Natural Enquirer: September/October 2013

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

In this issue...

vol.4 no.5 • Sept.-Oct. ‘13

Science and the search for knowledge have always focused to a large extent on origins. How did things get to be the way they are? Where did they come from? Answers to these questions not only help us better understand the world we live in but they often open our eyes to wider vistas, realms of thought and ideas we had never considered before, i.e., they inspire curiosity. This issue of Natural Enquirer takes us beyond the prairies and woods of the Chicago area into a bit of German history as well as to remote islands where unknown riches accumulated for centuries, until people discovered the wealth to be mined there. Like the guano islands off the Peruvian coast of South America, the search for knowledge almost always involves a bit of digging, experimentation, and a willingness to look in unlikely places.

Inside The Age of Guano.................................................2 Hermann the German...........................................3 What’s Happenin’.............................................. 4-5 Summer Internship Ends.....................................6

Spring Valley General Information....................10 Volunteer News Contents Volunteer Information..........................................7 Volunteer Calendar........................................... 8-9

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

The Age of Guano

T

by Walter Plinske

he islands were located off the Peruvian coast of South America and from a distance did not exhibit anything unusual. It was only when approached that the isles gave a hint of their true nature. On them lived large seabirds, millions of them, especially pelicans, boobys, and cormorants. It was their waste, covering the granitic rock in a layer up to 150 feet thick, which made the islands exude an intense ammonia stench. The Andean Indians called the layered substance, “guano”, meaning “the droppings of seabirds”. Though it is a misnomer to refer to bat droppings as guano, today the word describes both bat and seabird manure. Centuries ago, these Indians discovered that depleted soils could be replenished with guano. So while the Spanish conquistadors ravished the land for gold and silver, the secret of this brown gold remained overlooked. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the need for this fertilizer became apparent. Into the breach went bird poop and so began the age of guano. chemical analysis of any given fertilizer, called the “NPK” content. (Potassium’s symbol is K because the Latin word for potash

Cormorant

Guano Collectors

By 1850, it was becoming apparent that to feed the ever increasing populations of Europe and America, evermore intensive agriculture would soon exhaust the soil. As crop yields leveled off and even declined, farmers looked for a new fertilizer to restore the land. The need to fertilize was not something new. For 10,000 years, fertilizing crops was a relatively improvised affair. Farmers relied on animal manure (dung); they planted their crops near rivers like the Nile to capture silt; they included nitrogen-fixing legumes in crop rotation; they churned plant waste (green manure) into the soil; and they used human feces (night soil).

But guano promised something more.

It was concentrated, lightweight, and relatively inexpensive.

Reduced to three factors, fertilizer is a mechanism for delivering nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to plants.

Plants need nitrogen to develop leaves and stems. Phosphorus is valuable for developing flowers and fruit. Potassium promotes healthy root systems and helps plants resist diseases. These three nutrients are used to describe the

is Kalium.) Land that has been farmed repeatedly always risks depletion of these nutrients. Peruvian seabird guano will normally test out to 10% NITROGEN, 10% PHOSPHOPelican RUS, and 2% POTASSIUM; or “10-10-2”. Beyond its NPK levels, guano contains trace elements and micro nutrients that are also necessary for healthy soils and plants.

In contrast to guano, other animal manures offer meager amounts of NPK, with chicken the highest at “4.5-3.5-2” and cow the lowest with “0.6-0.2-0.6”.

The reason for guano’s richness is that it is accumulated in areas dry enough not to wash it away. The waters off the Peruvian coast receive less than an inch of rain a year. They form huge deposits due to three factors: the birds are relatively large, they tend to form big flocks, and they defecate where they live.

Since the annual guano output of a cormorant is 35 pounds, on islands 2

where they number in the hundreds of thousands they can produce thousands of tons a year!

So guano mania took hold in Europe and North America. The British obtained a monopoly in the mining of the rich Peruvian deposits, leaving Americans over the guano barrel. Spurred by the increasingly higher costs created by limited supply and high demand, the U.S. Congress passed the Guano Islands Act of 1856. It authorized its citizens to seize any guano islands they saw. The islands could be located anywhere, so long as they were not occupied and not under the jurisdiction of another government.

The act specifically allowed the islands to be considered possessions of the U.S. More than 100 islands have been claimed in this way. Most are no longer considered U.S. territory. Those remaining under U.S. claim include Baker Island, Johnson Atoll, and Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, which later became key places for the extension of U.S. Naval power. Navassa Island, strategically located 100 miles south of Guantanamo Bay Cuba, is also still U.S. territory and has been designated a National Wildlife Refuge.

By the end of the 19th century, the age of guano was passing. Nitrogen in the form of nitrates was mined on a mass scale in the Chilean desert. Phosphorus (rock phosphates) and potassium (potash mineral salts) came to be mined in a similar manner. In the early 20th century synthetic fertilizers were invented by the German chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch.

Today, with the rise in the price of synthetic fertilizer and the boom in the interest for organic foods, the use of guano is making a comeback.

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

Hermann the German In the 1880 US census record for Schaumburg Township, there were 30 males named Hermann. One of these, Hermann Boeger, was the gentleman that owned the land where the Heritage Farm at Spring Valley is situated. With so many men named Hermann in the records, I was curious about where the name came from.

The name Hermann means “army man” or “warrior” and can be traced back to a particular German hero originally known among the Roman Legions as “Arminius.” It was Martin Luther who first referred to Arminius as Hermann, and the name stuck. He was a legendary figure in German culture and has been the subject of much Germanic folklore and art. In Detmold, Germany, a prominent statue of Hermann, the Hermannsdenkmal, was erected in his honor in 1875 and still draws numerous viewers today. A second statue, the Hermann Heights Monument, was erected in 1888 in New Ulm, Minnesota. Hermann, Missouri (established in 1837), is named after him and The Sons of Hermann, a German-American organization founded in the early 19th century in New York, shows their allegiance to him with their name.

Hermann’s story begins around the year 18 BC. Born near what is today Hannover, Germany, Hermann was the son of the Cherusci tribal Chief. His father had been coerced into an allegiance with Rome, and Hermann and his brother were raised as hostages, learning Latin and becoming involved in Roman military warfare. As he grew older, Hermann was awarded Roman citizenship and even received knighthood by Caesar Augustus. He also commanded the Cheruscan detachment of the Roman auxiliary forces fighting for Rome in the northern part of Germany. Following the fighting, Hermann returned to his homeland which was ruled by the Roman appointed governor, Publius Quinctilius Varus.

It is widely believed that despite having served in the Roman military, Hermann held a deep hatred of the Romans. By 9 AD, he had secretly begun to unite other Germanic tribes throughout the region in an effort to stop the Romans from assuming control past the Rhine River (By 8 BC

by Patricia Kennedy Green

Rome had a strong hold on the German never saw his wife again and never met territory up to and east of the Rhine River his son. In 21 AD, Hermann was victim to and was now seeking to establish its hold internal feuding among his tribe and, due further eastward to the Weser and Elbe to treachery, died. rivers). During this same time, Hermann Hermann left a legacy of independence also eloped with Thusnelda, daughter of that would be summoned by the German Segestes, a Cheruscan noble. Segestes people during times of strife and war was a staunch supporter of Rome and from that point onward. Often, when a had had strong contacts with Varus. After new political organihe found out Hermann zation rose to power had stolen his daughin Germany’s hister, Segestes became tory, the party would incensed and claimed cite Hermann as a to Varus that Hermann hero and appropriwas committing treason ate his likeness to against Rome. Varus their cause. Perhaps paid no attention to Sethe most well-known gestes, however, for he group to do this was believed Hermann was the Nazis, who used too decorated a soldier his legacy extensively.

CD Opera Cover of Arminus and too loyal to Rome After World War Two, to be plotting against his however, popular German culture tried to commander. purge itself of all things Nazi and with that In the fall of 9 AD, the 25 year old Hermann brought Varus “false” news of a rebellion in northern Germany and persuaded him to divert the three legions under his command to curb the insurrection. It was not until Varus arrived at the battle grounds by the Teutoburg Forest that he realized it was a trap. Hermann’s tribe, the Cherusci, along with their allies, the Marsi, Chatti, Bructeri, Chauci, and Sicambri ambushed Varus and his men.

The Romans were annihilated and Varus committed suicide after realizing his legions were lost. In the end, some 20,000 men were killed or captured and never heard from again.

Following this defeat, Rome wanted vengeance. In 14 AD, the Roman military leader Germanicus (son of a former military leader and nephew to the current Caeser, Tiberius) led four legions and ten thousand auxiliaries back into Cherusci territory. With the help of Segestes and his son, war was waged and Hermann’s now pregnant wife was taken captive. After two large battles, Caeser Tiberius proclaimed Germanicus’ campaign victorious and, with Thusnelda’s capture, Rome avenged. Germanicus’ legions were ordered back to Rome and never ventured past the Rhine territory. The land that would one day be known as Schaumburg remained unconquered. Sadly, Hermann 3

Hermann’s legacy fell out of favor. History books were changed to read that it was a shame Hermann defeated the Romans.

They wrote that Hermann had denied their culture the intellectual growth the Romans may have offered. The name of the battle was changed as well; what had once been called Hermannschlacht (Hermann’s Battle) in German was referred to as Varusschlacht (Varus’ Battle).

It was not until the 2,000th anniversary of the battle (just four years ago) that sentiments began to change within popular culture.

Today, Germans look at Hermann more realistically and less “romantically.” As one online article entitled “They Need a Hero” suggests, “Germany regards itself as being post-patriotic, and certainly cured of all the militaristic nationalism that Hermann once represented. And yet the hundreds of thousands of Germans visiting Detmold aren’t simply looking for a themepark character—nor are they seeking a new militarism. So what are they looking for?” (http:// www.thenational.ae/news/world/they-need-ahero#ixzz2YqfikckG)

This is an interesting question. In this modern age, is the notion of a national hero still relevant? And if so, for how long can such a hero remain relevant? In the case of Hermann it seems the answer is two millennia, give or take a few decades.

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

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!

Growing Up Wild: Early Childhood Teacher Workshop

Saturday, Sept. 28 • 9:00AM-Noon Take part in a hands-on workshop designed for early childhood educators.

Illinois Biodiversity: Teacher Workshop

Saturday, Oct. 19 • 8:30AM-4:30PM Explore the concept of biodiversity in the ‘Chicago Wilderness,’ home to more kinds of ecosystems than anywhere else on Earth.

ADULT or TEEN

Additional workshops are being developed.

For up-to-date information, visit www.parkfun.com/SpringValley/programs.

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.

Oktober Festessen

Saturday, Oct. 12 • 6:00-8:00PM Be transported to another time and enjoy a traditional German dinner in the historic farmhouse.

Night Hike

Friday, Oct. 18 • 7:00-8:30PM Come out after the sun has set and use your five senses to explore the dark.

Sausage Making 101

Saturday, Oct. 19 • 1:00-4:00PM Learn how to make sausage from scratch and how the Germans preserved it.

Rainbow Adventure

Sunday, Sept. 22 • 9:30-11:00AM Participants will look for the colors of the rainbow while experiencing the beauty of the day.

Weekly Yoga at the Cabin

Tuesday, Sept. 3 - Dec. 17 • 6:00-7:00PM Tuesday, Sept. 3 - Dec. 17 • 7:30-8:30PM Thursday, Sept. 5 - Dec. 19 • 6:30-7:30PM Thursday, Sept. 5 - Dec. 19 • 8:00-9:00PM Enjoy a weekly yoga class in the woods at the Merkle Cabin.

Twilight Hike

Friday, Sept. 20 • 7:00-8:30PM Find out what happens at Spring Valley as the sun sets.

Autumn Harvest Festival

All Ages Free - Heaven’s Watch

$4 per person • $16 per family • 3 yrs & under Free

Sat., Sept. 28 • 8PM..........Star Fields of Cygnus No Haven’s Watch in Oct. Join Chicago Astronomical Society as they set their telescopes for a peek at the night skies.

Meet in the Nature Center.

Sponsored by

Up and At’em Animal Chores

Sunday, Oct. 6 • Noon-5PM

Saturday, Sept. 28 • 7:30-9:30AM Wake up and help with animal chores. Then enjoy a light breakfast in the farmhouse.

Step back in time and see history come to life at a 1790s frontier encampment and an 1880s working farm!

Food, beverages and children’s activities are available throughout the day. Click here for more information.

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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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

Youth

National Public Lands Day

Creepers and Crawlers

Saturday, Sept. 14 • 9:30-11:00AM Discover what a bug’s life is really all about as you look for what’s hanging around.

Saturday, Sept. 21 • 9AM-1PM

Participants will learn how people work with nature to heal the land and help restore rare plants and animals.

All participants will receive a packet of native wildflower seeds. Refreshments will be available.

Fall Discoveries

Monday, Oct. 14 • 5:00-6:00PM Explore the beauty of fall and discover what you’ve been missing when you’re not outside.

School Day-Off Field Trips

Friday, Oct. 11 • 9:00AM-4:00PM......Cantigny Monday,Oct. 14 • 9:00AM-4:00PM......Brookfield Zoo Join Spring Valley staff on a trip to a special location, discovering some fascinating and fun places to spend the day.

Be prepared for fun and adventure!

A Haunting in the Valley Fri. & Sat., Oct. 25 & 26 • 6:15-9:30PM

Before Oct. 25: $5 per person • Walk-in: $6 per person Enjoy a covered wagon ride to a trail of fun and adventure! Games, refreshments, a live owl and bonfire at the Nature Center.

Harvest Moon Bonfire

Click here for more information.

Saturday, Sept. 21 • 6:30-8:30PM Heritage Farm

Help celebrate this rare time of the year by taking a wagon ride through Spring Valley, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire, and enjoying a lantern-lit tour of the farm.

Spring Valley 30th Birthday Celebration

Home School Naturalist Group Programs

Saturday, Sept. 14 • 2-4PM

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.

Help Spring Valley celebrate 30 years of serving the community with an afternoon open house at the Nature Center. Following presentations by staff and officials, attendees will be invited to share birthday cake, enjoy children’s activities and take a short guided nature walk or wagon ride to the farm. A picnic and Concert at the Cabin will follow from 5-7:30PM.

Fall 2013 topics: • Biscuits and Butter - Learn about 19th century farm life as you cook on the wood burning stove and churn your own butter.

• Fishy Friends - Dive into the watery world of Illinois fish.

Discover what they need to survive, where they go in the winter and make your own gyotaku.

• Leafy Trees - Compare and contrast different leaves, learn to read tree rings and create a leaf book to take home.

• Squirrels - Explore the fascinating lives of these furry acrobats, learn how to get involved with the citizen science program Project Squirrel and see if you would survive as a squirrel.

Concert at the Cabin Saturday, Sept. 14 • 5-7:30PM • FREE

Come enjoy wonderful music in a beautiful setting! The Spring Valley Community Concert Band will perform under the shelter on the wooded cabin grounds as evening settles in. Picnic fare and beverages will be available for purchase or bring your own food, lawn chairs and a blanket. Picnic tables will be available.

The music will begin at 6PM. The Merkle Log Cabin is an easy 10-minute walk from the Nature Center parking lot, or you can take a wagon shuttle.

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

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

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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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

Summer Internship Ends As my summer slowly draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on all that I’ve done during my internship. Spring Valley has provided me with an enjoyable and worthwhile experience; not just because of my degree requirement, but also because of my fascination with the natural world. My supervisor, Matt McBrien, along with everyone else who works here, has been very helpful in regard to my personal and professional growth. What amazes me most is the conservation crew’s dedication to hard work and preserving the grounds, both for wildlife and for people.

My coworkers also have an amazing amount of knowledge about nature in general, as well as resource management and grounds maintenance. They never cease to impress me by their people skills when they greet visitors as we pass them on the trail. Best of all, the staff and the volunteers at Spring Valley have shown great enthusiasm in everything they do—so that work can be done more efficiently. I could not have done any of the duties this job requires without them or their generous support.

Spring Valley has given me different and meaningful experiences every day.

My duties have mainly consisted of tending to plants and trees, assisting my coworkers with the removal of invasive species, and maintaining the grounds.

Taking care of native trees and plants is essential for their survival, as well as for the education of people who come here.

by Nicholas Ahlstrand

Whether I am watering and transplanting seedlings in the greenhouse or planting them out on the grounds, I feel a sense of satisfaction. The removal of nonnative

essential for the comfort and safety of visitors. Sometimes, the maintenance crew will do jobs as simple as picking up pieces of garbage along the trail. At other times, we cut down and clear out branches and plants that have grown too long or have drifted downstream. I have also taken part in setting up and taking down equipment and materials for special events. The best part of doing these things is working with a team of dedicated individuals.

Overall, I would say that my internship has been about taking what I learned in school and applying it into the real world. An old saying goes, “80 percent of learning is done on the job.” Even with all the education and work experience I have gained, there is no knowing where I will go next or what I will be doing. I hope, however, that I will not forget the people of Spring Valley or my internship here as time goes on.

plant species is just as important to conservation as adding native plants to it. If we leave them to thrive in a specific area, the invasive species will choke out the native plants. One of my favorite tasks has been to cut off the heads of garlic mustard or simply pulling it out by the roots.

Cleaning up around Spring Valley can be monotonous and even tiresome at times, but it is just as 6

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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

Dates to Remember

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.

National Public Lands Day

Saturday, September 21 • 9am-1pm Join us for our conservation workday and assist with this demonstration of local environmental stewardship. Help spread the message on how people can work with nature to heal and restore it. Any donation of paper grocery bags for use in seed collecting would be greatly appreciated. Drop the bags off at the Visitor Center.

National Public Lands Day

Autumn Harvest Festival

Sunday, October 6 • Noon-5pm We’re looking for volunteers to help at Spring Valley’s largest event – Autumn Harvest Festival.

Activities are held at both the cabin and the farm

and include children’s activities and crafts, refreshment sales, farm interpretation, and more! Volunteer shifts times are 11am to 2:30pm or 2:15 to 5:45pm. Also, additional help is needed for set-up on Thursday, October 3 and Friday, October 4. Call if you can lend a hand!

A Haunting in the Valley

Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26 We need your help with our Halloween event which will feature a wagon ride to the Cabin for a guided walk along the night trails. Volunteers are needed for check-in, concessions, family activities, characters, and props. If you’d like to be part of the adventure, give us a call!

• Wednesday, Sept. 4........... 6:30pm-8:30pm Volunteer Meeting • Monday, Sept. 9................. 1-4pm Handy Crafter Meeting • Saturday, Sept. 21............. 9am-1pm Conservation Workday • Thursday, Oct. 3................ 9:30am-3pm Autumn Harvest Set-up • Thursday, Oct. 4................ 9:30am-3pm Autumn Harvest Set-up • Sunday, Oct. 6................... Noon-5pm Autumn Harvest Fest • Monday, Oct. 14................. 1-4pm Handy Crafter Meeting • Friday, Oct 25.................... 5:30-9pm A Haunting in the Valley • Saturday, Oct 26................ 5:30-9pm A Haunting in the Valley

Welcome New Volunteers…

• Bruce Kuhnhofer • Nycole Kuiken

• Arissa Sato

Volunteer Meeting and Program Wednesday, Sept. 4 • 6:30-8:30pm

Come find out what projects and special events are in store for fall and learn how you can help!

Then stay and listen as Judy Speer explores what myths and stories tell us about the human relationship to nature when she presents Water Monsters and Thunderbirds: Stalking the Mythological Wildlife of Our Region. Join us to explore this fascinating look into the stories that underlay our Midwestern landscape and its history.

Pats on the back to the following volunteers...

Happy Birthday to…

September

1 8 11 18 20

Nancy Lyons Peggy Kulis Nancy Ruffolo Dick Ruffolo Lynn Eikenbary Ellen Hanes

October

• Penny Perles for maintaining the Native American Garden.

3 4 8

9 12 14

• Lynn Eikenbary, Angela Waidanz, and Amy Chagoya and her Cub Scouts for maintaining the Kids’ Garden.”

• Tony Coonrod, Lynn Eikenbary, Ann Scacco, Eileen Skiba, Angela Waidanz and Carolyn White for assisting with Nature Center summer camps.

• Duane Bolin, Pete Gigous, Tony Meo, Ken Ogorzalek, and Roy Svenson for their weekly maintenance assistance.

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Michal Pierwieniecki Rosemary Colbert Susan LaDore Julie Tucknott Marilou Vandrush Sue Ringfelt Ken Ogorzalek Bruce Kuhnhofer

22 26 28

15 16 18

21

Joan Pangallo Jim Peterson Gail Ameer Barb Mitchell

Pat Heiberger Eve Carter Susanne Cannella Gene Niewiadomski Tony Meo

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

Monday

2

Tuesday

3

Labor Day

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September 2013

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Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

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

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

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16

17

Wednesday

4

5

Volunteer Meeting 6:30pm

11

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

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22

23

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

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

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6

13

7

14

•Creepers and Crawlers 9:30am •Spring Valley’s Birthday Party 2pm

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21

•North Country Migration Mysteries Trip 8:30am

National Public Lands Day 9am

•Twilight Hike 7pm

•Harvest Moon Bonfire 6:30pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

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Saturday

•Concert at the Cabin 5pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

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25

Friday

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

12

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

•Rainbow Adventure 9:30am

Thursday

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•Up and At’em Animal Chores 7:30am •Heaven’s Watch 8pm

Farm Open: Tues-Fri 9:00am-2:00 pm • Sat/Sun 10:00am-4:00pm Cabin Closed Bold indicates volunteer activities Italics indicates programs which may be taken as complimentary by volunteers See “What’s Happening” for program descriptions

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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 • Vo l u n t e e r C a l e n d a r

Sunday

October 2013

Monday

Farm Open: Tues-Fri 9:00am-2:00 pm

Sat/Sun 10:00am-4:00pm

Tuesday

1

Wednesday

2

Thursday

Friday

Autumn Harvest Festival SetUp 9:30am

Autumn Harvest Festival SetUp 9:30am

3

Cabin Closed

Saturday

4

5

11

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

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Autumn Harvest Festival Noon

7

8

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

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14

•Day Off School Field Trip 9am Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm •Fall Discoveries 5pm

Columbus Day

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21

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

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

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9

10

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

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•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

•Night Hike 7pm

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25

26

•Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

A Haunting in the Valley 6:15pm

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

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

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31 •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 6:30pm •Weekly Yoga at Cabin 8pm

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

Halloween 9

•Day Off School Field Trip 9am

•October Festessen 6pm

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•Sausage Making 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 • S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 Spring Valley • Schaumburg Park District • 1111 East Schaumburg Road • Schaumburg, Illinois 60194 Schaumburg Rd. Vera Meineke Nature Center

Plum Grove Rd.

N Volkening Heritage Farm

Phone Vera Meineke Nature Center...............................................847/985-2100 Volkening Heritage Farm......................................................847-985-2102

135 acres

HOURS

Vera Meineke Nature Center

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.

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.

Environmental Outreach Program

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.

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

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 Mission Statement:

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.

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.

Schaumburg Park District BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS: Mike Daniels Sharon DiMaria David Johnson George Longmeyer Bob Schmidt

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Tony LaFrenere

Nature Center Grounds & Trails...............Open Daily...............8AM-5PM Volkening Heritage Farm Grounds..........Closed......................Dec.1-March 1 Nature Center/Museum Hours: Year Round.............Daily*.......... 9AM-5PM Farm Interpretive Program Hours: Nov. - March............Open for Special Events April 1 - Oct. 31.......Sat/Sun....... 10AM-4PM Tue-Fri........ 9AM-2PM Mon............ Buildings Closed

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

Participants should dress appropriately for weather conditions.

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

Spring Valley Birthday Parties

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.

Hourly use fees: Residents:.............. $25

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

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

Natural Enquirer STAFF: Mary Rice Editor

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

Scott Stompor 10 Graphic Artist

Schaumburg Park District Website: www.parkfun.com

E-mail:

springvalley@parkfun.com

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