TLC to host New Year's Eve Oak Rescue in Harvard

On Friday, Dec. 31, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County invites members of the community to an Oak Rescue at Crowley Oaks Woods in Harvard.

It will be 9 a.m. to noon at the woodlands, 18725 Crowley Road, north of Route 173.

An oak rescue is an event in which a group of people work to clear the brush that surrounds an old oak tree.

Volunteers are needed to cut the brush with saws and loppers, while others stack the cut brush into piles for burning.

The result is that the oak trees are left in much better condition, with room to grow and space cleared for their acorns to grow into more oak trees.

The oak rescue is an opportunity for people to spend a few hours outdoors and start the new year with a fresh perspective.

Brats, hot dogs and dessert will be served afterward.

Participants are encouraged to register at ConserveMC.org; however, last-minute attendees are welcome to drop in. Volunteers can park along the side of Crowley Road.

Crowley Oaks is an 83.5-acre parcel that includes remnant oak woods, a headwater stream for one of Chicago area's highest quality waterways (Piscasaw Creek) and about 14 acres of sedge meadow and wet prairie habitat.

The site includes nearly 50 acres of white oaks, bur oaks and hickories that are over 200 years old.

Crowley Oaks is part of a larger oak woodland that is nearly 200 acres in size, making it one of the largest remaining in the county.

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County is a member-based private nonprofit dedicated to preserving natural, scenic and agricultural land. Since 1991, The Land Conservancy has helped protect over 2,500 acres of McHenry County's prairies, wetlands and woodlands by working with private landowners, communities and other partners.

Follow twitter.com/conservemc.