Valerie Blaine
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What are the ethics of collecting plants and wildlifeJan 06, 2013 4:55 am - This month, a familiar question came up about collecting in forest preserves. A visitor to the nature center had read that some native plants could be used as medicine ...
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Readers asked, Valerie Blaine answersDec 08, 2012 9:02 am - People ask the darndest things. When someone sees the forest preserve district patch on my sleeve, it seems I’m fair game for just about any question — and there are som...
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A look at the history of Tekakwitha WoodsNov 10, 2012 12:19 pm - In mid-November, the naturalist staff of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County will move from Tekakwitha Woods Nature Center to the District’s new Creek Bend Natur...
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Why you should like lichensOct 06, 2012 10:50 am - They’re friends with benefits. They lead unassuming lives, and their living arrangement goes largely unnoticed. They get along famously, and they’re committed to each ot...
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Egrets and herons fish in the Fox RiverSep 07, 2012 12:46 pm - They stand motionless in the river, statues of pure white, pillars of slate gray. Eyes fixed on the water. Watching. Waiting. These still-as-stone creatures are egrets a...
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How the prairie survives a hot, dry summerAug 18, 2012 10:54 am - Robins perched motionless in the shade, bills agape. Thirsty plants wilted in flower beds, and trees prematurely surrendered their yellowing leaves. Lawns turned brown ...
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Water 101: How to weather the droughtJul 17, 2012 8:00 am - It was 101 degrees at 4 p.m. A hot, dry wind was blowing from the west. Stuck in the gridlock of Randall Road, I watched as sprinklers shot water in glistening arcs ove...
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Happy trails: A guide to trail etiquette in Kane CountyJun 24, 2012 6:06 am - Picture this: You’re walking on a lovely wooded trail in Elgin. Suddenly, a bicyclist appears out of nowhere and whizzes past you. You’re startled half to death. “Bicyc...
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Meet the jumping oak gall waspJun 03, 2012 6:17 am - Jumping Jehoshaphat! The ground is alive! Or so it seems when hundreds of tiny round spheres the size of a pin head are hopping around on the sidewalk. This spring there...
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Invasive species alert: Garlic mustard threatens native plantsApr 28, 2012 12:00 am - Spring wildflowers arrived fashionably early this year. It's always a treat to see native spring wildflowers, whether early or late, but there's a downside this year: no...