A RIVER FLOWS THROUGH IT

By Diane Krieger Spivak Photos provided by River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles and The Conservation Foundation

f you live anywhere near the Fox River, you’ve likely heard of and even taken advantage of its beauty and benefits. To make more visitors aware of all the river has to offer, a five-part nature series kicked off this year to highlight those benefits. The series, “A River Flows Through It: Life in the Fox River Valley,” focuses on the health benefits, wildlife, activities and preservation of the river. It’s sponsored by the River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles in partnership with The Conservation Foundation and St. Charles Park District.

The series actually launched in 2020, says Laurel Moad, River Corridor Foundation board secretary. “We did one or two live lectures, then COVID hit, and we went virtual. We took a hiatus the last couple of years due to COVID, then decided to relaunch. It was important to us that the program be free, that we provide an opportunity for people in the Valley to have something to do that is educational and entertaining, and in particular, to gain perhaps another perspective on the river’s valuable assets.”

January’s lecture, “Nature RX: Nature for Your Wellbeing,” by Jan Roehll of The Conservation Foundation, “focused on the health benefits of just getting outside,

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walking and taking in nature and having that quiet time to enjoy the elements, if you will,” says Moad. The lecture included data on the health benefits achieved from communing with nature, and its effects on blood pressure, anxiety and coping mechanisms. “Just get out and walk,” says Moad. “You don’t have to be a runner, cyclist or kayaker to experience the benefits of the outdoors.” February’s lecture, “I Spy… Fox River Wildlife: Mammals of the Fox River,” by St. Charles Park District’s Pam Otto, detailed animals that can be found along the Fox: otters, beavers, voles, foxes, coyotes, mice and more. In March, Ryan Solomon, also of the Park District, presented “Fun on the Fox: View from the Water,” highlighting how to spot and identify native birds, fish, turtles and more. April’s exciting lecture, “Fox River Raptors: Owls, Hawks and More… LIVE!” by Candace Ridlbauer of the Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab & Education, featured more than a dozen tables devoted to

raptors, including, in addition to live animals, models of wingspans and other information, highlighted by Ridlbauer’s lecture on the life of a raptor. “The Fox Valley has huge populations of raptors,” notes Moad.

You can still catch the last in this year’s series. Lecture No. 5, “Your Legacy on the Fox River, Actions for Today & Tomorrow,” by Brook McDonald, president and CEO of The Conservation Foundation, is scheduled for 7-8 p.m. May 11 at Baker Community Center in St. Charles. Register at www.theconservationfoundation.org. McDonald will focus on what residents can do to protect and preserve the river. “He will talk about things like using less road salt in winter, planting native plants and creating rain gardens,” says Moad. Plans are already in the works to continue the series in 2023. Feedback and ideas solicited from the public at the lectures will go into the project. “We’ll see what we learn,” says Moad. “It’s been so popular — why wouldn’t we do it again?”

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