides, ice fishing, geocaching, nature hikes and more. Activities ongoing. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call (630) 933-7248. Feb 4

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate

Woodcocks: A Closer Look This home-school field trip will take you on an oldfashioned “snipe hunt” to listen and look for woodcocks. Ages 5 and up; under 18 with an adult. $5 per family. Registration begins March 1. Call (630) 942-6200. Mar 23

6:30 – 8 p.m.

James “Pate” Phillip State Park

WDCB Jazz Salon at Mayslake Enjoy an evening of high-quality jazz brought to you by Mayslake Peabody Estate, WDCB Public Radio and the PianoForte Foundation. Adults only. $25 premium seating; $20 general admission; and $18 for seniors over 65, students and groups of six or more. For tickets, call (630) 206-9566. Feb 9

Mar 8

7:30 – 9 p.m.

Mayslake Peabody Estate Claudia Hommel and Bobby Schiff Mayslake Peabody Estate Bob Dogan Quintet

When Darkness Falls Hike through the dark woods with a ranger, and discover what it’s like to use your senses like a nocturnal predator. Ages 6 and up; under 16 with an adult. Free. Registration begins March 5. Call (630) 933-7248. Mar 17

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Waterfall Glen

Snow Tubing Mount Hoy at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville Take an 800-foot ride down Mount Hoy when 3 or more inches of snow covers the hill. All ages. $4 per inner tube per day. (District inner tubes only.) For snow conditions, call the Outdoor Report at (630) 871-6422. December – February Saturdays, Sundays and School Holidays Daily Dec. 17 – Jan. 1 (except Dec. 25) 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Rentals end at 3:30 p.m.)

d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

trail talk VOLUNTEERING by the Numbers Each year, thousands of volunteers donate their time to the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Last year, their efforts equated to an in-kind value of over $2 million. Check out these other impressive numbers for a peek at the many ways volunteers support the District’s mission of conservation, education and recreation 365 days a year.

3,231

hours contributed by 1,216 volunteers at 46 workdays at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville

2,624

hours donated by 63 volunteers to patrol hiking and biking trails throughout the preserves

19,020

stairs climbed by docents leading tours of Mayslake Hall at Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook

species of butterflies and 49 of dragonflies identified by Natural Resource Management volunteer monitors

pounds of honey processed for sale at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago

243

pounds of grain fed to horses at Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton

1,400

puppet shows presented at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook

9,500

290

hours of assistance offered during 187 recreational programs through the Volunteer Ranger Experience

98,550

bowls and plates used — and washed — to feed the animals at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn

Want to learn more about volunteering? Attend the informational open house on Jan. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the District’s headquarters in Wheaton, or call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681.

ADVECTION FROST These tiny, spiky ice crystals form when cold breezes blow over trees, shrubs, grasses and other objects and the water vapor in the air freezes. Advection frost usually forms on the side of an object that faces the wind. The similar phenomenon of hoarfrost deposits ice crystals on all sides of a cold surface.

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

WINTER on the Farm by DENNIS BUCK, HERITAGE INTERPRETER, KLINE CREEK FARM

uring last year’s brutal winter, I regularly experienced a

sense of gratitude during my daily 40-minute morning drive in the dark to Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago, one that few of my fellow commuters likely shared. What, you may ask, could ease such a dreaded routine? It’s simple: the appreciation of how difficult life could really be. Let me set a scene. A clattering alarm clock startles away a dream. It’s 4 a.m. on Jan. 12, 1894. The sun won’t rise for three more hours, so the day’s work begins in the dark. It’s about 40 degrees inside the farmhouse, and the first person out of bed lights a few kerosene lamps and some kindling in the sitting room stove and kitchen range, the only islands d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

of warmth for the rest of the family to run to before hurrying into their clothes. Inside the house, the farmer’s wife prepares the first of the day’s five meals to power the family. Even with the constant need to step outside into the frigid air to fetch wood and water, the thought of standing over the wood-fired oven for hours of baking and cooking still sounds better than milking the cow with painfully cold fingers, which she will need to do shortly. At some point this morning, one of the children will also need to go out to collect the eggs from the chicken coop, even though shorter days mean fewer eggs to sell. As the mother passes the milk house on her way back from the barn, she overhears two of her children nervously practicing poems as they put the fresh milk on ice. They’ve rehearsed diligently every night this week in preparation for their recitals in front of the school today. Their mom smiles to herself as she imagines them opening their lunch pails to find the reward for their hard work: chicken soup and the two best apples she could scrounge from the cellar. Benjamin School is about a three-mile walk, so they will be running in soon to collect their books. The school has been growing and now boasts over 20 students between the ages of 7 and 15. Because the children contribute significantly to the household, the academic calendar is based on the needs of farm families. Classes start after the fall harvest and stop in the spring for planting. In winter, farm activity becomes focused on simple survival. In warm weather, livestock spend most of the time grazing for food in the fields, but the end of green grass means the start of daily feeding routines. After breakfast, the farmer and older sons haul grain and hay to feed the animals taking shelter in the barn, which means there will be manure to

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

haul away later. And someone will need to chop open the iced-over water troughs at least twice before the day is done. Thankfully, livestock is hardy and with care and management can withstand winter quite well. Their thick hides and increasingly hairy coats provide most of the protection they will need during the day, and simple wooden windbreaks or sheds supply the rest. The farmer will bring animals into the barn during severe weather, but they prefer to be outside even in the snowy or rainy cold. The stomachs of cows, horses and sheep are basically fermentation chambers, and one of the byproducts of fermentation is heat. The additional grain and hay the farmer adds to their diets helps keep them warm by not only adding layers of fat but also generating heat from within. After tending to the livestock in the morning, the farmer moves on to building projects, repairs in the workshop or on the forge, or even bigger tasks. Since the first December snow, the family has been cutting, hauling, splitting and stacking wood. A good layer of snow not only makes it easier to drag logs and limbs but also blankets dirt and rocks that could otherwise embed in the wood and dull saws and axes. The timber they buck and split today will heat the home and provide building materials next fall after it has cured. The family is fortunate to live near a little lake, so later this month they will cut, haul and store ice for the icehouse. Once they insulate the cut blocks with straw, they’ll have enough ice to chill the farm’s milk products and to keep food from spoiling until the weather again turns cold. Today after lunch, the farmer makes his way to the workshop to sharpen and oil the saw that will help them do the job. Back in the farmhouse, his wife counts the jars of tomatoes, squash, beans, cucumbers, cherries and other

produce she set up months earlier to get the family through these lean times. She needs to periodically inventory her supply so she can best ration what remains. After she’s done, she grabs one filled with bright tomatoes. She’ll serve it with macaroni as part of tonight’s supper. She notices that there’s still sunlight coming into the parlor, so she asks her daughter to grab the mending basket. They place two chairs near a window. It’s drafty, but it’s the best light in the house for repairing a torn shirt and darning a few socks. Settings like this give them time not only to take care of chores but also to chat for a while. Every member of the family is yearning for signs of spring, and one of the first will occur in the cold gray of February: the lambing season. The farmer must do what he can today, though, to increase his odds of a prosperous return. He checks in on the ewes later in the afternoon to make sure they’re eating enough and staying healthy and notices some rotten wood in two of the pens in the fold. He’ll have to make repairs before the lambs’ arrival so they will have adequate shelter until they are strong enough to contend with the weather and the rest of the flock. As the day winds to a close and the farmer walks back to the house for supper, he pauses by the orchard and shakes his head. It’s a little early to start pruning, but he wasn’t able to get through the entire orchard before the sap started to flow last year. The branches of the pear trees grew so close together that sunlight couldn’t penetrate the canopy, and as a result, he ended up with a poor harvest. And that cherry tree is getting too tall to easily reach. But tomorrow is Saturday, and the children will be home all day, so after dinner he’ll pull out the volume of “Prairie Farmer” with the article on

pear trees. He’ll have the older children read it so they can start pruning the trees to the correct height and shape. This daily routine of hard work, harsh weather and limited daylight makes winter a lonely time for farm families stuck indoors and separated from their neighbors not only by distance but also by deep snow. Any activity — learning a new knitting stitch or quilting pattern, celebrating the holidays, cooking a few batches of candy — turns into a good excuse to get together with friends, keep social networks vibrant and perhaps even begin a romance. And everyone looks forward to a true rite of spring when temperatures in March rise above freezing during the day before dropping below at night. These are conditions that force sweet sap to run through the maples, sap everyone will gather together to tap and boil into delicious syrup. Today, Kline Creek Farm stands as an educational livinghistory farm, but in many respects, it operates as it did in the 1890s. Staff and volunteers chop all of the wood by hand and cook over the wood-burning stove. We stock the icehouse and look forward to spring lambs and maple sugar time. We haul hay to the livestock every morning and clean the stalls before we leave. (And yes, we break through the ice in the water troughs once or twice in between.) One main difference, though, is that we welcome visitors to also experience these once-vital skills so they can have a better understanding of DuPage County’s agricultural heritage. In fact, the calendar in this issue of The Conservationist is filled with over a dozen Kline Creek Farm winter programs that feature blacksmithing, maple sugaring, courting, taffy pulling, knitting, ice cutting and more. Join us, and I guarantee at the very least a newfound appreciation for indoor plumbing and central heat on your ride home. •

d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

explore

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve

Historic Herrick Lake by JAY JOHNSON, OFFICE OF LAND MANAGEMENT

6 I

f the Forest Preserve District of DuPage

County stands on a foundation of conservation, education and recreation, then the 896-acre Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton is one of the main building blocks that rests on top of that sturdy base. For history buffs, Herrick Lake offers a look into DuPage County’s past. Before the first European settlers arrived in the 1800s, the land was home to different groups of American Indians, the last being the Potawatomi. In fact, the Potawatomis’ well-used trails to the north and south provided the original routes for the current (and now much busier) Butterfield and Warrenville roads. In March 1843, Ira Herrick purchased the marshy lake and 80 acres of dense woods. His new homestead was close to a small settlement called Wheaton. Members of the Herrick family continued to own and farm land in and around the area until 1925, when they sold the first 78 acres to the District. Old fence rows, woodlot edges and fields of European grasses are all that remain of the land’s agricultural past. Today, one of the most alluring features of this forest preserve continues to be the namesake lake that Ira Herrick purchased 168 years ago. Few people know it’s one of only two naturally formed lakes in the county. Fishing, even through the ice, is a popular pastime here, and anglers can catch good-sized bass, bluegill and catfish all year long. In spring and summer, anglers and nonanglers alike can also explore the interior of the 22-acre lake via rented canoes, kayaks or rowboats.

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

At one point, an area just south of the lake was home to a youth-group campground, but the five campsites closed in 1998. Today, the only camp amenity at Herrick Lake is the 1940s-era cabin in the northwest corner, which youth groups can reserve year-round. In January and February, the cabin becomes center stage for a series of Sunday programs that introduces the public to archery, ice fishing and other ways to enjoy DuPage forest preserves in winter. On Jan. 22, for example, rangers will lead “Cast-Iron Cooking,” which will demonstrate ways to prepare pizza, cornbread, Cajun jambalaya, Hearty Herrick Lake Chili, Mountain Man Breakfast Skillet, and cakes and pies by campfire. Flip to the calendar on Page 8, and look for Sunday programs at Herrick Lake for details. Regardless of the time of year, one of the best ways to experience Herrick Lake is via its 5-mile trail system. The main route is the 2.3-mile Danada-Herrick Lake Regional Trail, a federally designated National Recreation Trail that connects with shorter trails within Herrick Lake and with Danada Forest Preserve in Wheaton to the east. And once construction ends on Butterfield Road, the west end of the trail will again link directly with the Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Spur, which leads to St. James Farm, Warrenville Grove and Blackwell forest preserves in Warrenville. In the meantime, trail users can take Weisbrook Road north to reach the Aurora Spur. In summer, Herrick Lake’s trails buzz with joggers, bikers and equestrians, who use the scenic routes for exercise as well as a way to view some of the preserve’s 700 species of plants and animals. But in winter, it’s quite

Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Quick Look at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve Blackwell and Warrenville Grove forest preserves, West Branch Regional Trail and Illinois Prairie Path

Wiesbrook Rd.

B u tt e r f YouthGro Group Cabin bin

St. James Farm Forest Preserve

i el d Rd . 56

Boat Rental Area Herrick Lake Lake Trail

Southh Shelter elter

Meadowlark Trail

Danada Forest Preserve

Bluebird Trail

ic k R

Galusha Ave.

Green Heron Trail

H er r

the reverse. Visitors experience more peaceful explorations through quieter terrain by foot, snowshoe or cross-country ski. Rangers even groom the trails for classical and freestyle skiing when conditions allow. American tree sparrows, black-capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers, northern cardinals, white-breasted nuthatches and white-throated sparrows dot the dormant woodlands and prairies while salamanders, frogs and turtles hibernate below the icy cattails and aquatic grasses that line Herrick Marsh along the Green Heron Trail. Still, with all that Herrick Lake has to offer, most people think of the preserve as the land of family reunions and intimate picnics. (For me, it’s memories of the late 1970s, when I drove from the northeast corner of the county to rent a canoe and enjoy an afternoon with my high school buddies at that place we’d heard so much about “way out in the country.”) One popular spot over the years has been the stone and timber shelter on the south side of the lake, the handiwork of the Civilian Conservation Corp from the 1930s. The fireplace inside the open structure offers an ideal warming and gathering station for a family or group that’s meeting at Herrick Lake for an afternoon of fishing or hitting the trails. Groups need to call Visitor Services at least three business days in advance at (630) 933-7248, though, to reserve the shelter or any of the preserve’s other picnic options. Herrick Lake is certainly a longtime favorite, and although the surrounding area has changed, the appeal and landscape of this historic preserve remains the same. And after all, that’s what forest preserves are all about! •

Danada-Herrick Lake Regional Trail

Herrick Marsh

War re North

n v il

le R

Washington St.

For a detailed map of Herrick Lake, visit dupageforest.org.

d u p a g e f o re s t . o r g

directory EDUCATION Centers DANADA EQUESTRIAN CENTER 3S503 Naperville Road Wheaton, IL 60189 (630) 668-6012 The center’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed on Saturday, Sunday and select holidays.

GENERAL Contacts

GOLF Clubs

HEADQUARTERS

GREEN MEADOWS GOLF CLUB 18W201 W. 63rd St. Westmont, IL 60559 (630) 810-5330

Street Address 3S580 Naperville Road Wheaton, IL 60189 The headquarters office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed on Saturday, Sunday and select holidays. Mailing Address P.O. Box 5000 Wheaton, IL 60189

MAPLE MEADOWS GOLF CLUB 272 S. Addison Road Wood Dale, IL 60191 (630) 616-8424 OAK MEADOWS GOLF CLUB 900 N. Wood Dale Road Addison, IL 60101 (630) 595-0071

Website dupageforest.org

FULLERSBURG WOODS NATURE EDUCATION CENTER 3609 Spring Road Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 850-8110 The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on select holidays. KLINE CREEK FARM 1N600 County Farm Road West Chicago, IL 60185 (630) 876-5900 The farm is open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on Tuesday, Wednesday and select holidays.

Main Number (630) 933-7200

MAYSLAKE PEABODY ESTATE 1717 W. 31st St. Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 206-9566

TTY (800) 526-0857

The estate is open only during scheduled programs and events.

THE CONSERVATIONIST SUBSCRIPTION LINE (630) 933-7085

WILLOWBROOK WILDLIFE CENTER 525 S. Park Blvd. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 (630) 942-6200

E-mail Address forest@dupageforest.org

LAW ENFORCEMENT (630) 933-7240 THE OUTDOOR REPORT (630) 871-6422 VISITOR SERVICES (630) 933-7248 VOLUNTEER SERVICES (630) 933-7681 22

The Conservationist

| Winter 2012

s Davi av d ©D

FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT (630) 933-7097

PRESERVE Hours Most forest preserves are open daily from one hour after sunrise until one hour after sunset.

ACCESSIBILITY Individuals with accessibility needs or concerns should contact the District’s ADA coordinator at (630) 933-7683 or TTY (800) 526-0857 at least three business days before their visit.

The center and the surrounding Willowbrook Forest Preserve are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are closed on select holidays.

Highland Ave. Rd .

Grove Ave

Ma n St.

83 63rd St

Willowbrook

Fairview Ave.

Greene Rd.

355

Greene Valley

L e mo n

75th St Lyman Ave

M a nni ng

Fox Hollow

79th St

Green Meadows Golf Course

Plain

83rd St

f iel d

Old fi

8 7t h S t

Oldfield Oaks

North

Waterfall aterfall Glen

Burr Ridge

91st St

Northgate Rd

sA ve

Des P Plainess Riverway r

Entrance/Parking e k g

U.S. S Route ou

Jointly o Owned, Leased o or Op Operated d Forest o Preserve e e Property

Forest o Preserve e e Trail

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Salt C Creekk G Greenway ee Trail

Interstatee Route

County o Trail

*Unofficial U N Name

Lake/Pond/Waterway ke/ Waterway Wetland

Pkwy

Inte r

iona e na

Lemont Rd.

Westgate Rd

Forest o Preserve e e Property

Wood Ridge

Bluff Rd

Darien 55

eld R

R et

Woodridge

West Branch Riverway

Oak Grove J ol

E m Rd

M ai n S t .

Cr e

M a in S t .

l v d. P a rk B

Wehrli Rd.

Church Rd.

Swift Rd.

Gl e n E l l y n R d .

ard College

Rd. Yackle y

Ave.

75th St Ranch V ew Dr.

Na p e r B l v d .

Westmont

ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY

Bluff Rd

Des Plaines River

County Line Rd.

N a p e r v i ll e R d .

n ch

B la

d. leR

Na p

ervi

Meyers Rd.

West St

vi lle R

War ren

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W n f e d R d.

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Washin gt o n S t .

Hinsdale 55 t h S t Garfield Ave.

B o ok R d .

pl e

63rd St

a ls Dr

Hobson Rd

lle

York Rd.

t. hS

Hickory Grove

e rv i

Brush Hill Clarendon H i l l s Chicago Ave Rd

. Ave

Gi bert Ave

N ap

Maple Grove

East Branch DuPage River

Egermann Woods

Goodrich Woods

ri n

Clarendon Hills Rd.

Lyman yman Woods

Downers Grove

H tchcock Ave

35 t h S t

Cass Ave.

Modaff Rd.

P a nf e d-Naperv e Rd.

83rd St

Main St.

Pioneer Park rt Ga

l ey

Woodward Ave.

Green Tr

Springbrook Prairie

Abbeywood Dr

West Branch DuPage River

Lisle

Salt Creek

Madison St.

er R d .

C h ic a

le Av

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Jackson Ave

R ic k e r t D r

F in

Be l m o n t R d .

Hitchcock Woods H tchcock Ave

294

Mayslake

Map

ve . en A 7 5t h S t Og d

Montgomery Rd

A a s ve

ve . Aurora A

Aurora

THE MOR TON ARBORETUM

York Woods

Oak Brook Oakbrook Rd

31st S t

Danada

vi l le R

vd.

Riv

New York S

P a rk B l v d .

Gary Ave.

Schmale Rd.

County Farm Rd.

Schaffner Rd.

Rd .

eld

inf i

Orchard Rd.

Prince Crossing Rd.

ndustr a Dr.

Kuhn Rd.

B ut te r f i e l d Rd

eld R

22nd St

Hidden Lake

urora Rd. e

Willowbrook

terf i

Adams St.

r Rd .

Wheaton

Naperville

v Jeffer on A

Fawell Blvd

Bu t

H a r g er

Cass Ave.

R iv e

Naper Bl

Shore Rd.

ndo

War ren

Washington St.

Frontenac Rd.

Mi l l S t .

E ol a Rd .

Pla

Dr.

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McDowell Grove

ond

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Night Heron Marsh L i be r t y S t

D ie h l R d

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ur ra S p

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East Branch Riverway

Roosevelt Rd

High Ridge Rd

York/High Ridge Oakbrook Te r r a c e

Midwest Ave.

ei s W

u Sp

Wilson Ave

Salt Creek Greenway

York Rd.

Bil

Glen Oak

Illinois P rairie Pat h

Path

Villa Park

F i nl e y R d .

Pa Du

Bilter Rd

Big Woods

Illinois Prairie

Rd.

ell

Ma c k R d

Ferry Rd.

B lv

Sp r n g

Belleau Woods

Herrick Lake

Fe r r y Rd

S t C ha r l e s Rd

Villa Ave.

CANT GNY

Blackwell

Warrenville

an a Ave

sc e

Elmhurst

Lombard

Churchill Woods

Summit Ave.

St. James r a Farm A u r o

Warrenville Grove

sylv

Glen Ellyn

Rd .

Grand Ave

Cricket Creek

Broadview Slough

Highland Ave.

Co l l e

s te r n che

Hill Ave.

ge R d.

290 Fullerton Ave

Fullerton Park

Churchill Park

H ar ris o n S t

DUPAGE COUNTY COMPLEX

Tr a i l St C harle sR

Fischer Woods

O d Grand Ave

Ardmore Ave.

’s M ll Rd G ary

FERMI NATIONAL ACCELERATOR LABORATORY

Lincoln Marsh

Rd . ell Harrison Ave Je w

Winfield

via

Addison

Westmore Ave.

H ghla k e Rd

West DuPage Woods

F a b y a n Pk w y

Community Park Main St.

Kress Rd.

K no R d .

Winfield Mounds

G e n e v a S pu r

Western

G e n e v a Rd

G en e v a R d

Ba t a

Jefferson St

3rd Ave

Dr O k Meadow

Grace St.

Downs Dr

Bu de te Ave

Great

Kline Creek Farm

East Branch

Glendale Heights Black Willow Marsh

North Av e S t Ch a r le s Rd Ind

Kautz Rd.

Arbor Ave.

West Chicago Prairie

t on S

Blo

Med nah Rd.

Morton Rd.

Gerber R

Fair Oaks Rd.

Klein Rd.

Timber Ridge

Hawthorne Ln

in g Wash

Oak Meadows Golf Club Wood Dale Grove

York Rd.

West Chicago

Powis Rd.

DUPAGE COUNTY AIRPOR T

Bensenville

Elizabeth Dr

Carol Stream

St. Charles

Wood Dale Silver Creek

ve. V aA

. El

d i th R

Walter Dr

Songbird Slough

M il l R d .

Wayne

Army Trail Rd

West Branch

Rohlwing Rd.

S m i th R

355

Foster Ave

School St

Maple Salt Creek Park Meadows Montrose Ave 83 Golf Club

La k

Swift Prairie

al e R

Nordic

Schick Rd

d ng mi

CHICAGO O’HARE INT’L. AIRPOR T

Ave

Wood Dale/ Itasca Reservoir

A d d s on R d

Springbrook Creek

Bloomingdale

Spring Creek Reservoir

Mallard Lake

B l o o m i n gd a l e R d .

Munger Rd.

P o w i s Rd

Dunham

Park R

Prospect Ave.

Medinah Rd.

B lv d

Roselle Rd.

Bartlett Rd.

Ave. rcle

Schick Rd

Meacham Grove

Thorn Rd.

Pratt s Pratt’s Wayne Woods

Cloverdale Rd.

Hawk Hollow

Irving

Salt Creek 290 Marsh Itasca

Elk Grove T ho r n d a l e

R d.

Roselle

Wood Dale

k roo

are

Greenb

O’ H

Wayne Grove

Stearns Rd

Hanover Park

Devon Ave

Medinah Wetlands*

Bartlett

A r n gt o

E lg

Devon Ave

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PA I D Carol Stream, IL Permit No. 96

P.O. Box 5000 Wheaton, IL 60189-5000 (630) 933-7200 dupageforest.org

please deliver to current resident

t he

Conservationist

A Quarterly Publication of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Winter 2012

dupageforest.org

Good things happen when you make tracks to a DuPage forest preserve.