Open Spaces Brief – May 2022
- On May 4, 2022
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Barrington Area Conservation Trust May 2022
Earth Day 2022 (and Arbor Day!) #RestoreOurEarth
The weather threw us a curveball on Earth Day, so…we rescheduled our Earth Month Celebration to Arbor Day. And it turned out to be perfect!
We dedicated our new Bald Cypress! Davey Tree Expert volunteers installed the tree last week – at 800 lbs, getting it in the ground was a bit beyond the casual volunteer!
Volunteers did plant more than 100 warrior sedges and other wetlands species. BACT Executive Director Melissa Kinast explained how these plantings will help remediate the stress placed on the ecosystem by the old fly dump trash that we cleaned up last year. They will also work to push out the invasive species such as reed canary grass that has established here.
Volunteers then spent time on the bank of Flint Creek with Jeff Weiss, Coordinator for Flint Creek Spring Creek Watershed Partnership. We learned about fluvial geomorphology, as well as the pollutants and microinvertebrates in the Creek. About 8000 wells provide drinking water to the Barrington area, so monitoring our watershed’s aquifers is really important.
Many hands make quick work as demonstrated by the volunteers who spread the mountain of mulch provided by Cuba Township. The entry to the Preserve now has a renewed top layer!
The next load of mulch will be spread further back to improve access to the viewing platform.
BACT Conservation@Home volunteer Anne was on hand to answer questions about adding native plantings to home gardens.
Learn more on our website where you can even request a consultation for your own yard!
Somehow trash always piles up on the side of the roads – especially after the spring melt!
Volunteers cleared the south side of County Line Road all along Pederson Preserve.
What a mess! But it is no more!!
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers that joined us – we finished just in time before the next rain squall moved through.
The Village of Barrington Hills shared their CRTI oak tree saplings with us so volunteers could take home a free tree. Arborists from Davey Tree helped sort out viable specimens from bare root oak saplings that BACT had overwintered
Thank you to our amazing volunteer photographer Lindsay!
Thank you to our sponsors!
Have you listened to BACT’s podcast yet? Visit our website Library!
Our most recent episode: “That’s NOT Dirt!”. Northern Illinois features many different variations of soil. How did it get there? What’s it made of? What is a soil series? Soil is NOT dirt – it is the key to life!
Watch for future episodes – up next: “Let’s Get Our Feet Wet”!
These podcasts are made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.
Remember that each acre restored, each habitat protected begins with you!
For 20 years, BACT has been preserving and restoring these special places in our community. We need your help to continue these efforts. Thank you!
Do you know how easy it is to help preserve Barrington’s rare and exceptional open spaces? When you shop on Amazon be sure to use Designate Barrington Area Conservation Trust as your charity of choice
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