Natural area restoration tour Aug. 17 in Oakwood Hills
The Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP) hosts a bi-monthly FREP Noon Network from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17.
Learn about a current local community initiative to restore a natural area and enjoy a tour through beautiful Oakwood Hills Fen. The program will begin at the Oakwood Hills Park pavilion off of North Park Avenue in Oakwood Hills. The event is co-sponsored by the Village of Oakwood Hills and the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County.
Oakwood Hills Village Trustee Kerry Leigh will share information on her work with the Village of Oakwood Hills to restore 20 acres of savanna habitat in the community park adjacent to the Oakwood Hills Fen Nature Preserve. The restoration will help to improve the health of this natural area by removing invasive plant species and will also improve access to the park for passive recreational activities. Learn more about how a partnership with McHenry County Conservation District and financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helped to make this project possible. After the discussion, Ms. Leigh will provide a tour of the restoration area.
Steve Byers, field representative with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, will also lead a walk through nearby Oakwood Hills Fen Nature Preserve. This fen wetland is fed by cool, mineral-rich spring water. The water comes out of the ground at about 50 degrees, keeping the springs flowing year round, and supporting specialized plants and animals that are adapted to these conditions. This tour is a great opportunity to learn more about one of the rarest types of wetlands in the U.S.
The program is open to the public and is one of the regular bi-monthly FREP Noon Network lunchtime programs providing an opportunity for FREP members and other interested people to discuss Fox River Watershed-related topics and learn more about environmental projects and programs. There is no charge and reservations are not necessary. People are encouraged to bring their lunch to eat during the program.
Directions: The park is located several blocks east of the village hall located at 3020 North Park Dr., Oakwood Hills. Turn south just past Oakwood Dr. to enter the parking lot. Walk south to the nearby pavilion. Wear comfortable walking shoes for the hike. For more information, call 815-338-0393 or send an e-mail to watershedinfo@mcdefenders.net .
This program is part of a current effort to help protect water quality and watershed health in the Silver Creek and Sleepy Hollow Creek watersheds in southeastern McHenry County. A watershed is an area of land that drains water into a common receiving body such as a stream. Oakwood Hills is within the Silver Creek Watershed. These watersheds are part of the larger Fox River Basin.
The watershed planning activities are being funded by Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act by way of a grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Water, to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. To learn more, visit http://foxriverecosystem.org/planning.htm.
The Fox River Ecosystem Partnership, established in 1997, is one of forty-one ecosystem partnerships in the State under the auspices of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The Partnership's territory is the entire Fox River Watershed, covering 1,720 square miles situated within the counties of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry and Will. FREP membership includes individuals, governments, organizations and businesses that meet regularly “to promote, preserve, protect and enhance the natural, cultural, economic and recreational resources of Illinois' Fox River and its watershed.”
For more information about this program and the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership, please visit FREP's Website at: foxriverecosystem.org .