HeartLands Conservancy Meanderings Summer 2022

HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS

HLC Frog Hike with SIUE Biologist Dr. Rick Essner

HLC Frog Hike with SIUE Biologist Dr. Rick Essner Poag Sand Prairie

HIKERS EXPLORE

frogs & fireflies

HLC Firefly Hike with SIUE Entomologist Dr. Jake Williams

Our monthly hiking club events have been some of our most attended. In March, we hosted a Frog Hike at Poag Sand Prairie, with a talk by SIUE biologist Dr. Rick Essner. Attendees observed an endangered Illinois Chorus Frog up close, and a few of the younger attendees even dared to catch a few frogs from the pond!

We brought our Watershed Adventures and Discovery Experiences (WADE) series back in June for another Discover a Wetland! Firefly Hike at Arlington Wetlands. SIUE entomologist, Dr. Jake Williams, gave a great talk on fireflies and other insects and brought along blacklights to see a few species up close!

We are excited to continue offering adventures throughout the year. Here are some of our upcoming hikes and adventures.You can always find more information on the events page of our website.

August

Discover a River! Kayaking day tripon a river in the region

September

WADE: Discover a Stream! Stream

monitoring at Signal Hill

October

WADE: Discover a Pond! Plus, tree planting at Arlington Wetlands

November

Buds and Bark Winter Tree ID at Willoughby Farm

December

Jingle Hike Challenge (Thanksgiving Day to New Year‘s Day)

Summer Adventures

WADE: DISCOVER THE WATER CYCLE

Want to explore the water cycle with HLC‘s outdoor experience program WADE? We have several events to introduce people to the ecosystems around them by visiting a stream, a pond, a wetland and a river. Check out heartlandsconservancy.org/events-calendar/ for event updates.

4 MEANDERINGS SUMMER 2022