Local homeowners can help preserve oaks in their own backyard

After a long winter and weeks of sheltering in place, it's exciting to see some green in your oak woods. However, the green you see could be buckthorn or honeysuckle, both invasive species.

Many woodland owners think they are helping by letting their woods "go natural" and not doing any management, but it's not a good option for a healthy oak woodland. Doing nothing allows invasive species to take over, eventually overwhelming the oak ecosystem.

Springtime is a great time to get outside and care for the oaks on your property. While sheltering in place, getting out in the backyard can lower stress and create an improved sense of well-being while practicing safe social distancing. Removing invasive species like buckthorn and honeysuckle lets in the light and helps promote the health of oak trees which provide food and habitat for many kinds of wildlife.

The website 5000Acres.com provides helpful information on how to remove invasive species and care for your oak trees.

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County launched the "5,000 Acre Challenge" to protect our region's oak woods.

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, private citizens, and state and county agencies have protected or managed 3,784 acres of oak woods in McHenry County.

With the help of private landowners, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County hopes to make it 5,000 acres.

If you have oaks on your property and want to learn more about caring for them, go to www.5000acres.com.

At the website you can type your address into an interactive map to see if your property had oak trees historically. If you do have oaks and are maintaining them, you can submit a short form to include your oak acreage "oakerage" in the total and help The Land Conservancy of McHenry County and McHenry County reach its goal of 5,000 acres.

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County is offering anyone who submits their oak acreage a free, six-month gift membership. For those who don't have oaks on their property, they offer a variety of ways that people can help, including planting oaks, volunteering (once the shelter-in-place order is lifted) and more.

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County is a member-based private nonprofit dedicated to preserving natural, scenic and agricultural land. Visit www.conservemc.org or www.facebook.com/ConserveMC/.