Natural Enquirer - March/April 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.2 • March-April 2017

In this issue...

Spring is a time of renewal and awakening. Just as the seemingly destructive forces of fire help to renew life and growth on the Illinois prairie—described here in Fire on the Prairie— 2016’s dust and construction at Spring Valley now bears fruit in renewed opportunities for natural connection in 2017. Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground, originally scheduled to open last fall, will finally be completed and opened this spring. Many of our regular visitors will have a new reason to visit Spring Valley, and new visitors will discover all that we have to offer here. I can already hear the complaints of children unwilling to end their visit and get in the car. While the play area will be busy and active and, at times, noisy with laughter and excitement, Spring Valley will continue to offer lots of opportunities for quiet escape and reflection, places where migrating birds can be spotted flitting through the trees, deer can be observed feeding at the edge of a prairie, or a family of wood ducks can be seen gliding along the shoreline of the pond.

Inside A Bison’s Bluff Primer...................................... 2-3

Spring Valley General Information....................12

Fire on the Prairie............................................. 4-5

Volunteer News Contents

Meet New Staff......................................................5

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

What’s Happenin’.............................................. 6-7 Black Gold.............................................................8

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

Schaumburg Park District

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

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Bison’s Bluff Primer

by Derek Gronlund

estled between the Nature Center parking lot and marsh along Schaumburg Road lies Bison’s Bluff, Spring Valley’s much anticipated nature playground. Throughout the spring, summer, and fall, staff and patrons alike watched as the play area slowly took shape, converting unused space into one of the area’s most unique attractions. It was a long process, but the payoff will be worth it. In only a few short weeks, Bison’s Bluff will be officially open. Below are some tips for maximizing enjoyment.

Take Advantage of the Views

Look to the south when standing next to the bison sculpture, and a whole new view of Spring Valley unfolds before you. The land gently slopes away from the play area, blending into a sea of prairie. To the right, tall cattails and other wetland plants fringe the edges of the marsh. All of this is against a backdrop of spruce and cottonwood trees in the distance. From this vantage point, the bustle of Schaumburg Road is at your back, and it is easy to imagine yourself standing in Illinois as it appeared hundreds of years ago. Beginning in the late spring and lasting through fall, the prairie will be an ever-changing tapestry of colors, shapes, and textures. The play area will also provide opportunities for the adventurous to get a bird’s eye view of the prairie. There are several treehouse towers that rise above the bison, offering those who brave the rope ladders and walkways an elevated perch to appreciate the prairie. 2

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Let Your Creativity Flow

A main goal of nature play is encouraging unstructured play and fostering personal creativity. Bison’s Bluff offers many opportunities for children and caregivers alike to use their imagination and come up with their own activities. This is one of the key differences between nature play areas and traditional playgrounds, where the uses for most of the structures are predetermined and don’t allow for much deviation. The installations at Bison’s Bluff will provide opportunities for open-ended play, only limited by one’s imagination. Many of the features will also encourage visitors to get in touch with their inner-artist, and create temporary masterpieces using natural materials. Sand, mud, and twigs can be used to build abstract sculptures, create patterns, or build miniature houses. Original symphonies may be composed with a variety of simple percussion instruments that will be part of the play area. If you are feeling ambitious, you can even build large-scale structures using sticks and branches.

Explore and Find a Secret Spot

Certain features, such as the larger-than-life bison, the treehouse complex, and the waterfall, will visually dominate the play space; however, the native landscaping and layout of the paths will also provide many meandering trails to explore. While most trails connect the major components of the play area together, there are also many trails that will be simply for wandering. By following these paths, one will be surprised at all the things you will see. Colorful flowers, whimsical artwork, interactive sculptures, a gently winding stream, or even a semi-secluded gathering spot reward diligent ramblers.

Dress for the Mess

Nature play can be dirty. In fact, it could be said that if you and your child leave Bison’s Bluff bone dry and spotless, you are doing it wrong! Too often we tell children that they can’t get messy, and they shouldn’t touch dirt, bugs, leaves, and other natural things with their hands. While well meaning, this could lead to a fear of dirt and germs. Too often we see children at the Nature Center for camps and school programs who insist on using hand sanitizer or washing their hands after touching any and every thing! Exposing children to touching nature at an early age assures them that they will not get sick from touching a worm. Also, playing in the mud is healthy for the spirit—and just plain fun!

Challenge by Choice

One of the concerns raised about natural play areas is that they are not as safe as traditional ones. Nature can be haphazard and unpredictable, the thinking goes, and therefore children are more likely to get hurt. In contrast, nature playgrounds are carefully planned spaces that closely resemble nature. The placement of every rock, structure, sign, slide, and trail in Bison’s Bluff was meticulously thought out by a professional design firm, following accepted playground safety standards. The whole process was a constant balancing act between creating a fun, unique space with one that was safe. That being said, there are risks to any form of play, but this should not be a deterrent. Children usually know their own boundaries, and are careful about trying new things. The way natural play features are designed, children can take incrementally larger risks based on their capabilities. By choosing to challenge themselves, children build confidence, strength, and balance. Whether you are more inclined to take in the scenery, find a new spot to gather, get down and dirty, or provide the children in your life some high-quality play experiences, Bison’s Bluff nature playground at Spring Valley will have something for you. We hope to see you at our Grand Opening on April 22nd. It’s going to be a great—and playful summer! For more information, visit http://www.parkfun.com/facilities/spring-valley/bison’s-bluff. 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 • M a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 7

Fire on the Prairie

by Matt McBrien

rairies, one of the most recently developed ecosystems in North America, formed following the last glacial retreat approximately 12,000 years ago. The climate changed dramatically following this period as warmer temperatures caused vegetation types to shift from tundra to spruce forest and eventually prairie. The warmer and drier climate allowed grasslands that dominated southern regions of North America to expand north and east. This climate shift eventually created the Great Plains, once the greatest grassland on earth, covering more than one quarter of the continental United States. For thousands of years, the most significant driving force behind the development and maintenance of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem of the Great Plains was fire. The fires that sustained these grasslands were often touched off by lightning storms and, to a greater extent, by Native Americans who ignited the dry vegetation that accumulated over the growing season. Fires occurred frequently. Fueled by the build-up of biomass and driven by prevailing westerly winds that blew across the plains, fire was inhibited only by natural barriers such as rivers, lakes, and streams. Although difficult to determine exactly how often these fires occurred, estimates put it at every 1–5 years. Fire was an essential part of grassland maintenance. Rapidly moving prairie fires traveled swiftly across the landscape and the damaging heat did not penetrate the soil surface to any great extent. These periodic fires created a shifting mosaic of prairies, savannas, and woodlands; however, fire promoted grasslands over that of forest. Prairie plants had adapted to these stresses over thousands of years by developing underground storage structures, growing points slightly below the soil surface, and deep extensive root systems. The above ground parts of a prairie plant are just one third of the total growing mass, with the remaining two thirds below ground in the form of roots and rhizomes. The arrival of European settlers brought changes to the prairie. The vast grasslands were foreign and frightening to these new visitors. Covering more land than any other vegetation type, this vast sea of waving grasses extended as far as the eye could see—an almost treeless world, featuring rich dark soil and grass species adapted to modest rainfall and regular fires, populated by bison herds and Plains Indian tribes. Recognizing the incredible fertility of the land, settlers developed steel plows that could tear through the dense fibrous root systems of the prairie sod. Prairie soon gave way to agriculture and development and a tremendous increase of disturbed ground. Exotic species were soon introduced to the landscape, including herbaceous weeds and invasive trees and shrubs. With the cessation of fire and absence of native seed sources, these exotic species began to flourish.

Prairie burn at Spring Valley

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Today, restorationists are beginning to reverse the effects (and public opinion) of a relatively long moratorium on fire on the landscape. Tallgrass prairies, similar to those at Spring Valley, are capable of accumulating an enormous amount of biomass in a year’s time. They are among the most productive vegetation types in the world. The grasses and herbaceous materials die off in the fall and the root systems of these plants go dormant during the cold winter months. The following spring, new shoots emerge to begin the cycle again. As years progress in the absence of fire, dead vegetation continues to accumulate and new shoots find it harder to emerge through the dense thatch litter to reach available sunlight. To replicate the natural disturbance regimes in these fire dependent plant communities, a technique called prescribed burning is utilized. A prescribed fire is a controlled application of wildfire to vegetative fuels (grasses/forbs) under specified environmental conditions, while simultaneously confining the fire to a predetermined area and producing the intensity required to achieve resource management objectives. In conducting a prescribed fire, the entire event is planned in advance and the fire is managed by a trained fire crew from the time it is set until it is extinguished. The tallgrass prairie today, encompassing just 1% of its original 170 million acres, is one of the rarest and most endangered ecosystems in the world. Reproducing these disturbances on the landscape helps restore the critical balance required for a healthy ecosystem to function properly and support the plants, animals, and insects that depend upon it for their survival. To learn more about prairies and prairie burns, visit http://wwn.inhs.illinois.edu/~kenr/tallgrass.html https://www.nps.gov/tapr/learn/nature/a-complex-prairie-ecosystem.htm

Meet Joe!

Greetings Spring Valley family and friends! My name is Joe Scacco. I am the newest member to the conservation and maintenance team. This past summer, I was looking for a career change. I have always loved the outdoors and started researching different areas in the environmental field. I stumbled upon a volunteer workday cleaning up Salt Creek at the Nature Center. After that day, I knew conservation was something I wanted to know more about. I spent the rest of 2016 volunteering with Spring Valley and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. This past fall, I spent Alexis & Joe several months working with the National Aububon Society as a restoration intern. I am new to the field of conservation and restoration; however, I am looking forward to spending my days outdoors and learning more about conservation, restoration, and the natural world. I graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor degree in Sport, Recreation, and Tourism and received my master’s degree in Communications from Northern Arizona University. I have worked mostly in college athletic administration, but decided the office was not where I belonged. I am excited for the next phase of my professional career at Spring Valley. Hope to see you all out there!

Meet Alexis!

Hi there! My name is Alexis White and I am part of the Conservation Staff. I graduated May of 2016 from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside where I received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and a concentration in Applied Environmental Geography. While at Parkside, I worked on several different restoration projects dealing with various types of ecosystems. It was there that I really decided that restoration and conservation work was my life’s passion. In my free time I enjoy hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, and cooking. In the future I aspire to receive my Master of Science in Physical and Environmental Geography from Northern Illinois University or a Master of Science in Environmental Conservation from University of Wisconsin- Madison. 5

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a r c h / A p r i l 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, March 25 • 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.

ADULT or TEEN

Springtime

Farm to Table Cooking Series

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

Schaumburg Park District's

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

Farm Fresh Eggs

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

on the

Farm

Weekly Yoga at the Cabin

Tuesday, March 21 - May 30 • 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 - May 30 • 7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23 - June 1 • 6-7 p.m. Thursday, March 23 - June 1 • 7:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a weekly yoga class at Merkle Cabin in the woods. Bring a yoga mat and small blanket.

Harper College & Spring Valley

Sunday, April 23 • Noon-4 p.m.

Garden Bench Workshop

Sunday, April 23 • 10: 30 a.m.-Noon Make your own hand-made Aldo Leopold wooden bench. All materials and tools are provided! Course: LLG0006-001

Spring brings new life and activity to the Heritage Farm. Things to see and do for all ages! Activities include cow milking, plowing and blacksmithing demonstrations. Click here for more information.

Organic Vegetable Gardening

Saturday, April 29 • Noon-2 p.m. Learn how to create healthy soils using compost and grow productive plants all year without the use of pesticides or chemicals. Course: LLG007-001

ALL AGES Breakfast with the Birds

Saturday, May 6 • 7-9 a.m. Enjoy an early morning walk to look for Spring Valley’s colorful migratory birds.

SugarBush Fair Schaumburg Park District's

Owl Prowl

Saturday, April 8 • 7:30-9 p.m. Take a moonlit walk through the forest and prairie to look for owls.

FREE ADMISSION!

EARLY CHILDHOOD NEW • Bunny Tracks

Saturday, April 8 • 1-3 p.m. Read a story and come see what our bunny families are up to. Sponsored by

Nature Mamas

Saturday, May 13 • 1-2 pa.m. Spend quality time learning about the “mamas” at the Nature Center.

MAPLE SUGARING-Originally published by Currier & Ives

Saturday & Sunday, March 18 & 19 FAMILY

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.

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.

Eggsapalooza

Saturday, April 8 • 10-11:30 a.m. Join us on our annual egg hunt! Dye eggs using natural dyes and decorate a spring basket.

Family Winter Tree Hunt

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

Friday, April 28 • 6-8 p.m. Heritage Farm

Family Worm Farmers

Witches in April? An old German spring celebration says yes! Enjoy an evening with horse drawn wagon rides, roasted hotdog and marshmallows on an open fire. Ages 2+

Saturday, May 20 • 1:30-3 p.m. Learn all about a worm’s life and discover how they can turn your food waste into rich fertilizer.

Fee: $7/person, Children ages 3yrs and younger: FREE

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Sunset Fire and Picnic on the Prairie Saturday, April 1 • 6-8:30PM • Spring Valley

$3 per person • $12 per family (up to 6 people)

The prairie fires that awed and frightened early settlers to Illinois were vital to the health and well-being of the prairie landscape. This popular program provides insight into just how important fire was—and still is—to natural areas. Bring a picnic or purchase grilled food and beverages. Following dinner and a brief presentation, a portion of Spring Valley’s prairie will be burned at sunset, visible from a safe distance. Tickets may be purchased at the door. (Rain date: 4/9/16) Click here for more information.

YOUTH NEW • Cub Scout Saturdays

Saturdays • 9-10:30 a.m. | *9-11 a.m. March 4*......Webelos: Into the wild March 25.....Bear: Fur, Feathers & Ferns April 29........Wolf: Grow Something May 13.........Tiger: Backyard Jungle Get a hands-on approach to complete some requirements for your achievements and electives with an experienced naturalist.

NEW DAY

Native Plant Sale Backyards for Nature Fair

Sunday, May 21 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Spring Valley Nature Center

NEW • Girl Scout Saturdays

This celebration of environmental stewardship features information on landscaping with native plants, composting, attracting birds, rain gardens, plant sale and more. Call 847-985-2100 for information.

Saturdays • 11 a.m.-Noon March 4.......Daisy: Rosie’s Story March 25.....Brownie: Letterboxer NEW DAY April 29........Junior: Gardener Get a hands-on approach to complete some requirements for your achievements and electives with an experienced naturalist.

Pre-order plants. Some varieties may be unavailable for day of the event. Order forms are available online at SchaumburgGardenClub.org and for heirloom vegetables at SpringValleyNatureClub.org. Order forms may also be picked up at the Nature Center. Co-sponsored by the Schaumburg Park District and Schaumburg Community Garden Club

NEW • Pioneer Pancakes

Saturday, March 11 • 1-3 p.m. Help make maple syrup the old fashioned pioneer way by collecting sap from maple trees.

Home School Naturalist Group Programs

NEW • Pot o’ Gold Hunt

Saturday, March 11 • 10-11:30 a.m. Follow the leprechaun’s trail through the prairie and forest to find his hidden treasure.

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

NEW • Space Day

This spring the following topics are offered:

Friday, May 5 • 7-8:30 p.m. Spend an evening at Spring Valley exploring the exciting and fascinating aspects of space.

• Animal Adaptations – Learn what special adaptations animals have to survive in the wild and see how long you would survive at Spring Valley if you had these adaptations. • Aquatic Birds – Search the marsh and pond for birds that live on and around the water, discover what special adaptations these animals have and go on a search for the elusive wood duck. • Biscuits & Butter – Experience 19th century farm life as you cook on the wood bring stove and churn your own butter. • Trailblazing – Mark and follow new trails, practice map and compass reading skills and learn how to stay safe while exploring the outdoors. • Woodland Wildflowers – Take part in a woodland wildflower scavenger hunt, uncover what these plants need to survive and transplant a wildflower to take home. • Available every spring – Farms and Food, Gardening, Nighttime Nature, Owls: Predators of the Night, Springtime Growth, Wetlands, Conservation in Action, Woodlands

Spring Valley Spring Break Camp

Mon.-Fri., March 27-31 • 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.

Nature Center Drop-in Programs Meet the Turtles • FREE

Saturday, April 29 • 2-4 p.m.

Drop in and acquaint yourself with the Nature Center’s resident turtles. Discover the adaptations that help them survive in the wild and make them such remarkable creatures. Make and take home a cool turtle craft, too. Call 847-985-2100 to let us know you’re coming; but if it’s the last minute, just drop in at 2pm!

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

Weekend Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at the Farm

Heritage Farm Drop-in Programs

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

Chocolate Candy Drop-in Day Saturday, April 8 • 10 a.m.-Noon

• Saturdays & Sundays only • Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the ride and no earlier than 15 minutes before the start time. • Tickets are $3/person; children 3 and under are free. • Wagon holds a maximum of 15 people. • Rides begin and end next to the Farm Visitor Center.

Drop by the Heritage Farm between 10 a.m. and noon and make your own chocolate candy creation for Easter. When you are done be sure to visit the farm house to learn more about chocolate in the 19th century. $2 per person

Mother’s Day Celebration • FREE

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

Sunday, May 14 Anytime between 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

On Mother’s Day, children are welcome to visit the Heritage Farm Visitor’s Center to make a simple and free Mother’s Day craft for their moms.

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

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Black Gold

by Walter Plinske

magine purchasing a pair of waterproof boots and subsequently discovering them either melted by summer heat or shattered by winter cold. That was the state of things in the early 19th century when a nascent industry was born with promises of dry feet in a world ruled by mud. The story is one that does not begin with the production of worthless Wellingtons but that had its beginnings thousands of years before in the forests of Amazonia. It is the story of a product indispensable in today’s world of technology. It is the saga of that black gold of the tropical world—rubber. The indigenous peoples of the Americas had known and used rubber long before the arrival of European explorers. Rubber makers there used the latex derived from the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, to make rubber balls which were then used in important ritual games. For the Aztecs, this game was called Tlachtli, a cross between football and basketball. In 1496, Columbus returned from his second voyage, bringing back the first rubber balls from the West Indies. There was, Spanish observers said, “nothing comparable in the world to the way the balls bounced.” Our word for this substance is derived from another use the Europeans found for it. Unwanted pencil marks on paper could be easily erased by it, by “rubbing.” And since the product came from the Indies, it became “India Rubber.”

Tlachtli

Until the 1800s, rubber was a scientific curiosity. Then in 1820, rubber threads were produced in Britain in an attempt to make water proof clothing. Macintosh, a chemist from Glasgow, inserted rubber treated with naphtha between thin pieces of cloth and evolved the garment that still bears his name. In America, rubber footwear was produced, but confidence in it eroded due to the extremes in climate. Cold weather made rubber articles brittle, while hot weather produced a tendency for them to gum together. A method had to be found to stabilize rubber, so it could be utilized under a variety of temperatures. After a long period trying to develop a process to do this, Charles Goodyear discovered what he called “vulcanization” quite by accident in 1840 when a mixture of rubber, lead, and sulfur was accidently dropped onto a hot stove. The vulcanized rubber was not affected by weather and came back to its original form if stretched. It was resistant to water and chemical interactions and did not conduct electricity. Natural rubber is now used in thousands of ways, from bouncing balls, boots, balloons, and latex gloves, to engineering and industrial applications. Natural rubber is more suitable than synthetic rubber for aircraft and large truck tires.

Charles Goodyear

Tree Tapping

Though there was no lack of rubber trees in the Brazilian Amazon, the British wanted a share of the rubber market and established plantations in their colonies. In 1876, they smuggled out rubber tree seeds from Amazonia and soon had them growing in Malaysia, Ceylon, and SingaHenry Ford pore. Back in the Amazon, Henry Ford attempted to grow his own rubber in the 1920s. Ford’s company planted 70 million rubber tree seedlings in an area covering over 2 million acres. His plantation was mockingly called Fordlandia by the natives.

Only after planting thousands of acres did the company learn that the Amazon has a fungus, Microcyclus ulei, that is partial to rubber trees. The fungus causes South American leaf blight, whose spores bore through the infected leaf, which culminates in a blackened defoliation. Although many trees survive a first bout with the fungus, a second or third episode will kill them. Because the spores of the fungus are unable to travel far from their source, trees in the wild are protected by isolation, being spaced widely apart. If one succumbs to the blight, the others are too far distant to be attacked. In plantations, trees are so close together that their branches are entangled. Spores can hop tree to tree like so many squirGiant Truck Tires rels. The fungus can also be transmitted on the clothes and fingernails of plantation workers. That is what happened in Fordlandia, ending in disaster. And what of all those rubber trees in Asia? For a century, isolation has spared the plantations there. Southeast Asia is isolated from Brazil by thousands of miles. But with air and truck transport systems ever knitting the world closer together, it is only a matter of time before M. ulei arrives from Brazil. The rubber trees of south China through Laos and on to Singapore could be wiped out. Imagine jets without tires, power plants without gaskets, and hospitals without rubber hoses and gloves. Synthetic rubber will be deployed to replace it but it is hardly perfect. Breeders today are working on resistant plants but progress is slow. Time will tell. 8

Volunteer News S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a r c h / A p r i l 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. Sugar Bush Set-Up Thursday, 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 Sat and Sun, March 18 & 19 Have you thought about volunteering for the fair, but haven’t talked to Judy yet? Please give her a call. Shift time is 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Remember – there’s a free pancake breakfast for all volunteers! Heritage Farm Volunteer Kickoff Meeting Friday, March 24 If you volunteer in any capacity at the Heritage Farm or just want to find out about volunteer opportunities there, you are invited to attend this meeting held at the Nature Center Visitor Center from 6-7:30 p.m. Attendance by all volunteers involved with interpretation, livestock care, and kitchen gardening is strongly encouraged. Staff will fill you in on the plans for the Farm for 2017. Feel free to come early at 5:30 p.m. to socialize with your fellow volunteers while enjoying a potluck dinner provided by volunteers and staff. Come and help kick off the Farm’s upcoming volunteer season!

Sunset Fire and Picnic on the Prairie Saturday, April 1 Trained prescribe burn volunteers are needed to assist at this unique program which provides insight into how important fire is to natural areas. The burn crew will help oversee this sunset prairie burn from 6-8:30 p.m. Springtime on the Farm Sunday, April 23 Volunteers are needed to help our guests experience a busy spring on the Farm. Help prepare the fields and gardens for planting, do some spring cleaning 1880s style, or assist with children’s activities and food sales. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m.

Dates to Remember

• Monday, March 13......................1-4pm Handy Crafters Meeting • Thurs, March 16................9:30am-3pm Sugar Bush Set-Up • Sat/Sun, March 18 & 19....... 9am-Noon Sugar Bush • Friday, March 24...............5:30-7:30pm Annual Farm Kick-off Meeting • Monday, April 10.........................1-4pm Handy Crafters Meeting • Tuesday, April 11.........................5-7pm Volunteer Reception at Chandlers • Sunday, April 23................... Noon-4pm Springtime on the Farm

Welcome New Volunteers… • Dave Farnsworth • Sunil Mali • Juvi Syed

Happy Birthday to… Schaumburg Park District Volunteer Recognition Tuesday, April 11 Join the Park District at its annual volunteer recognition event at Chandlers. Keep an eye out for your invitation which will be arriving in the mail.

March 1 3 4 5 6

John Curin Kevin Kaitis Jose Aguirre Karen Kusek Judy Velan Christopher Borro Michael Borro John Witkowski Kathleen Stampfli

April

General Volunteer Meeting Wednesday, May 3

Join us at 6:30pm in the Nature Center classroom where we will discuss upcoming special events and other volunteer opportunities available. Following the meeting, stay for a presentation on “The Plight of the Honey Bee” at 7:30pm. 9

1 Daryle Drew Ellie Vogel 5 Emma Rogers 11 Duane Bolin 12 Autumn Latus 14 Patty Ochs 17 Ryan Ochs

8 Jenny Greco 12 Roy Svenson 13 Alan Kraus 15 Barb Kuhn 17 Barb Muehlhausen 23 Christine Curin 28 Bob Pautsch 30 Amy Vito 31 Cathy Blecker

18 Natalie Lichtenberg 19 Bill Bidlo 20 Jerome Dvoratchek John Koziol Hope Rapp 24 Charlie Loh

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

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

MARCH 2017 1

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

Daylight Savings Time Begins

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

Sugar Bush Fair 9am

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

27 M-F

•Spring Valley Spring Break Camp 10am

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

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

Sugar Bush Set-Up 9:30am

Friday

Saturday

•Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Girl Scout Saturday Noon •Family Winter Tree Hunt 1:30pm

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

Thursday

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

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

Wednesday

•Pot O’ Gold Hunt 10am •Pioneer Pancakes 1pm

•Winter Full Moon Hike 6pm

Sugar Bush Fair 9am

St. Patrick’s Day

Farm Volunteer Kickoff Meeting 5:30pm

•Farm Fresh Eggs 10am

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

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

APRIL 2017 Wednesday

Thursday

Farm Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm Cabin Closed

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

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

•Sunset Fire and Picnic on the Prairie 6pm

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

Handy Crafters Meeting 1pm

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

•All About Animals 9am

Spring Valley Nature Club 6:30pm

Schaumburg Community Garden Club 7pm

•Garden Bench 10:30am Springtime on the Farm Noon

•All About Animals 9am

•Chocolate Candy Drop In at Farm 10am •Eggsapalooza 10am •Bunny Tracks 1pm •Owl Prowl 7:30pm

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

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

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

Easter

Saturday

Friday

Earth Day Celebration Noon

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

•Walpurgis Night and Wagon Ride 6pm

•Cub Scout Saturday 9am •Girl Scout Saturday 11am •Organic Gardening Noon •Meet the Turtles 2pm

S p r i n g Va l l e y • N a t u r a l E n q u i r e r • M a r c h / A p r i l 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.