Natural Enquirer: May/June

Natural Enquirer N e w s l e t t e r f o r S p r i n g Va l l e y S u p p o r t e r s a n d Vo l u n t e e r s

vol.7 no.3 • May-June ‘16

In this issue...

Science is the foundation of our modern understanding of the world around us. At Spring Valley, we recognize this, and many staff have degrees in biology, environmental science, etc. We try to base our management and program content decisions on the best available science at our disposal. One of the challenges we face in modern America is that most people don’t possess an advanced (or sometimes even rudimentary) understanding of science. At Spring Valley, we make it our mission to raise the level of scientific understanding of our visitors, usually by making the learning fun, often by simplifying concepts into games, stories, and hands-on explorations, etc. This issue of the Natural Enquirer includes a slightly more potent dose of science than we typically dole out. Articles on a research project examining the effect of air pollution on glacial melt, a very concise discussion of how geothermal energy works, and a summary of the Next Generation Science Standards being adopted by most states for public education round out this issue.

Inside What is Geothermal?........................................ 2-3

Meet “New” Staff................................................12

Trouble with the Ice..............................................4

Spring Valley General Information....................13

What is NGSS?.....................................................5

Volunteer News Contents

What’s Happenin’.............................................. 6-7

Volunteer Information..........................................9

Artifact Highlight..................................................8

Volunteer Calendar........................................10-11

Schaumburg Park District

Visit www.parkfun.com and take our Spring Valley Program Survey.

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6

What is Geothermal?

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agma infused core samples?

Tectonic plate ruptures? Distant drilling expeditions on the frigid crust of Mars? These are a few thoughts that came to mind the first time I heard of geothermal heating and power. I concede to my ignorance on the concept and was quite skeptical about the idea.

“So, you’re telling me a solution to the Earth’s energy crisis is…The Earth?”

But, as I learned more about geothermal my opinion quickly began to shift. While there may not be a definitive answer to energy issues, any and all theories and suggestions are welcome. And the benefits associated with geothermal are incredibly vast. Recent sustainability trends are not only reviving geothermal technology, but are creating a drastically needed renewable clean energy source. Among the many detailed inquiries deeply rooted with “going geo,” let’s start with the most basic questions. What is geothermal and how does it work?

While it can be complex, the phrase itself broken down is quite simple— geo = Earth and thermal = Heat. Basically, the concept revolves around using Earth’s core heat as an energy source.

According to BBC News, Earth’s core is estimated to be over 6000 degrees Celsius which amazingly is as hot as the surface of the sun! This heat and energy radiates outward to the Earth’s crust, supplying an endless source of sustainable energy. The first geothermal heating practices can be traced back to ancient Chinese and Native American cultures, where individuals used hot geysers for healing and therapeutic purposes. Many times the most innovative processes can stem from very simple existing techniques. While there are many potential uses for geothermal power, the most commonly discussed methods are as a mainstream energy source and on a much smaller scale,

by Matt Streitmatter heating and cooling for individual homes and businesses.

The three main components needed for a geothermal system to occur are heat, water, and permeability. As mentioned above, heat is not an issue at all depending on the location. Earth’s core usually keeps the ground around 50 degrees Fahrenheit just a few feet below the surface. Water acts as the conductor in this equation and a medium for transferring core energy to the Earth’s surface. Permeability is simply the route of access to reach the heat. Still with me? This diagram may help.

Geothermal Power

The diagram shows how cool water is pumped down to an optimal depth within a pipe system. As the water travels along, it heats up rapidly and is returned to a power plant in the form of extremely hot water and, most importantly, steam.

This steam is used to mechanically turn a turbine which is converted to power.

In a closed loop system, excess steam can be stored in cooling tanks until it condenses and the cycle can continue with a very minimal use of fossil fuels, alongside significantly low emissions pollution. While this is an obvious overgeneralization of the entire process, it is 2

important to note that geothermal power on the grand stage has already passed the protocol phase in many countries around the world. Cited from Natural Geographic’s research on geothermal power, the top five nations to generate the most geothermal power, based on the percentage of total power produced (including fossil fuels and other renewable sources) are Iceland (30%), the Philippines (27%), El Salvador (25%), Costa Rica (14%), and Kenya (11%).

The U.S. is the biggest producer of geothermal power in the world per capita, but its percentage compared to overall energy production is much smaller than the other mentioned nations. The biggest risk with major geothermal power production is associated with drilling and the increased probability of earthquakes. It is also a more practical form of power in areas that are near volcanic hot spots. In these areas, the soil temperature is generally much higher at a significantly closer depth to the Earth’s crust.

On a much smaller scale, many individuals are using geo techniques to heat and cool their own personal residence.

Since the ground has a constant temperature of about 58 degrees, regardless of the season, home owners can use the Earth’s internal temperature to warm their houses in the winter and cool their homes in summer. This is done by digging a trench around the home and installing a field of geothermal loops at a desired depth.

These are usually placed only a few feet below the surface, just beneath the frost line. Water is then sent through the loops and returned to the home by a heat pump which is installed in place of the furnace. This heat pump can usually be fitted and adapted to the

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6 What is Geothermal? continued homes original duct work. The life on the loop system is approximately 50 years and the heat pump tends to last about 25 years before the need of replacement. The cost of installation, like most green technologies, is higher initially. It is estimated that the entire system for a 2500 sq foot house would cost between 20,000 to 30,000 dollars. However, tax credits and overall savings on utility bills can pay for the initial installation in less than 10 years. Additionally, small back-up systems may also be needed to assist with heating and cooling in extreme weather conditions, but, a constant base temperature inside the home will be provided by the geo loops. And these back-up systems will only need to make up the difference of a few degrees, rather than continuously running to maintain the entire temperature level of the house.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

This diagram shows how warm air in the summer and cool air in the winter is pumped out of the house into the ground system, where it is heated or cooled by the Earth’s temperature and returned to the home.

In addition, some other benefits according to discovergeothermal.com include: • Geothermal heat pumps installed in new or existing homes by Dec. 31, 2016 are eligible for a 30% federal tax credit.

• By using the Earth’s energy using a GHP, it can provide your home with 70% of your home’s heating needs • Cooling efficiencies are 20% to 40% higher than available air conditioners • Geothermal can save you up to 50 – 75% on your water-heating bill • AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) certifies that geothermal systems have upwards of 300% efficiency.

Geothermal Loop Field

Alongside the benefits of saved cost, geothermal heating is exponentially significant to the environment. Going geo provides another energy source free from the dependence on oil consumption and the harmful emission levels associated with fossil fuel production.

An assessment done by ORNL’s (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)— Assessment of National Benefits from Retrofitting Existing Single-Family Homes with 3

Ground Source Heat Pump Systems— found that if all existing residential single family homes were replaced by GHP systems it would annually cut more than 270 million metric tons of CO2 emissions (a 45.3% reduction) in existing U.S. single-family homes and save more than $50 billion in energy (a 48.2% savings).

With all the numbers and stats aside, the most interesting concept to geothermal energy to me is the overall creativity and ingenuity involved to help solve a growing problem. The energy crisis will not go away, unless we all start thinking outside the box to discover new ways to survive alongside (and not in spite of) the planet. Geothermal energy is just one of the many innovative ways to accomplish this goal. And whether it is on the national level with electricity production or in the smaller residential setting…it is exciting to see the tapping of an endless energy source by utilizing the Earth’s heat and power to power and heat the Earth.

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6

Trouble with the Ice

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Glacier

n America, access to fresh water is not a rare commodity. We use it in our sinks and in our washing machines.

We even flush our toilets with it. More importantly we use it to water our crops, hydrate our livestock and, obviously, hydrate ourselves. It is widely accepted that water should be a cheap and easily accessible resource for any and all. For something so important for the survival of not only humans, but all life on the planet, how many people actually know where their fresh water is coming from?

While many may believe that we get our water from underground aquifers, it mostly comes from above us, rather than below. According to the United States Geological Survey, 68.7 percent of all freshwater on earth is held in permanent ice bodies. Over one thousand glaciers are present in America, with their “formerly” gradual melt-off providing fresh water for a vast majority of the country. Most people will never get the chance to see a glacier or even know of their contributions to their homes and gardens. Visible or not, these glaciers are receding at an alarming rate. Visible or not, climate change is the culprit.

In late July of 2015, I was given the opportunity through Central Wyoming College based out of Lander, Wyoming, to get up close and personal with our biggest supplier of fresh water. The Interdisciplinary Climate Change Expedition (ICCE) is a research expedition spearheaded by Environmental Science instructor and avid outdoor enthusiast Jacki Klancher. One of its primary goals is to bring together the two distinct fields of archaeology and glaciology into one expedition, which treks more than 30

by Mike Hamrick miles into the backcountry to the Dinwoody glacier below Gannett Peak, the tallest peak in Wyoming. As a student at CWC and a part of the glaciological team, I was tasked with taking glacial depth measurements with an advanced piece of equipment— the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).

GPR Team

The GPR works by sending electromagnetic pulses into the ground. When these bounce off different soil types (sand, clay, rocks, ice, and bedrock), they send a signal up to the GPR where the data is analyzed by a portable computer and displayed as readable information to the user. What my team sought to do with the GPR was recreate research done in what is known as the Chesseborough thesis (2006), in which a team of researchers from the University of Wyoming walked the glacier, gathering depth measurements along one massive transect. With a nine year difference, we wanted to see just how much the glacier had changed in that amount of time.

Working alongside our GPR team was the black carbon team. Black carbon is essentially uncombusted fossil fuel particles that drift from the exhaust of cars, industrial air pollution, and other sources of fossil fuel based aerosolic emissions. They are also the most highly light absorbent component of matter.

When we burn fossil fuels, these black carbon particles are released into the air and drift into the atmosphere at high altitudes. Our glaciers are caught in the path of this black carbon flow and accumulate these particles within their layers 4

of ice. When hit with the high amounts of bright sunlight on the glacier, these particles begin to heat up exponentially, causing the snow and ice around them to rise in temperature as well, making it melt off at a much higher rate. The team was tasked with climbing to high and exposed parts of the glacier to gather snow samples, which they would then melt down and filter out to get an idea of their black carbon content. This data is invaluable as it would show that there is also a physically evident effect of fossil fuels on the loss of our glaciers.

After five exciting but tiresome days of dragging the GPR across the steep and slippery glacier, we finally got what we believed to be usable data. In the 2006 Chesseborough study, researchers used a 5 megahertz (mhz) antenna, which could read depths of up 200 meters into the ice. The lower the Mhz of the antenna, the farther (and less defined) the depth readings are. Our GPR team had a 100 Mhz antenna, and thus could only get readings as deep as 30 meters into the ice. In the Chesseborough study, researchers marked glacial depths of up to 130 meters to bedrock at key points on the glacier. Nearly nine years later, we took readings at these same key points and marked glacial depths to bedrock as shallow as 25 meters.

The sad part of it all was that we didn’t even need high tech radar equipment to get an idea of the change. It could be seen with the naked eye. Where thick layers of glacial ice once sprawled throughout the cirque in pictures of past years, only bare, dirty, and bone dry rock remained. Our GPR team wasn’t even able to completely recreate the transect because we had to lift the radar unit and carry it through hundreds of feet of exposed bedrock. What had happened to the glacier left me speechless!

Our greatest form of fresh water was deteriorating literally before my eyes.

My experience on the glacier was both a life-changing journey and a re-affirmation of the not-so-pleasant direction that our planet is heading in environmentally.

The change we saw both physically and analytically was astounding. The warning signs are there, we just have to be willing to look for them.

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6

What Is NGSS?

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by Amanda Anderson

GSS stands for the Next Generation Science Standards and they, along with Common Core, are the new teaching standards on which many of the country’s teachers will base their curriculum. But standards aren’t just for formal educators in schools; they are also used by informal educators, like the environmental educators at Spring Valley. At first, the NGSS looks like a complicated mess of bolded topic lines, abbreviations, and colorcoded charts. While the booklet on the NGSS looks complicated, its goal is to simplify and streamline science not only to make it more teachable, but also to make it relevant to the students and the world they live in.

Think back to your elementary school science classes. What did you learn?

Odds are not very much, at least where real science learning is concerned. You might have learned facts or cool trivia but often those lessons don’t prepare us for using science in higher grades. Frequently, grade school science is seen as teaching a “mile wide but only an inch deep,” or as teaching many topics only briefly and not long enough for children (especially young children) to grasp the scientific meaning behind what they’re learning. We learn the “what” about things in the world, but not the “how” or “why.”

That is what the NGSS is trying to fix.

The goal of the standards is to have students be engaged scientific thinkers by the time they graduate high school; thinkers that can approach a question or problem and use the skills a scientist would use to solve it. Those skills include making observations, experimentation, making predictions, and adjusting their world views when they learn new information.

One of the best things about the NGSS is that the standards grow with the students. Therefore, students might review

the same topic each year but view it from a different angle. For example, the idea of energy transfer is a scientific idea that spans across grade levels but it takes on many different forms. In kindergarten, students might explore what effect a push or a pull has on an object in regard to its motion and direction; how we can stop a ball that’s rolling down a hill. In later grades, the idea of energy transfer can be studied from a life science approach by viewing food chains and how energy from the sun can be transferred through different organisms; what happens to animals higher on the food chain when there’s not enough food (i.e., energy) for them? This idea of energy transfer is a crosscutting concept and can be applied to many different areas of science during different grades, but the underling idea is the same: without the required amount of energy a ball won’t roll just as food chains won’t thrive. Other crosscutting concepts include recognizing patterns and cause and effect, understanding scale and proportion, identifying systems, and using models to explain ideas.

Here at Spring Valley our environmental educators can help teachers and schools fulfill one of the most

important goals of the NGSS and that is to make science relevant to students.

One way to do this is to explore a phenomenon that children can readily experience. Often in schools, teachers have to rely on textbooks and other media to help introduce and teach children about a concept, but many times the examples used in textbooks are not significant in a student’s life. For example, when learning about ecosystems in school, students might explore rainforests, the tundra, deserts, or oceans, but rarely the natural areas found around their school and home. When students come out to Spring Valley, they get a chance to see a local ecosystem up close. By exploring and interacting with the different habitats, students begin to learn about the components of every ecosystem such as producers, consumers, and decomposers. These ideas can then be applied to other bioregions, and patterns between them start to emerge.

Whatever direction the lesson takes from there, students can call on their experience here at Spring Valley to test their ideas, form new predictions, create experiments, and ask more questions.

In this way, we move from teaching facts to letting students and their curiosity connect different ideas together and relate science back to their own lives and experiences.

Kindergarteners get up close to explore the pond at Spring Valley.

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Click on program/icon for information and to register online.*

*To create a new account, visit the registration desk at the CRC or download an internet registration form from www.parkfun.com. The form can be found under the registration tab.

Programs will be cancelled three days in advance if minimum is not reached, so register early!

Spring Valley is now offering an early bird discount on programs. Prices in the current brochure reflect that discount and will be in effect until one week before the date of the program. At that time, fees will increase 15%. Programs with insufficient registration will be cancelled at noon three days before the program. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity. It is our attempt to serve you better!

Growing Up Wild: Early Childhood Teacher’s Workshop

Saturday, June 4 • 9:00 a.m.-Noon Enjoy this hands-on workshop for early childhood educators. Have fun with crafts, music, reading and math and receive an activity guide correlated to the NAEYC Early Childhood Standards and the Head Start Domains.

Project Learning Tree

Saturday, May 4 • 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers, scout leaders and other educators, parents and community leaders working with youth from pre-school through grade 12.

Early Childhood Educators’ Combo

Saturday, May 28 • 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Join us for a full day workshop especially for you! Receive two nationally acclaimed curricula, Project Learning Tree Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood and Growing Up Wild.

Sharing a Small World: Environmental Activities for the Elementary & Middle School Classroom

Saturday, May 7 • 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Discover hands-on and interdisciplinary learning strategies that challenge students (grades K-8) to make meaningful associations between individuals, communities and global issues, while building essential skills. For more information, email Lauren Boucher at Lboucher@PopContact.org. Register at springvalleynature.eventbrite.com.

ADULT or TEEN

Nature Play

Thursday, June 9 • 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Find some leaves and bugs, read a nature story, sing a nature song and play a nature game.

Harper College & Spring Valley

Register through Harper College or call 847/925-6707.

Class held at Spring Valley.

Playful Cotton Tales - New Age Group

Creating with Concrete: Birdbath Workshop

Friday, May 14 • 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Read a story, play games and explore the prairie and woods for signs of these cottontails.

Saturday, May 14 • 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Learn the basics of working with concrete while making a rustic bowl birdbath.

Course: LLG0001-001

FAMILY

The following programs have a special family rate. By registering ONE child, it is assumed that a minimum of two people (one adult and child) or a maximum of four people are attending. Do NOT register additional people, they may pay on the day of the program.

Creating with Concrete: Birdbaths

Night of the Frogs

Saturday, May 21 • 10:00 a.m.-Noon Sunday, May 22 • 10:00 a.m.-Noon Class will cover everything you need to know to make a concrete bird bath.

Saturday, June 4 • 6:30-8:00 p.m.

As the sun sets, we’ll hike around the wetlands in search of these hoppy amphibians.

Nature’s Bottega

Saturday, June 25 • 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Spend the afternoon engaged in activities that intertwine nature study and artistic expression.

The Sound of Yoga

Friday, May 6 • 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Enjoy a relaxing night at the cabin with yoga, ancient sounds and snacks.

Weekly Yoga at the Cabin

Tuesday, June 7 - Aug. 9 • 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 7 - Aug. 9 • 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 9 - Aug. 11 • 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 9 - Aug. 11 • 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Enjoy a weekly yoga class in the woods at the Merkle Cabin.

PEONIES APLENTY Call the nature center to find out if the peonies are in bloom then stop by the Merkle Cabin to see them. Be sure to bring your camera. It’s a site not to be missed.

ALL AGES Breakfast with the Birds

&

Saturday, May 7 • 7:00-9:00 a.m.

Enjoy an early morning walk to look for Spring Valley’s colorful migratory birds!

Native Plant Sale Backyards for

Spring Bird Count

Nature Fair

Saturday, May 7 • 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Nature Center

Sunday, May 1 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Help count birds during the Audubon Society’s spring bird count. This is an excellent opportunity to sharpen bird identification skills. Come for part or all of the day!

Spring Valley Nature Center

Open to all ages

This celebration of environmental stewardship features information on landscaping with native plants, composting, attracting birds, rain gardens, natural pest control, children’s activities and plant sale. Call 847-985-2100 for information.

EARLY CHILDHOOD Follow that Rainbow

Saturday, May 14 • 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Hear a colorful story, go on a color hunt, make a craft and plant seeds!

Pre-ordering of plants is advised as some varieties may be unavailable for day-of purchase. Order forms for native plants are available online at www.schaumburggardenclub.org and for heirloom vegetables at www.springvalleynatureclub.org. Order forms may also be picked up at the Nature Center. The deadline for pre-orders is April 24!

Get Ducky

Sunday, June 26 • 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Read a story, go on a short hike and make a pair of feet for you to match our duck friends.

Co-sponsored by the Schaumburg Park District and Schaumburg Community Garden Club

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S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6

Spring Valley Country Fair

Sponsored by

Saturday & Sunday, June 11 & 12 • Noon-4 p.m. • Heritage Farm

Experience the charm of a community farm fair during the late 19th century. Visitors may stop by the livestock and domestic arts tents to find out who has won blue ribbons and watch as the latest hay mowers and other farm equipment are demonstrated. Join in the fun by participating in various games and competitions. Also, don’t forget to buy a delectable treat from the bake sale table. This recreated historic event will include food, music and more!

Admission is $3/person or $12/family. Children ages 3 and younger are free.

Weekend Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at the Farm

Enjoy an evening of wines & brews at Meineke Park.

New L

ocatio

n!

Beginning April 2 , from noon-3 p.m., relax and enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride through Heritage Farm as staff relates information about the farm, animals and the history of Schaumburg’s farm families. Dress for the weather.

• Saturdays & Sundays only • Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the ride and no earlier than 15 minutes before the start time.

• Tickets are $3/person; children 3 and under are free.

• Wagon holds a maximum of 15 people.

• Rides begin and end next to the Farm Visitor Center.

Note: Wagon rides may be cancelled due to extreme weather (storms or heat) and/or animal health issues. Wagon ride will not be offered on Special Event days. Please call 847/985-2102 or check www.parkfun.com for updated information.

Rain or Shine!

Saturday, June 18 • 6-9p.m.

Groups of 15 and larger are encouraged to schedule their own group wagon rental. For more information, call Heritage Farm at 847/985-2102.

NEW LOCATION: Meineke Park, 220 E. Weathersfield Way, Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg Free parking ONLY at Conant H.S. with shuttle buses to event. NO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKING.

21 years or older to attend - IDs are required and will be checked at the gate.

The evening includes ‘tasting plate’ snacks, commemorative glass and musical entertainment. Sampled wines are available for purchase.

Registration/tickets: $30 are available at all SPD facilities and www.parkfun.com/solstice2016 (Program Code: 14553). Includes 10 tastings.

Additional tickets available for purchase.

HERITAGE FARM DROP-IN DAYS

For more information, call 847/985-2115 or visit schaumburgparkfoundation.org.

Mother’s Day Celebration

Benefiting the Schaumburg Park Foundation’s scholarship program.

Sunday, May 8 • 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

On Mother’s Day, the Heritage Farm will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., children are welcome to drop in to the Heritage Farm’s Visitor’s Center to make a simple and free Mother’s Day craft for their mother.

YOUTH Spring into Gardening

Saturday, May 7 • 10:00 a.m.-Noon Get your hands dirty in the garden learning about compost and planting your own seeds.

FREE admission and all ages welcome.

“Toy-nanza”

Summer Scientist

Thursday, June 16 • 10 a.m.-Noon

Saturday, June 18 • 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Conduct experiments, work with lab equipment, observe animals and dissect owl pellets!

See how 19th century children played, have fun with historic toys and make one to take home. $2 a participant. Appropriate for 3 yrs and older

Turtle Trek

Saturday, June 11 • 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Go on a turtle hunt to find out where they are headed and turn into a turtle by program’s end!

Nature Center Drop-in Programs Meet the Turtles

Home School Naturalist Group Programs

Saturday, May 14 • 1-3 p.m. • Nature Center

Spring Valley Nature Center and Heritage Farm is the perfect place for hands-on, exploration-based science programs. Offerings change seasonally, so check the program guide regularly.

Drop in to acquaint yourself with the Nature Center’s resident turtles. Discover the adaptations that help them survive in the wild and make them such remarkable creatures. Make and take home a cool turtle craft, too. This program is geared for families with children ages 3-5 and will last the entire time.

Call 847/985-2100 to let us know you’re coming; but if it’s the last minute, just drop in at 1pm!

Spring topics: • Biscuits & Butter – Experience 19th century farm life as you cook on the wood bring stove and churn your own butter.

• Wetland Defenders – Using scientific techniques, determine the water

School’s Out Bonfire

Wednesday, June 1 • 8-9:30 p.m. • Nature Center

Start the summer off at Spring Valley with our first annual School’s Out Bonfire! Enjoy a night by a fire as we celebrate the end of school with family and roasting marshmallows. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to this drop-in event. $2 per person at the door!

quality of Spring Valley’s wetlands.

• Woodland Wildflowers – Learn the parts of a flower and explore the woods for spring flowers.

• Spring Birds – Go over bird watching basics, learn common bird calls

Summer Camps at Spring Valley

and examine real bird nests.

Available every spring: Farms and Food, Gardening, Nighttime Nature, Owls: Predators of the Night, Springtime Growth, Wetlands, Conservation in Action, Woodlands

Spring Valley offers a variety of summer camps (full and half-day) for children 5-15 years old.

For more information about programs and pricing, or to schedule a program, call 847/985-2100.

For more information, call 847/985-2100 or click here.

Meandering the Mitten

Friday, Sept. 16- Thursday, Sept. 22

Explore the hidden gems of Michigan’s other coast – from the Motor City on up to Bay City and Alpena. We’ll visit The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village, board a tall ship for a Saginaw Bay sailing excursion, walk through a Vietnam-era naval destroyer, see lighthouses a-plenty and visiting the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena. The week will conclude on the beautiful Leelanau peninsula, visiting area wineries and fruit orchards and exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore before boarding the S.S. Badger Lake Michigan car ferry on our homeward journey. All transportation, lodging, entrance and excursion fees, and most meals will be provided. Registration deadline is Aug. 1.

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Artifact Highlight: Reproduction Butcher Block

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don’t need a two hundred year old tree to make a fence board they rarely see trees this big. Our next thought was to contact a tree service that takes down residential tree because these often grow to their full life expectancy and can get very large. One day last fall I happened to be driving by just such a tree not far from my house. The tree had died last year and the home owner had paid a tree service to take it down but leave it to be used for firewood. The tree service had already cut it into sections about 16 inches long. At more than two and a half feet across one of these sections was just perfect for our project.

nyone who has entered the grandparents’ residence at the farm lately (this is the south wing of the c.1850s farmhouse) has likely seen one of our newest reproduction items. Situated under the east window is a gigantic 200 lb block of native white oak that has come to rest on three turned legs. Oiled profusely with mineral oil to help prevent slitting and checking, this oversized dendroid specimen will serve as a butcher block for our new kitchen.

Now, you may not have a giant butcher block in your kitchen at home, but for 19th century farms they were a fairly common and useful item. The block serves as a prep area in a kitchen that lacks counter tops. In fact, other than the small kitchen table, the butcher block is the only surface in the kitchen on which to prep and prepare food.

This makes it a most useful tool when it comes to chopping fruits, vegetables, and meats for daily meals.

For several years, the farm staff has looked for such a block for the farmhouse but to no avail. For one thing large “natural edge” round blocks are fairly rare in America. They are prone to splitting and the wood often has blemishes or imperfections that can ruin a block’s cutting surface. For these reasons, American butcher block manufacturers tended to use strips of hard woods like rock maple that they glued together to form cutting boards or blocks. With this system a block can be perfectly manufactured to any size you would like. So, why reproduce a round block? First of all, round blocks are common in Europe. Our Germans would have been familiar with the style using century old versions back in Germany.

Second, we had evidence for it. Many years ago, a fragment of such a block was donated to the farm. While the fragment is no longer usable, it did show us how the block was constructed and its approximate size.

When starting to reproduce such a project the first question to ask is what kind of materials to use. This is one thing that the fragment cannot help us with. It is a hardwood but it is badly

by Jon Kuester

deteriorated and looks to be made of a something soft like poplar, but could also be something hard such as elm that is now soft due to decomposition. Since the original didn’t help much our next step was to look at what was available here in Schaumburg. Since trees were not common here this produced a much shorter list for us. Of the native trees that would have been available in the mid-19th century, oak seems the most likely.

White oak not only grew in nearby groves, it grew to sufficient size to make our mammoth block and was hard enough to stand up to the daily use of cutting and chopping.

The next issue was where to find a giant old white oak looking for a future in the culinary arts. Our first thought was to contact one of the saw mills that supply the truckloads of fence boards and barn siding that the farm goes through every year. It turned out that this was not the right path as most of the trees cut for such lumber are actually farmed for these mills and since you 8

Over the winter staff carefully removed the bark, trued the faces, and sanded the blank for our block down to size. We then drilled three massive holes to serve as mortises and inserted three turned oak legs into them. The block was then set in the farm house in front of the window where it has been ever since. If you have a chance, stop on by and see our newest kitchen attraction. We will even let you count the rings.

Volunteer News S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6

Volunteer Want Ads

If you are interested in helping with any of the following activities, please call Judy at 847/985-2100 or e-mail her at juvito@parkfun.com.

Conservation Workdays

May 21 and June 18 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Come one! Come all! We’re looking for volunteers to spend the morning with us for our upcoming workdays.

Any amount of time you can share with us on these conservation projects would be appreciated.

Country Fair

Saturday and Sunday, June 11 & 12 Noon-4pm Farm interpreters are needed to help recreate the charm of a late 19th century community farm fair. Additional support positions are available for registered volunteers.

Sponsored by

Dates to Remember

• Sunday, May 1...............10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Backyards for Nature Fair • Wednesday, May 4..............6:30-9 p.m.

Volunteer Meeting • Saturday, May 7...............7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Spring Bird Count • Monday, May 9..........................1-4 p.m Handy Crafters Meeting • Saturday, May 21.............9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Conservation Workday • Sat. & Sun., June 11-12.... Noon-4 p.m.

Country Fair

Congratulations to…

Roy Svenson, the recipient of this year’s Spring Valley Volunteer of the Year, for his many contributions and exemplary commitment to Spring Valley during the past year. His assistance with animal care and conservation/ maintenance is greatly appreciated.

Barb Mitchell for being nominated for the 2016 Village of Schaumburg Adult Volunteer of the Year. She joined Spring Valley’s volunteer force 13.5 years ago and her contributions have been many and varied over the years.

Pats on the back to the following volunteers...

• Kathy DeGeus, Daryle Drew, Pete Gigous, Maggie Justen, Patty Ochs, Sue and Rich Ringfelt, and Leo Salais for being this year’s sap collectors.

• Monday, June 13......................1-4 p.m.

Handy Crafters Meeting • Saturday, June 18............9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Conservation Workday

Welcome New Volunteers…

• John Koziol • Nancy Kraft • Steven Scheffler • Tessa Sheeks • Judy Velan (Welcome back) • Al Vogel • Caroline Wygant

Happy Birthday to…

May

2 Tom Skiba 3 Cindy Holmberg John Tatom 5 Jim Baum 7 Elizabeth Tatom 16 Angela Waidanz

• Gail Ameer, Eve Carter, Dennis and Rosemary Colbert, John Curin, Duane Bolin, Barb Dochterman, Lynn Eikenbary, Arthur Jeczala, Maggie Justen, Arlene Krizka, Barb Mitchell, Marilyn Mottley, Ken Ogorzalek, Penny and Tom Perles, Jim Peterson, and Donna Turner for helping with miscellaneous set-up jobs for Sugar Bush.

June

• All the volunteers who helped at this year’s Sugar Bush Fair.

• James Baum, John Curin, Lynn Eikenbary, Bill Forst, Pete Gigous, Maggie Justen, Bruce Kuhnhofer, Penny Perles, Tom Perles, Roy Svenson, Lydia Tarasiuk, and Al Vogel for assisting with the spring prescribed burns.

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2 3 5 9

15 18

Penny Perles Venus Gintowt Amanda Greco Hilary Ellis Tom Walsh Carol Thomas Pete Gigous

17 Jan Costis 18 Betty Bei Steven Scheffler 19 Pat Dillon 25 Dave Margolis 28 Al Volgel

21 22 23 27

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Bill Tucknott Richard Leonhardt Leon Blum Julie Margolis James McGee Nancy Griffin Gerri Svenson

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • Vo l u n t e e r C a l e n d a r

Sunday

1

Backyards for Nature Fair 10am

Monday

2

Tuesday

3

•All about Animals 10am

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Mother’s Day Celebration 11am

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Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

Mother’s Day

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10

16

17

MAY 2016 Wednesday

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5

Volunteer Meeting 6:30pm

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22

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23 M-F

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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Friday

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Saturday

7

Spring Bird Count 7am •Breakfast with the Birds 7am •Spring into Gardening 10am

•The Sound of Yoga 7pm

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•Playful Cotton Tales 10am •Follow that Rainbow 1pm •Meet the Turtles 1pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm Sierra Club 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Creating with Concrete: Birdbaths 10am

Thursday

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21

Conservation Workday 9am •Creating with Concrete: Birdbaths 10am

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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26

27

28

•Spring Valley Spring Break Camp 10am

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Farm Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-4pm Cabin Closed Bold indicates volunteer activities Italics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteers See “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

Memorial Day 10

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • Vo l u n t e e r C a l e n d a r

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

JUNE 2016 Wednesday

1

Farm Hours: Tues/Sun 10am-4pm

Thursday

2

Saturday

Friday

3

4

Cabin Closed Bold indicates volunteer activities Italics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteers See “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

5

6 M-F

7

8

12

13

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

M-F

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•All About Fish 9am •Wee Sprouts 9:15am

20 M-F

14

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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•Feathered Friends 9:30am •Animal Crackers - Mini 9:30am

21 •Hungry Hunters 9:30am •Animal Crackers 9:30am

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27

16

•Historian’s Apprentice 9:45am •Wiggles, Squiggles and Giggles Camp 1pm

M-F

•Green Thumbs 9am •Lil’ Rock Hounds 9:30am

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18

•Summer Scientists 9am Conservation Workday 9am

•All About Fish 1pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Chores and Chortles - Mini 10am •Valley Ventures 10am

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•Hike with a Naturalist 9am •Turtle Trek 11am Spring Valley Country Fair Noon

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm Sierra Club 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Toy-nanza 10am

23 •Cabin Capers 10am •Lil’ Astronauts 1pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

Father’s Day •Get Ducky 10am

10

•Nature Play 3pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Night of the Frogs 6:30pm

•Rock Hounds 10am •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

Spring Valley Country Fair Noon

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm •School’s Out Bonfire 8pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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•Campfire Cooking 9:30am •Victorian Finishing School 9:45am

30 •Lil’ S.O.S. 1pm •Farmer Boot Camp 2:30pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 7:30pm

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24

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•Nature’s Bottega 1pm

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6

Meet “New” Staff

Mike Hamrick

Brett Garrett

I am a member of the conservation crew here at Spring Valley, as well as an avid outdoor enthusiast. I spent the past year in Wyoming at the foot of the Rocky Mountain Wind River Range acquiring an associate’s degree in outdoor education. I received technical outdoor experience and advanced my understanding of scientific and geopolitical concepts by being part of the Interdisciplinary Climate Change Expedition (ICCE) learning about the issues surrounding our glaciers. I will be attending an undergraduate research symposium in the near future at the University of Wyoming about the expedition’s research, and plan on being a part of the ICCE expedition for the year of 2016. I’m excited to continue learning about conservation and the natural world here at Spring Valley.

I grew up in southwest Iowa in the town of Atlantic and studied at the University of Minnesota where I graduated with a degree in history. After graduation I worked at Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa, then moved to New York to work at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. My then fiancé, now wife, and I moved back to the Midwest to be closer to our families.

Before being lucky enough to get this current position (Farm Operations Assistant), I worked at Primrose Farm in St. Charles for a few years and, of course, as the teamster here at the farm for two years.

I have a wife, three boys, two dogs and a cat at home. I enjoy reading, running marathons, and the Kansas City Royals.

Coming Soon!

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S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 6 Spring Valley • Schaumburg Park District • 1111 East Schaumburg Road • Schaumburg, Illinois 60194 Schaumburg Rd.

N Plum Grove Rd.

Spring Valley is a refuge of 135 acres of fields, forests, marshes and streams with over three miles of handicappedaccessible trails, a museum featuring natural history displays and information, and an 1880s living-history farm. Spring Valley is open to the general public. Admission is free.

Vera Meineke Nature Center

Volkening Heritage Farm

PHONE VERA MEINEKE NATURE CENTER...............................................847/985-2100 VOLKENING HERITAGE FARM......................................................847-985-2102

135 acres

HOURS

Vera Meineke Nature Center

Nature Center Grounds & Trails...............Open Daily...............8AM-5PM Volkening Heritage Farm Grounds..........Closed......................Dec.1-March 1

The earth-sheltered visitor center provides an introduction to Spring Valley’s 135 acres of restored prairies, woodlands and wetlands and three miles of trails. The center contains natural history exhibits that change seasonally, a demonstration Backyard for Wildlife, an observation tower, classrooms, an extensive library, gift sales area and restrooms.

NATURE CENTER/MUSEUM HOURS: Year Round.............Daily*.......... 9AM-5PM FARM INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM HOURS: Nov. - March............Open for Special Events April 1 - Oct. 31.......Tue-Sun...... 10AM-4PM Mon............ Buildings Closed

Volkening Heritage Farm

Step back into the past for a look at Schaumburg as it was in the 1880s – a rural German farm community. Help with seasonal farm chores, participate in family activities and games of the 1880s, or simply visit the livestock and soak in the quiet. Authentically dressed interpreters will welcome and share activities with visitors throughout the site.

Spring Valley Birthday Parties

We’ll bring our outreach program to your site. Topics include forests, worms, spiders, mammals, owls, food chains, food webs, wetlands, and the water cycle. Students will participate in hands-on activities, songs, and games. Topics may be adapted to students in grades one through six, and are aligned with Illinois State Standards and NGSS.

Looking for a unique, fun, and educational venue for your child’s birthday? Spring Valley is the answer! Two party themes are available. A hayride can be added for an extra fee. Call Spring Valley for more information.

Spring Valley Firepit and Shelter Rentals

Make your next scout group, business or family gathering something special! Spring Valley offers the use of a picnic shelter and fire pit in a wooded setting near the Merkle Log Cabin. Use of the site includes firewood, trash/recycling receptacles and benches, as well as picnic tables. No alcohol or amplified music permitted. Restrooms are available at the Heritage Farm or Nature Center, a 5–10 minute walk. The adjacent Merkle Log Cabin contains a restroom and may be rented for additional fees.

Programs at Spring Valley

School, Scout and adult groups are encouraged to take advantage of Spring Valley’s Environmental Education Program. Programs change seasonally and are geared for specific age groups. Correlations to the state standards, connections with NGSS, and activity sheets are available on the SPD website, www.parkfun.com.

Learn local history with a visit to the Heritage Farm. Elementary and high school students recreate farm life in the 1880s with Hands on History; second graders experience it through Heritage Quest.

Children from the age of four through second grade will learn about food, farmers, and farm animals in Farms and Foods.

Scout Badges

Hourly use fees:

We offer many opportunities for scouts. Our programs will help with your badge, pin or patch requirements. Call for more information or stop in for a brochure.

Spring Valley’s mission is to educate area residents regarding the natural and cultural history of the Schaumburg area and how people have and continue to interact with and upon the landscape.

Residents:.............. $25

Civic groups:...............................$25

Non-residents:....... $40 Corporate/business groups:.......$55

SCHAUMBURG PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS:

NATURAL ENQUIRER STAFF: Mary Rice.......... Editor

Mike Daniels Sharon DiMaria David Johnson George Longmeyer Bob Schmidt

Judy Vito............ Volunteer Coordinator Dave Brooks...... “In this Issue...”

Scott Stompor.... Graphic Artist

SCHAUMBURG PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE: www.parkfun.com

E-MAIL:

springvalley@parkfun.com

MEMBER:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Tony LaFrenere

Participants should dress appropriately for weather conditions.

*All facilities closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

Environmental Outreach Program

SPRING VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT:

Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held rain or shine.

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