All ages help Citizens for Conservation celebrate Earth Day

Posted May 01, 2014 11:00 pm

Submitted by Citizens for Conservation

Citizens for Conservation restoration volunteers get a jump on the invasive garlic mustard plants by digging them up early in the growing season. Courtesy of Donna Bolzman

College students, Boy Scouts, family teams and new and experienced restoration volunteers celebrated Earth Day working with Citizens for Conservation leaders at CFC's 131-acre Flint Creek Savanna in Lake Barrington.

Volunteers prepared legume seed mixes for planting, then worked in teams to rake and secure the seed into the prairie soil. These legumes serve an important function in the prairies and can only be successfully sown in the springtime.

A second group of volunteers dug up garlic mustard plants in the award-winning oak woods/prairie restoration. Garlic mustard is very invasive and CFC is getting a jump on the growing season by removing as many of the plants as possible now.

After the workday, volunteers enjoyed special Earth Day refreshments brought to CFC headquarters by Chris and Heather Wu from their new Great Harvest Bread Company, in Hoffman Estates.

Great volunteers, good weather and wonderful food made this an Earth Day celebration to remember.

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A grandfather/grandson team prepares the seed supply for their workday on the prairie. Courtesy of Donna Bolzman

Restoration volunteers worked in teams of two to prepare the soil and scratch in the legume seed mix. Courtesy of Donna Bolzman

Restoration volunteers prepare legume seed mixes for sowing in the prairie. Courtesy of Donna Bolzman

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