Horizons quarterly // winter 2023 by Lake County Forest Preserve District

HORI Z ON S QUARTERLY winter 2023 VOLUME 32, ISSUE 3

On the cover: A thin coating of frost and ice clings to cattails (Typha spp.) and other wetland plants on a chilly, still morning at Half Day Forest Preserve (Vernon Hills).

BOARD of COMMISSIONERS

A MESSAGE from

MORE THAN 31,100 ACRES ARE PROTECTED BY THE LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES.

ANGELO D. KYLE PRESIDENT LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES AKYLE@LAKECOUNTYIL.GOV

PRESIDENT

Angelo D. Kyle, Waukegan VICE PRESIDENT

John Wasik, Grayslake TREASURER

Gina Roberts, Beach Park ASSISTANT TREASURER

Paul Frank, Highland Park

All around us, many plants and animals are hunkering down for the winter, saving their energy for spring. The bright green shades of summer turned to oranges, reds and purples in fall, and we now are left with grays and browns. It may not appear so, but nature is generating important ecosystem services even in winter.

Marah Altenberg, Buffalo Grove Esiah Campos, Round Lake Beach Carissa Casbon, Lake Villa Jennifer Clark, Libertyville Mary Ross Cunningham, Waukegan Michael Danforth, Fox River Grove Sandy Hart, Lake Bluff Diane Hewitt, Zion J. Kevin Hunter, Ingleside Sara Frederick Knizhnik, Vernon Hills Ann B. Maine, Lincolnshire Paras Parekh, Highland Park Linda Pedersen, Antioch Adam Schlick, Wauconda Jessica Vealitzek, Hawthorn Woods

Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides to all of us for free. In winter, these include reducing the surface temperature of land and water. Winter snowpack directly impacts the quality and availability of drinking water. Seasonally frozen water bodies provide habitat for diatoms (Bacillariophyceae class), single-celled algae that are the foundation of the food web. Looking at winter in this way gives us new appreciation. Your forest preserves are working for you year-round even if you never step foot in them.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ty Kovach

HORIZONS

VOLUME 32, ISSUE 3 Winter 2023 EDITOR AND DESIGNER

AMERICAN KESTREL

(Falco sparverius)

The first feature article offers an entirely different perspective on the beauty and wonder of winter. Zoom in closely on snowflakes to learn how they form and appreciate their many intricate facets. Enjoy volunteer photographer R. Scott McNeill’s images and discover how a black hat and garbage can are used to capture these spectacular close-ups. Zoom out a bit to learn about our Tree Canopy Monitoring Program. This time of year is ideal for collecting critical data because trees are easily identified by their bark. Our staff use the information they gather today to make better natural resource management decisions for tomorrow. Winter in our region can be challenging, but I hope these different perspectives help you appreciate the season, as we appreciate all YOU do to support your Forest Preserves!

Jeanna Martinucci Cristino Horizons@LCFPD.org CONTRIBUTORS

Jen Berlinghof, Kim Mikus, Brett Peto, Kristen Seefurth, Rebekah Snyder, Erika Stergos PHOTOGRAPHY

Bob Callebert (cover), R. Scott McNeill, Kenneth Libbrecht / Science Photo Library, John D. Kavc, Kyle Hauder, Pete Capp, Museum of Discovery, Mike Borkowski, Isavel Gonzalez, Peter Schulz, Tim Elliott, Jennifer Hyde Photography, Carrie Werner, Liz Rose Fisher, Justine Neslund SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, UPDATE ADDRESS: 847–968–3335 | Horizons@LCFPD.org Horizons is the quarterly publication of the Lake County Forest Preserve District. Subscriptions are free. Subscribers may also receive mailings from the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves. Photos and videos are periodically taken of people participating in Forest Preserve District programs and activities. All persons registering for Forest Preserve District programs/activities or using Forest Preserve District property thereby agree that any photo or video taken by the Forest Preserve District may be used by the District for promotional purposes including its website or agency social media, promotional videos, brochures, fliers and other publications without additional, prior notice or permission and without compensation to the participant.

Imagine you’re floating at the top of a cloud, and you’re made of a dust particle. It’s 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Water vapor freezes onto you, making an icy, three-dimensional prism. It has six flat sides that form a hexagon. You’re now a snow crystal, commonly known as a snowflake.

Vapor attaches more easily to uneven areas than smooth areas. It sticks to your corners, which jut out a bit. Like spokes on a wheel, branches grow away from your center seed crystal, forming a star-like pattern. They develop independently. Like siblings, they have symmetry, but they’re not identical. As you dance toward Earth through the cloud, these branches can split into smaller side-branches, making you look like a tiny, delicate ice flower. Different air pockets bring varying temperatures and humidity levels, influencing how vapor continues to freeze. Flat shapes, or plates, might grow at the tips and edges of the branches. Or the tips could become pointy, like needles. The gathering weight causes you to tumble and emerge from the base of the cloud. You likely measure 0.05–0.2 inches in diameter, between the size of a grain of sand and a grain of rice. During your descent to the ground, which takes 30–60 minutes, some branches may melt slightly. You might collide with another six-branched snowflake to create a 12-branched pair. You could clump up with hundreds or thousands of other snowflakes. Or you could fall on your own, land on someone’s sleeve and catch their attention and awe.

clouds based on how high their bases scoot through the atmosphere. Low clouds hang less than 6,500 feet, or 1.2 miles, above the ground. Mid-level clouds hover between 6,500–20,000 feet, or 1.2–3.8 miles. High clouds cruise above 20,000 feet, or 3.8 miles. Nimbostratus and altostratus clouds are mid-level and produce continuous, moderate amounts of snow. Cumulonimbus clouds, whose bases are low but whose tops often reach the upper limit of the troposphere, produce heavy snow. The word snowflake has two meanings. It can refer to one ice crystal with six sides. It can also refer to a clump of hundreds or thousands of individual crystals. Picture a snowstorm with large flakes the size of pennies or nickels. Scientists use snow crystal to mean one ice crystal with six sides.

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Depending on the location, it’s between 26,000– 47,000 feet, or 5–9 miles, thick. Cumulonimbus clouds sometimes create thundersnow, a rare phenomenon that acts like a thunderstorm but involves cold, dense air moving strongly upward

It’s more precise.

instead of warm, moist air.

“A snow crystal forms in a cloud

It takes 15 minutes on average for a

when water vapor converts directly into ice without making a pit stop at its liquid form,” said Environmental Educator Jen Berlinghof. This

snow crystal to take shape. Clouds with lower humidity often yield thin, flat plates that grow slowly. Higher humidity spawns ornate, branched

process is known as deposition.

crystals that grow faster.

“Each crystal takes a unique path,

“Like a tree’s rings that tell the story

resulting in a one-of-a-kind snow

of what was happening in the forest

crystal every time.”

with each layer of growth, snow

Clouds are made of ice crystals,

crystals grow from the inside out,”

water vapor and droplets.

Berlinghof said. “Each new branch

Though there are exceptions,

or plate tells the story of the

meteorologists generally group

cloud conditions.”

VAN PATTEN WOODS (WADSWORTH)

IDEAL TEMPERATURE: 5° F

Stellar dendrites are picture-perfect. Their name draws from the Ancient Greek word dendrítēs: “of or pertaining to a tree.” They’re large, have six branches with side-branches and are mostly symmetrical.

Stellar plates are like stellar dendrites, but their arms connect further away from their central prism to create a more continuous surface.

Researchers don’t fully understand why snow crystals form such different shapes in various conditions. Complex molecular physics govern the process, IDEAL TEMPERATURES: –8° F AND BELOW Diamond dust crystals are tiny, simple prisms. Toss a handful into the air on a sunny, arctic day and enjoy the twinkling sight.

and an average snowflake contains one quintillion water molecules. That’s 1 followed by 18 zeros. Even so, there are dozens of well-documented types of snow crystals, many with thought-provoking names: arrowhead twins, skeletal forms, crossed needles. With endless possibilities, there’s no exhaustive list. However, the most common snowflakes fall into

IDEAL TEMPERATURES: 21° F; –15° F AND BELOW (COLUMNS), 21–25° F (NEEDLES) When basic prisms grow lengthwise but maintain some width, they create columns. Needles occur when columns become long, thin and sharp.

several categories. Temperatures are listed in degrees Fahrenheit and as measured in clouds.

IDEAL TEMPERATURES: 5° F OR 28° F IDEAL TEMPERATURES: 32° F AND BELOW By far, irregular crystals are the most common. They’re small, asymmetrical and stuck together in seemingly random patterns.

These are stellar dendrites that feature extra parallel side-branches that contribute to a leafy look. Fernlike stellar dendrites grow to 0.2 inches in diameter or more.

LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRES E RVES

HORI ZONS QUARTERLY WIN T E R 2 02 3

How do you capture an image of something as delicate and fleeting as a snow crystal? R. Scott McNeill, volunteer photographer for the Forest Preserves, uses a black hat, a garbage can and plenty of handwarmers. During snowfall, he bundles up, places the can outside his garage and rests the hat on top. The hat has pronounced fibers, “so when a snowflake falls, it sits on top of the fibers as opposed to lying flat,” McNeill said. “This gives it a threedimensional look.” Speed is essential. The Lake County resident forgoes a tripod and instead leans against his garage door.

It’s tricky to take a single photo with

“Snowflakes are very light … You find

every part of the crystal in focus.

one and think, ‘Oh, this one is really

McNeill takes bursts of photos,

cool,’ and next thing it blows away.”

minutely rocking the camera back

McNeill uses a Canon R5 or R6 mirrorless camera, equipped with a 100 mm macro lens, an adjustable

those images and stack them to try to get a more focused snowflake.”

ring light and two extension tubes.

He captures thousands of images

“The extension tubes take the lens

per hour. In post-processing, he

farther away from the sensor in the

removes the hat’s fibers, darkens the

camera, and that makes for a bigger

background and reduces visual noise.

snowflake when I look through

It can take four hours of editing to

the viewfinder.”

create one finished product.

PHOTOS >> 1. A rare, 12-branched snow crystal. 2. Bullet rosettes have multiple column crystals that grow together at random orientations, joined at a central ice grain. 3. An up-close view shows off the intricate, elegant details of a fernlike stellar dendrite branch. Top-right of this page: The rays of colorful light in some of McNeill’s photos result from his camera flash refracting within the snow crystal, shown in this image of a fernlike stellar dendrite.

McNeill will share details about his winter photography methods at a virtual program on Tuesday, January 23 from 7–8:15 pm. Adults. Get a ticket at

and forth. Using software, “I can take

Snow-cabulary BRANCH: A main arm of a snow crystal. Grows from a corner of a seed crystal. NEEDLE: Slender, pointy ice structure. PLATE: Thin, flat ice structure.

LCFPD.org/ snowflake.

SEED CRYSTAL: Simple, six-sided ice prism. Building block for more complex snow crystals. SIDE-BRANCH: Smaller branch that splits off a main branch. Like a twig splitting off a tree branch. SNOW CRYSTAL: Single, six-sided ice crystal. Contains a seed crystal.

LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRE S E RVES

PRESERVENEWS Illuminate Your Nights Struggling to enjoy nature with the earlier sunsets? Solar-powered lights guide the way for hikers, skiers and snowshoers to get evening exercise along the 1.3-mile fitness trail at Old School Forest Preserve (Mettawa), and along a hilly, 1.65-mile section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the Winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve (Wauconda). Solar lights serve as a guide. Visitors are encouraged to bring a flashlight or headlamp for added illumination. Though regular preserve hours are 6:30 am to sunset, the illuminated trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open until 9 pm daily through Sunday, March 10. Visit: LCFPD.org/solar-lit

Championing Environmental Responsibility We’re thrilled to have received a prestigious Best Green Practices award from the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD). This accolade recognizes our unwavering commitment to environmentally friendly business practices and policies. It celebrates our dedication to sustainability and responsible stewardship of natural resources. “The Lake County Forest Preserves is considered one of the elites in the state in green practices,” IAPD leaders said. We are dedicated to ensuring new and retrofitted facilities are models of long-lasting, energy-efficient design. Four net-zero energy Forest Preserves buildings are complete, under construction or in the engineering phase. Read more: LCFPD.org/green-award Pictured left to right: President Angelo Kyle; IAPD Chairman Jeff Rigoni; Commissioner Jennifer Clark; Rebekah Snyder, director of community engagement and partnerships; Commissioner John Wasik; Executive Director Alex Ty Kovach

GIFT CARDS FOR SALE Delight the golf aficionados, history and nature enthusiasts in your life with the perfect present. Our three golf courses, the Dunn Museum (Libertyville) and Independence Grove Forest Preserve (Libertyville) all offer gift cards. Purchase at LCFPD.org/giftcards. Golf gift cards are perfect for green fees, golf carts and pro shop items. Museum gift cards can be used to purchase in-person admission tickets and gift shop merchandise. Independence Grove gift cards can be used for boat and bike rentals and the parking fee for nonresidents. Gift cards incur no service charges or hidden fees, and they never expire. The amount you buy is redeemable in full forever.

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Eastern gray squirrel

(Sciurus carolinensis)

Williams Architects' rendering

TRIO OF DIRECTORS WITH MORE THAN A CENTURY OF SERVICE RETIRE Three veteran leaders who helped shape the Forest Preserves recently retired. Their expertise, skill and dedication are evident in countless projects and initiatives.

Net-Zero Energy Maintenance Facility Under Construction Construction of a net-zero energy maintenance facility started at the end of September at Lakewood Forest Preserve (Wauconda). The new building will have a solar photovoltaic array that will produce enough renewable energy to meet its own annual energy consumption requirements, reducing the use of nonrenewable energy. The building incorporates windows for daylighting of workspaces and a building envelope that will reduce power usage. The facility will house seven full-time workers and four seasonal employees who take care of forest preserves in the southwest quadrant of the county. It features six vehicle bays, an unheated storage garage, offices and a mechanical room. The 8,000-square-foot building will allow for the removal of three other buildings currently in use that total approximately 11,460 square feet. “Sustainability is now included in every aspect of the Forest Preserves’ operations,” said Executive Director Alex Ty Kovach.

Director of Education Nan Buckardt played a pivotal role in relocating the Dunn Museum to its current Libertyville location and creating the collections storage facility. In her 39 years at the Forest Preserves, she and her team ignited the curiosity of more than 1.5 million participants in natural and human history programs. “There have been numerous instances where I’ve witnessed the powerful impact of education,” Buckardt said. During his 38-year tenure, Randy Seebach, director of planning and land preservation, played a vital role in shaping the Lake County landscape. The extensive trail network is his legacy. Seebach oversaw the completion of 153 miles of trails and 40 master plans encompassing 19,000 acres of forest preserve land. “I will be forever grateful for the positive impact I had on the quality of life for so many people,” he said. Chief Operations Officer Mike Tully, who stepped down in July after 32 years, helped create a culture of excellence in public safety and the care and maintenance of trails and amenities. He represented the Forest Preserves on several local, state and national organizations and helped make Lake County’s lands and people healthier, safer and more resilient.

NAN BUCKARDT

RANDY SEEBACH

MIKE TULLY

PLAN YOUR 2024 EVENTS AMID NATURE'S BEAUTY Set against stunning natural backdrops, the Greenbelt Cultural Center (North Chicago) and the Lodge at ThunderHawk Golf Club (Beach Park) are accepting bookings for 2024 private events. These picturesque venues boast a wide range of versatile spaces suitable for business meetings, memorials, showers, weddings and other special events. Whether you prefer indoor or outdoor settings, we have options to meet your needs and preferences. View details: LCFPD.org/rentals

LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRE S E RVES

TOGETHER, ACHIEVING MORE FOR THE FOREST PRESERVES.

Since 2007, the Preservation Foundation has encouraged individuals, corporations and foundations to support Forest Preserves projects, programs and places they are passionate about. Every gift of every size counts. There are many ways you can extend and accelerate the work of the Forest Preserves. Accelerator Funds provide flexible funding to test a new approach or accelerate an existing project. You can support the parts of our mission that are most meaningful to you and help us do more with each dollar.

CARE OF TRAILS AND PRESERVES Help us care for more than 31,100 acres and 209 miles of trails.

HABITAT RESTORATION Support land management activities to ensure woodlands, prairies, wetlands, lakes and rivers function at their highest ecological level.

NATURE AND HISTORY EDUCATION

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

Cultivate today’s environmental stewards and

Volunteers power every part of our mission.

nurture the next generation of nature enthusiasts

Grow this vital group of passionate, dedicated

by supporting education programs across

leaders and help them do more to restore,

Lake County’s diverse communities.

educate and care for local lands and rivers.

Annual Fund donations go where they are needed most! Funds kick-start new initiatives, such as the launch of a county-wide bee monitoring program in 2022. They also leverage other grants and donations, including training and equipping volunteers to conduct prescribed burns. Prescribed burns are one of the most effective, economical land management tools.

Donor Societies help the Forest Preserves achieve more in every aspect of our mission. As a member, you will receive invitations to special events, programs and experiences. The GUARDIAN SOCIETY recognizes donors

individuals who have left a legacy for the

$1,000 or more to the Forest Preserves.

Forest Preserves in their will or estate plan.

Ways to Give:

1 8

The PRESERVATION SOCIETY consists of

who make an annual commitment of

Mail your gift using the envelope in Horizons magazine.

HORI ZONS QUARTERLY WIN T E R 2 02 3

Make your gift online at LCFPD.org/donate.

Become a monthly donor to provide ongoing support we can count on. Your gift adds up, helping the Forest Preserves restore more land and educate and inspire more Lake County residents and visitors.

The Preservation Foundation is the charitable partner of the Lake County Forest Preserves. Learn more at LCFPD.org /donate or call 847-968-3110.

Endowment Fund donations ensure high-quality habitats—restored and healthy woodlands, prairies, wetlands, lakes and rivers that residents love and depend on—are protected forever. With public funds, grants and donations, the Forest Preserves can acquire and restore land to ecological health. It is essential that resources are in place to ensure ongoing care. In 2019, we launched a community campaign to fund a permanent endowment. Our goal is to raise $20 million by the end of 2025. When we reach our goal, we estimate the endowment will generate $800,000 annually. This perpetual, dependable funding source will help ensure Lake County’s natural ecosystems remain healthy and resilient for generations to come.

Project & Program Funds focus on key initiatives where steady philanthropic support is critical to sustaining—or growing—our mission. BESS BOWER DUNN MUSEUM

BLANDING’S TURTLE RECOVERY PROGRAM

The Dunn Museum (Libertyville) collects, preserves

Thanks to hundreds of donors over the past

and interprets the natural and cultural history of

decade, Lake County’s Blanding’s turtle

Lake County. Donors help us attract more visitors

(Emydoidea blandingii) population is one

through special exhibitions and deepen

of the largest in the Midwest.

understanding by supporting education programs.

GATEWAYS GRANTS Lack of funding should not be a barrier to benefiting from our award-winning school programs. Gateways Grants provide fee waivers and a $150 transportation stipend for eligible Lake County school districts.

SCIENCE EXPLORERS IN NATURE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

This four-week summer science program gives Lake County middle school students a hands-on

If we build it, will they come? Wildlife monitoring

experience in nature at a critical point in their

is essential to restoration planning and allocating

development, when natural enthusiasm for science

land management resources appropriately.

often wanes. Donors make this free program possible.

Gift planning through stock gifts, IRA charitable rollovers or non-probate assets. Visit LCFPD.org/gift-planning. You may also contact Erika Stergos, Preservation Foundation executive director, at estergos@LCFPD.org or 847-968-3129 to learn how you can preserve what you love.

Include the Preservation Foundation in your estate plan. Free tools are provided by our partners at FreeWill: FreeWill.com/PreservationFoundation

LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRE S E RVES

FEATURED EVENTS For a full list of events, descriptions, pricing and tickets:

Visit LCFPD.org/calendar, call 847-968-3321 or scan the QR code shown on the left. In-person

and virtual nature and history programs, school field trips, and digital resources are available.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS Experience Lake County history and nature from the comfort of your home. View all programs and find registration details at LCFPD.org/virtual.

January 23 Winter Photography with R. Scott McNeill January 25, February 22 Native Gardeners Club: Ready, Set, Grow February 5 Mindful Moments with History: Reflecting on Stevenson’s Words February 6 Animals in Winter February 7 Senior Series: What’s in a Name February 15 A Life Worth Remembering: A Sculptural Biography of Abraham Lincoln (virtual or in-person)

WINTER-THEMED PROGRAMS There are many ways to enjoy the winter season, from a peaceful morning walk to learning how to identify native trees using branches, buds and bark. View all winter-themed programs and find registration details at LCFPD.org/calendar.

January 16 Senior Series: Animal Tracks January 20 Winter Tree Identification January 21 Sunday Stroll: Lyons Woods February 1 Snowy Storytime February 3 Woodpeckers of Lake County February 17 Coyotes and Other Canines

LAKE COUNTY HISTORY SYMPOSIUM • January 4 and 18, 6:30–8:30 pm Calling all history buffs! The 9th annual Lake County History Symposium takes place virtually from 6:30–8:30 pm on January 4 and 18. This year’s theme, Good Neighbors: Making a Difference in Lake County, will share stories of individuals and organizations that made significant contributions to society and work to improve their communities today. FREE. All ages. Each evening will feature three different presentations. Register for both days to

experience all six. Get tickets: LCFPD.org/symposium

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Recycle Your Tree

Have a question about Lake County history or nature? Our educators have the answer. Email: AskAnEducator@LCFPD.org

Donate your real, undecorated holiday tree to us and we'll recycle it into wood chips for trails and landscaping in your forest preserves. Find drop-off sites: LCFPD.org/tree-recycle

PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE • February 4, 3–4:30 pm

PROFILES IN EXCELLENCE Join us for the 41st annual Profiles in Excellence event at Greenbelt Cultural Center (North Chicago) for inspiring

presentations and performances in honor of Black History Month. FREE. All ages. Learn more: LCFPD.org/profiles

GUIDED MAPLE SYRUP HIKES • March 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 A sure sign that spring is right around the corner is the annual tapping of the sugar maple trees at Ryerson Conservation Area (Riverwoods). Learn how trees work and about the sweet science of maple syrup during this popular program. Every participant gets a taste of locally made syrup. All ages. Time slots available every 30 minutes from 12–2 pm. Tickets required: LCFPD.org/maple-syrup

COMING SOON! 2024 SUMMER ADVENTURES We’re offering nature and history summer programs for children and teenagers, taught by experienced educators. Activities include developmentally appropriate hands-on components geared to all ages. Discover the unique stories of local history, investigate the plants and animals of the area, and more. Registration opens March 1. Explore the options: LCFPD.org/summer

LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRE S E RVES

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS

OPEN THROUGH JANUARY 15 • IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL

Explore the bones and fossils belonging to the giant creatures that once roamed the earth! View and touch six complete dinosaur skeletal molds including a Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor. Stand next to a 6-foot-1 Apatosaurus femur. See molds of skulls, arms, legs, eggs and footprints in this interactive exhibition. Plan your visit: LCFPD.org/planyourvisit Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed has been developed by the Arkansas Discovery Network, a statewide museum partnership operated by the Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Sponsored by:

ON EXHIBIT FEBRUARY 10–APRIL 7: Managing Healthy Landscapes As principal guardian of Lake County’s open space and natural areas, the Lake County Forest Preserves has been preserving and restoring local landscapes since 1958. Healthy landscapes enhance our physical and mental well-being, counteract climate change, and prevent the loss of Lake County’s native species. Discover the transformative nature of restoration in Lake County.

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Tree by Tree: MONITORING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

LAST WINTER, Restoration Ecologist Dan Sandacz found a swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) that sprouted from an acorn decades before the American Revolutionary War. Growing at Captain Daniel Wright Woods Forest Preserve (Mettawa), the tree has a 50-inch diameter at breast height (DBH). That’s about the size of a large dining room table. While tree growth depends on factors such as soil composition, climate and competition, the higher the DBH, the older the tree probably is. That swamp white oak is likely more than 300 years old. Sandacz documented it as part of the Forest Preserves’ Tree Canopy Monitoring Program. It aims to sample every woodland, upland forest and flatwoods habitat within your preserves every 10–15 years. Sandacz and Restoration Ecologist Ken Klick co-lead the program, launched in 2021. It’s designed “to create a baseline, long-term dataset of tree canopies found in woodland habitats throughout the forest preserves,” Sandacz said. “We’ll be able to understand the composition of tree species and to evaluate how natural resource management efforts impact woodland habitats long term.” Management efforts include prescribed burns and removal of the invasive species common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). Burns happen in one day. Buckthorn removal can take a day, month, season or longer. But trees are old souls, standing witness to countless changes over many years. “They respond to management at a slower pace compared to herbaceous plants,” said Sandacz. We’ll use the information collected to describe tree canopies at different preserves, focusing on forest health, age and canopy structure. The results can help us estimate important metrics of woodland quality and ecosystem services.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP-LEFT: Klick walks through Wright Woods with equipment. • Sandacz measures a tree’s diameter at breast height. • Aerial view of tree monitoring plots on the Forest Preserves' database. • A stream flows through Wright Woods on a winter day.

LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRES E RVES

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DATA COLLECTION For five months from October 2022–March 2023, monitoring efforts focused on Wright Woods, Grainger

100 square meters, about as large as an Olympicsize trampoline.

Woods Conservation Preserve and MacArthur Woods

The group then paired off to follow two protocols:

Forest Preserve (all in Mettawa). Located near the Des

tree canopy monitoring and shrub monitoring.

Plaines River in southeastern Lake County, these preserves

For the former, teams identified and measured

contain high-quality flatwoods and upland forests.

every tree inside the plot with a DBH higher than

Sandacz and Klick invited our environmental educators, including Jen Berlinghof and Eileen Davis, to help collect data. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Klick, Sandacz and two educators ventured into the woods in search of

10 cm, or about 4 inches. They also took notes on each tree’s health. For shrub monitoring, the pairs counted the numbers and sizes of species found within a 5-meter radius from the post.

monitoring plots. They toted pounds of gear: measuring

“In practice, both protocols involved Ken and Dan

tapes, metal posts, iPads and a tall, yellow-and-orange

carrying a meter tape and walking in a slow circle,

tool called a Bad Elf.

measuring plants and calling out stats,” Berlinghof

“The Bad Elf locates GPS coordinates,” Berlinghof said. “It reminded me of Gandalf’s staff from The Lord of the

said, “while Eileen and I recorded data on iPads into our in-house database.”

Rings.” When the group arrived at the correct area, they

After sampling 9–12 plots per day, the group

used the Bad Elf to pinpoint the center of each plot and

followed Sandacz and the Bad Elf out of the woods,

pounded a metal post into the ground. Each circular

their minds—and the Forest Preserves’ database—

plot, randomly selected through mapping software, has

loaded with new information.

Forest Phrases CANOPY: Top layer of a forest that contains leafy tree crowns. Provides

FLATWOODS: Woodlands with flat, dense clay and poor drainage. In spring and fall, small depressions fill with water to create breeding habitat for amphibians and insects.

food and shelter for squirrels, owls,

MAST YEAR: Year when oaks produce

butterflies and other animals.

a bumper crop of acorns. Animals can’t

DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT (DBH): Measurement of a tree’s diameter about

eat all of them, helping ensure some acorns will germinate into new trees.

4.5 feet off the ground. Approximates

UNDERSTORY: Lower layer of a forest

the tree’s age.

between the ground and the canopy

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: Essential benefits and products of nature that

a 17.8-meter radius. This ensures the plot covers

where shrubs, herbaceous plants and young trees grow.

make human life possible, such as

UPLAND FOREST: Forest with canopy

clean air, fresh water and food.

trees and well-drained soils.

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Scan this QR code to watch a video with soothing winter shots of Wright Woods.

FACTS AND FIGURES By March, staff had sampled 2,195 trees across 176 plots. "Oaks make up 81% of the trees sampled at Grainger Woods, 47% at MacArthur Woods and 52% at Wright Woods," Sandacz said. “Tree composition gives insight into which species are dominant and how comparable the composition is across preserves.” At Wright Woods, the tree composition appears more diverse, featuring shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and ironwood (Ostrya virginiana). This could be due to Wright Woods being the largest site with the most sample plots. “Alternatively, there could be some patterns related to management, site history, soil or moisture conditions that could explain differences in composition,” said Sandacz. Large datasets allow ecologists to “see broad patterns of tree age” and estimate when trees first sprouted. For example, the size distribution of white oaks (Quercus alba) across the three preserves is similar. This indicates that “white oaks established around the same time, likely around mast years.”

Meanwhile, most sugar maples (Acer saccharum) at MacArthur Woods “are relatively small with a few large outliers.” With a median DBH of 23 cm, or about 9 inches, many of these trees established about 50 years ago.

ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS The Tree Canopy Monitoring Program is off to a swift start. But with answers come more questions. “As we continue to monitor other preserves, it will be interesting to see how they compare and what we learn about their natural history,” Sandacz said. “How does prescribed burning influence the composition of tree species throughout the forest preserves? This is one of many questions we hope to explore.” Monitoring efforts are underway this season. “It’s satisfying to know these efforts are laying the groundwork toward a goal of the Forest Preserves,” Berlinghof said. “We want to understand Lake County’s tree populations today so we can better protect them for tomorrow.” Learn more about our natural resource management strategies at LCFPD.org/conservation.

MACARTHUR WOODS

PHOTOS >> TOP-LEFT: Sandacz measures a 17.8-meter radius for a sample plot. TOP-CENTER: Berlinghof installs a metal post to mark the center of a sample plot. Sandacz holds a Bad Elf to calibrate GPS coordinates. TOP-RIGHT: Klick measures a tree’s diameter at breast height, or DBH, with a flexible measuring tape. BOTTOM-LEFT: Davis records data on an iPad while using an iPhone to find compass coordinates.

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