Natural Enquirer - January/February by Schaumburg Park District

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.8 no.1 • Jan.-Feb. 2017

In this issue...

There is a saying that those who don’t understand history are doomed to repeat it. During the 19th century, most people were still intimately connected with the land but had only intuitive knowledge of how those connections worked. A lack of scientific knowledge, especially regarding disease and its causes, meant that people could unknowingly make themselves sick or poison the land through poorly understood actions. Today, advancing science and technology allow us to often clearly see and understand how it is that our actions affect the health of the land and human health. At the same time, our lifestyles completely obscure or even sever our once close connection to the landscape. Not only that, but we live in an age when many people distrust science or simply feel that it is incomprehensible to the common person. The result is that we often continue to make decisions and take actions that can hurt us or the land on which we depend. While our educational institutions bear the responsibility of educating us about how the world works, places like Spring Valley assume the responsibility of helping to foster deeper connections to the land. We invite you to be a part of our mission, and help us do our part to build a more connected, more aware, and better educated society!

Inside Moments of Connection.......................................2

Volunteer News Contents

Of Microbes and Mussels....................................3

2016 Volunteer Recognition Awards..................6

What’s Happenin’.............................................. 4-5

Volunteer Information..........................................7

Spring Valley General Information....................10

Volunteer Calendar........................................... 8-9

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

Moments of Connection

by Dave Brooks

pring Valley, and places like it in communities around the nation, serves a very important function and purpose in the lives of people today. These places are here to remind us of our inseparable connection to the land, something that is all too often overlooked or even forgotten in today’s high-tech, high-speed urban society. The land at Spring Valley demonstrates that beyond the realm of our day-to-day family, work, school, and social lives, there is a complex and intricately beautiful community of both living and non-living things that sustains us. It also reveals the stories of past people who possessed an intimacy with and depth of knowledge about the natural world that many of us have lost. schedules to nurture a relationship with the land or seek to connect with our agricultural roots, we enrich our lives and deepen our sense of belonging to a particular place— something for which most people express a deep need. Community nature centers and museums serve as

Our connection to the land is at once physical, emotional, intellectual, and for many, spiritual. The emotional benefits of connecting to nature become obvious to us when we acknowledge the relaxing and stress-reducing effect of a walk through nature’s beauty. The power of the land to physically sustain us can be directly experienced and better understood at the Heritage Farm and via some of the Nature Center’s gardening programs. Knowledge about the natural world and local history, as well as a better understanding of our relationship to the land, is obtained by attending classes, reading books, exploring reliable online resources, and asking lots of questions. The deeper emotional and spiritual sustenance we derive from the land is less obvious and more elusive for the casual visitor. It is only revealed through time and effort spent physically immersed in wild landscapes, time spent observing and deepening our understanding of nature’s intricacies, and time spent in quiet, often solitary reflection of its wonders.

beacons to help guide and inspire you to carve out those treasured moments of connection. Spring Valley has served as Schaumburg’s community nature center and cultural history museum for the past 30+ years. During that time, it has been the beneficiary of an abundance of community support. From the very beginning, with the passage of a Museum Tax referendum in the 1970s, enthusiasm for

funding and maintaining a nature center has been high. Support today comes in many forms: patronage at events and programs, donations of money and artifacts, and volunteerism. It is an understatement to say that Spring Valley would not be here today were it not for our many friends and supporters in the community. Spring Valley’s mission is to help connect people with the natural landscape and farming history of the region. This is achieved any time a family chooses to prioritize time at Spring Valley within their busy schedules. It is also achieved when people choose to help nurture Illinois’ natural communities back to health via volunteer conservation efforts or help care for the livestock and artifacts at the farm. In 2017, we will be sending out a community-wide invitation to residents and our visitors to consider becoming a friend and supporter of Spring Valley by either volunteering time OR becoming an annual pass holder. The annual pass

program provides a variety of benefits and discounts to our programs and gift shops, free admission to our special events, and other special opportunities throughout the year. It just might be the perfect gift for your family or the Spring Valley lover in your life! We invite you to deepen your connections and sense of belonging to Spring Valley during the coming year!

The key requirement of time—a valuable commodity in today’s world—makes this a challenge! When we make time in our busy 2

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

Of Microbes and Mussels

by Walter Plinske

hat could a benighted country halfway around the world, a Midwestern Indian Chief, and a turn-of-the-century canal possibly have in common? Afghanistan, the site of America’s longest war, was once called “the graveyard of Empires” and has been an epicenter of conflict for at least 2,000 years. Black Hawk was a Native American leader from the early 1800s who chose to lead his people peacefully back into a land from which they were wrongfully dispossessed and, subsequently, he became the namesake of the ensuing conflict with area settlers and militia men. The Chicago Sanitary and ship canal (CSSC), today referred to as the Chicago Diversion, was called the engineering triumph of the age when it was built in the early years of the 20th century. It reversed the flow of a river and connected the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River.

What links these three disparate subjects together is one disease, caused by a water born microbe, the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera, the scourge of the 19th century, was the most horrific public health threat up till that time. Until the early 1800s, cholera was still confined to the Indian subcontinent. There it killed millions in regions plagued by unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, and shortages of clean water. In the 1820s, Russian troops occupied nearby Afghanistan in a bid to extend their empire into British controlled India. From there, the microbe was carried in the soldiers’ bodies back to Russia and into Poland. By 1831, cholera was devastating London and Paris. “The pandemic of the Industrial Revolution” was spread by steam powered transportation, population migration, crowded cities, tainted water supplies, and wholly ineffective sewage disposal. In a short time, the disease traveled across the Atlantic with immigrants on crowded ships that carried it first to Montreal. From there it travelled up the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes. From New York City to Buffalo and on to Detroit, the epidemic killed thousands and caused rioting in Chief Black Hawk the streets. In 1832, cholera reached Chicago from Buffalo, N.Y. in a quirky twist of fate. Chief Black Hawk, of the Sauk and the Fox, led a party of 1,000 men, women, and children from Iowa across the Mississippi into Illinois. In response, Illinois governor John Reynolds dispatched 2,000 militia men to counter the perceived threat. Unfortunately,

the federal government also dispatched troops from Buffalo via steamship to confront the outnumbered Indians. Cholera soon appeared at Fort Dearborn, carried by the hapless soldiers who were too sick to help the Illinois militia in eventually defeating Black Hawk. Had those superfluous troops remained in Buffalo, Chicago may have avoided its first deadly cholera outbreak.

Cal-Sag Canal

The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse diarrhea and vomiting of clear liquid, which can result in life-threatening dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The source of contamination is typically other cholera sufferers when diarrhea is allowed to get into waterways, groundwater, or drinking water supplies. Drinking any infected water and eating foods washed in the water, as well as shellfish living in the affected water, John K. Polk can cause the infection. Cholera is rarely spread person to person.

common. A major outbreak of cholera in 1885 was said to have claimed 90,000 people. The new canal reversed the flow of the Chicago River, allowing the drinking water source to be relatively free of pollution. There was, however, considerable dismay expressed by the people living downstream of Chicago’s sanitary solution; and, even to this day, the situation remains highly litigious.

And what of the mussel, in this case, the zebra mussel and other invasive species such as the bighead carp? Mounting concern for native food chains in the Mississippi River and Great Lakes watersheds has prompted experts to question the continued suitability of the Chicago Diversion. What is being considered is the full separation of the two waterways to prevent the transfer of species like the zebra mussel, which is now Zebra Mussels infesting Water has been diverted from the great Lake Michigan since 1848. lakes and The completion of the CSSC could in 1900 and the Calumet-Sag become Channel in 1922 allowed the a donor, diversion to flow all the way to the via the Illinois River. Before this diversion, diversion, raw sewage and heavily polluted to the rest water flowed directly into Lake of the Michigan via the Chicago River. United States. Likewise, the bighead The city’s water intake cribs were just carp could make its way from the offshore in the lake, making outbreaks Mississippi into the Great Lakes. Reof waterborne diseases like typhoid, reversing the flow of the Chicago River hepatitis, polio, encephalitis, and cholera is the only 100% solution! 3

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

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 offers 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. Please take advantage of this opportunity. It is our attempt to serve you better!

Growing Up Wild: Early Childhood Teacher’s Workshop

Saturday, Feb. 4 • 9:00 a.m.- Noon Join us for a hands-on workshop designed for early childhood educators. Growing Up Wild builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them.

PLT: Early Childhood Teacher Workshop

Saturday, Feb. 11 • 9:00 a.m.- Noon Enjoy a half day of curriculum exploration! Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood includes more than 130 activities that engage children in outdoor play and exploration. Designed for educators with children ages 3 to 6.

Winter Ecology

Friday, Feb. 10 • 4:30-10 p.m. & Saturday, Feb. 11 • 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Explore the world of winter ecosystems with staff from Brookfield Zoo and Spring Valley Nature Center. Learn what makes winter so important to the plants and animals living in Chicago Wilderness. Discover the strategies they use to survive seasonal change and become an expert on mammal adaptations. Broaden your observation and descriptive skills while experimenting with ice and snow and use math and science skills to identify animal signs, tracks, and scat. Activities include winter astronomy, animal tracking, and snow ecology. Perfect for teachers in grades 4-6. Appropriate life science NGSS standards will be addressed. Friday’s class will be held at Brookfield Zoo and Saturday’s at Spring Valley. Fee: $155, 1 optional graduate credit ($100 through Aurora University). Register at czs.org/teacher-classes. Contact Renee Anderson at 708-688-8372 or Renee.Anderson@czs.org with questions.

ADULT or TEEN

Spring Valley Winter Fest

Farm to Table Cooking Series

Learn ways to use simple farm fresh ingredients to create wholesome, delicious dishes at home.

NEW • Pretzels O’ Plenty

Saturday, Jan. 28 • 10 a.m.-Noon Try your hand at making some easy pretzel recipes and take home a block of cheese.

NEW • The Sweet Life - Sugar Basics

Saturday, Feb. 25 • 10 a.m.-Noon Learn how different sweeteners work and make two dishes with different forms of sugar.

Farm Fresh Eggs

Saturday, March 25 • 10 a.m.-Noon Make two egg dishes and enjoy them with fresh baked bread and country sausage.

Saturday & Sunday, Jan 14 & 15 Noon - 3 p.m. • Nature Center

Weekly Yoga at the Cabin

Tuesday, Jan. 3 - March 14 • 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3 - March 14 • 7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5 - March 16 • 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5 - March 16 • 7:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a weekly yoga class at Merkle Cabin in the woods. Bring a yoga mat and small blanket.

Get bundled up and join in some winter fun. Enjoy snowshoe walks through the prairie, horse-drawn wagon rides, crafts and activities inside the Nature Center, marshmallows roasted on a winter bonfire and a visit by a live wolf and coyote. Warm beverages and winter snacks available for purchase.

FAMILY

Admission: $3/person or $12/family, children 3 and under free.

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.

Sundown Supper in the Sugar Bush

Family Winter Tree Hunt

Saturday, Feb. 25 • 4-6 p.m. Help tapping some maple trees, gather sap and tend the boil down. Then enjoy a pancake ‘supper’ at the Cabin with real maple syrup.

Saturday, March 4 • 1-2:30 p.m. Learn all about local trees and their unique features while following the clues on the map. 4

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

Winter Campfire in the Cabin

Home School Naturalist Group Programs

Saturday, Feb. 4 • 6:30-8 p.m. Enjoy a short hike through the woods to the log cabin, tell stories, sing songs, enjoy hot chocolate and practice some pioneer skills!

Spring Valley Nature Center and Heritage Farm are the perfect places for hands-on, exploration based science programs.

Winter Full Moon Hike

Saturday, March 11 • 6-7:30 p.m. Explore Spring Valley after hours, play in the snow, hunt for nocturnal animals and enjoy the moonlight.

This winter the following topics are offered:

• Stars & Constellations – Explore the far-out world of stars while traveling the life cycle of a star, telling constellation stories and star-hopping across the winter sky. • Pioneer Living – Travel back in time and practice pioneer skills, including weaving and cooking over a fire. • Winter Insects – Discover what insects need to do to survive the winter while searching under logs, leaves and ice for these tiny animals. Available Every Winter – Winter Ecology, Nighttime Nature, Owls: Predators of the Night

YOUTH Chickadee’s Day Out

Sunday, Jan. 22 • 4-5 p.m. Chickadee will brighten up the winter with its song. Make a special treat for out feathered.

NEW • Cub Scout Saturdays

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

Saturdays • 9-10:30 a.m. Jan. 7................ Wolf: Digging in the Past Jan. 28.............. Bear: Super Science Feb. 18............. Webelos: Earth Rocks Get a hands-on approach to complete some requirements for your achievements and electives with an experienced naturalist.

Winter S.O.S.

Saturday, Feb. 25 • 1-3 p.m. Bundle up and learn what it takes to survive a Midwest winter.

Dutch Oven Valentines

Saturday, Feb. 11 • 10 a.m.-Noon Hike to the cabin and help make some delicious treats to bake over a toasty wood fire.

Winter Wanderers

Saturday, Feb. 25 • 11 a.m.-Noon Take a walk through the winter woods, explore animal tracks left by our Spring Valley residents and solve winter mysteries.

Frozen Scientists

Saturday, Jan. 28 • 3-4 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of snow and ice-related experiments and crafts. Prepare to go outside.

NEW • Girl Scout Saturdays

SugarBush Fair Schaumburg Park District's

Saturdays • 11 a.m.-Noon Jan. 7................ Daisy: Clover’s Story Jan. 28.............. Brownie: Senses Feb. 18............. Junior: Animal Habitats Get a hands-on approach to complete some requirements for your achievements and electives with an experienced naturalist.

FREE ADMISSION!

NEW • Painting with Nature

Saturday, Jan. 21 • 10:30 a.m.-Noon Gather with fellow artists and create a winter masterpiece to brighten up your walls.

Snow Bunnies

MAPLE SUGARING-Originally published by Currier & Ives

Sunday, Jan. 29 • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Enjoy a story then head out to explore the snowy trails for signs of Spring Valley’s hoppy residents.

Saturday & Sunday, March 18 & 19 Enjoy a pancake breakfast with real maple syrup, sausage, juice and coffee. See authentic demonstrations of maple syrup production, a pioneer sugar camp, children’s puppet show, hayride and sales of syrup and other goodies. Breakfast tickets will be available for purchase mid-February. Click here for more information.

Spring Valley Spring Break Camp

Mon.-Fri., March 27-30 • 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. While taking a break from school, spend some time at Spring Valley as spring approaches and the days become a little warmer.

the beauty of the winter landscape in a new way! The following rental policies apply: Snowshoe Rentals Experience

• There must be at least four inches of snow on the ground before rentals will be made available. • First-time renters will be asked to view a short videotape on the proper way to use snowshoes prior to taking them out. • A rental application and liability waiver must be filled out at the Nature Center Visitor Center. • A driver’s license or some other form of ID is required as deposit. • Rental rate is $4 for a maximum of three hours for use at Spring Valley. • Rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. All rentals must be returned by 4:30 p.m. • Special youth group rates are available after 3 p.m. on weekdays. Call to inquire. No youth groups on weekends. • To take snowshoes off site, a deposit of $50 is required. The cost is $10 per day.

Call 847/985-2100 for more information. 5

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

Spring Valley Volunteer Recognition for 2016

Spring Valley held its Volunteer Holiday Celebration and Recognition event on Friday, December 9. It was wonderful that so many volunteers could join us for the evening’s festivities. Activities included the chance to socialize with fellow volunteers, the toasting of wassail, the pleasure of delectable food, and of course, the recognition of our fantastic volunteers. Spring Valley volunteers, along with the help of local church, corporate, school, and scout groups, contributed 11,582.5 hours in 2016. It’s wonderful to see such strong community support. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their time and talent to Spring Valley. We simply could not accomplish as much as we do without you! As is traditionally done this time of year, we would like to specifically recognize people for their accomplishments over the past year. First 25 hours of service Pat Dillon Gary Glatzhofer Mary Harlos Jeff Huebner Maggie Justen Pat Ramos Hope Rapp Joe Scacco Luke Schmidt Tessa Sheeks Kayley Stoner Lydia Tarasiuk Julie Worsham Caroline Wygant 50 to 99 Hours Kaitlyn Ball Caroline Bezik Deanna Bruckner Pat Campbell Dennis Colbert Rosemary Colbert Gretchen Coleman Christine Curin Ray Deibert Nancy Griffin Karen Kusek Nancy Lyons Nancy Mamsen Mary Matz Sandy Meo Janet Neally Penny Perles Tom Perles

Walter Plinske Mert Rutledge Leo Salais Tony Satoh Eileen Skiba Gerri Svenson Carol Thomas Caroline Wygant Rich Wysocki

Roy Svenson Al Vogel 400 to 499 Hours Pete Gigous Tony Meo Ken Ogorzalek 500+ Hours Barb Mitchell

100 to 199 Hours Carol Anagnostopoulos Duane Bolin Daryle Drew Andrea Farnham Louis Handke-Roth Arthur Jeczala Barb Kuhn Bruce Kuhnhofer James McGee Roger Nelson Don Olszewski Tessa Sheeks Laurie Tatom Angela Waidanz Carolyn White

Two Years: James Baum Betty Bei Gretchen Coleman Elaine Deibert Babs Eddington Louis Handke-Roth Jennifer Harkin Jeff Huebner Autumn Latus Vicki Mann Don Olszewski Jennifer O’Reilly Pat Ramos Tony Satoh Steven Zanfardino

200 to 299 Hours Barb Dochterman Andy Farnham Jay Laski Dick Ruffolo

Five Years Carol Anagnostopoulos Kaitlyn Ball Ryan Ochs Jim Peterson Ann Scacco Al Vogel

300 to 399 Hours Lynn Eikenbary 6

Ten Years Jerome Dvoratchek Barb Kuhn Sandee Lovisa Nancy Mamsen James McGee Patty Ochs Leo Salais Tom Skiba Fifteen Years Arlene Krizka Nancy Lyons Sue Ringfelt Amy Vito Twenty Years George Bailey Nancy Filo Arthur Jeczala Twenty-Five Years Dean Bruckner Deanna Bruckner

Note: If you are due an award and haven’t yet received it, please stop by the Nature Center by Feb. 1 so we can personally present it to you. Thanks you.

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7

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 Workday

January 28 Put on your grubby clothes, dress for the weather, and help us cut buckthorn. The workday run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Winter Fest January 14 & 15 Get bundled up and join in some winter fun. Volunteers are needed to assist with various winter-related activities, both inside and out. Shift time is 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Prescribed Burn Training Saturday, February 18 Learn the philosophy behind controlled burns and why we use this important management tool at Spring Valley. Volunteers who attend the training

will then be eligible to assist with the prescribed burns we do in spring and fall. Training is scheduled from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. in the Nature Center classroom. Sugar Bush Set-Up March 16 Can’t help at the Sugar Bush Fair, but still want to be part of it? Join us the Thursday before the event to help set-up. We have a variety of activities which need to be done. Come at 9:30 a.m. and stay for all or part of the day!

Sugar Bush March 18 & 19 It’s not too early to start thinking about the Sugar Bush Fair. If you think you’ll be available to help, please give me a call. Shift time is 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Remember – there’s a free pancake breakfast for all volunteers!

Dates to Remember

• Saturday, Jan. 14................. Noon-3pm Winter Fest • Sunday, Jan. 15................... Noon-3pm Winter Fest • Saturday, Jan. 28...................9am-1pm Conservation Workday • Wednesday, Feb. 1................6:30-9pm Volunteer Meeting • Monday, Feb. 13.........................1-4pm Handy Crafters Meeting • Saturday, Feb. 18...................9am-2pm Burn Training

Happy Birthday to… January 2 4 11 12 17 21

Gary Glatzhofer Andrea Farnham Barb Dochterman Jennifer O’Reilly Marilyn Dvoratchek Louis Handke-Roth Arlene Krizka

February

Pats on the back to the following volunteers... • Jose Aguirre-Garcia, Caroline Bezik, Leon Blum, Daryle Drew, Amanda Greco, John Koziol, Amanda, Janet and Al Kraus, Bruce Kuhnhofer, Jay Laski, Mary Matz, Elizabeth Moorman, Janet Neally, Roger Nelson, Patty Ochs, Kristi Overgaard, Barb and Bob Royce, Dick Ruffolo, Mert Rutledge, Roy Svenson, Laurie Tatom, and John Witkowski for their continuing weekly animal care assistance at Volkening Heritage Farm.

• Pat Campbell and Arthur Jeczala who help with a variety of administrative support activities on a regular basis. • Duane Bolin, Jay Laski, Tony Meo, Ken Ogorzalek, and Roy Svenson for their ongoing assistance with grounds maintenance at the Nature Center and the Farm. 7

7 8 9 10 14

Mary Harlos Ray Deibert Jeff Huebner Arthur Jeczala Sandy Meo Bill Flesch Leo Salais

23 24 27 28 30

Eileen Skiba Andy Farnham Norina Waugh Kaitlyn Ball Dan Greco Ann Scacco

16 19 23 25 27

Mike Gear Angie Cornwell Roger Nelson Dean Bruckner Janet Neally

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

JANUARY 2017

Monday

Tuesday

3 Tu-F

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

Spring Valley Winter Fest Noon

16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day

•Chickadee’s Day Out 4pm

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

Friday

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

•Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Girl Scout Saturday 11am

Spring Valley Winter Fest Noon

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

•Painting with Nature 10:30am

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

Saturday

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

•Snow Bunnies 11am

Thursday

•Winter Break Camp 9:30am

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

New Year’s Day

Wednesday

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

Conservation Workday 9am •Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Pretzels O’Plenty 10am •Girl Scout Saturday 11am •Frozen Scientists 3pm

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

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

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

FEBRUARY 2017

Monday

Tuesday

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

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

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

Presidents’ Day

Thursday

Volunteer Meeting 6:30pm

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

Wednesday

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

•Dutch Oven Valentines 10am

Prescribed Burn Training 9am •Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Girl Scout Saturday 11am

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

•Winter Campfire in the Cabin 6:30pm

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

Valentine’s Day

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

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

Saturday

Friday

•The Sweet Life – Sugar Basics 10am •Winter Wanderers 11am •Winter S.O.S. 1pm •Sundown Supper in the Sugar Bush 4pm

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 • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 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.