It’s spring and here you are planning which native plants to add to your landscape this year! They can be a bit challenging to find in the local nurseries…and when you do find them, what’s with the quotes around some of the names? Choosing between straight species and cultivars with Kay Havens, Ph.D. from the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Links: Chicago Botanic Garden, BudBurst, Do Cultivars of Native Plants Support Insect Herbivores?, Bees, Bugs & Blooms – A Pollinator Trial, From Nursery to Nature: Evaluating Native Herbaceous Flowering Plants Versus Native Cultivars for Pollinator Habitat Restoration, How Native Plant Cultivars Affect Pollinators, Mt. Cuba Research Center, BACT Plant & Seed Sources 

This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

The things we have learned in the century or so since the invasion began! Joining us this episode is Lydia Scott, Director of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative at the Morton Arboretum. Who are these invaders and what can we do about them? PERSERVERE!

Here are the websites that are referenced in the podcast: Morton Arboretum, IDOT Teasel Poster, Citizen Science Invader Reporting, Invasive Species of NA, Midwest Invasive Plant Network, Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes, IDNR resources, IFA Landowner’s Guide to Invasive Plants

This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

A conservation conversation with Barrington “keystone” BACT Trustee Charlie Keppel about native plant keystone ecosystems. This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

Let’s talk about the value of green spaces when it comes to our physical and mental health. Research shows time spent in nature promotes well-being! Try some of the suggested activities yourself and let us know what you experience. This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

What is a watershed? How does everyday life impact the water we drink? What role do plants and soil play in water quality? Who takes care of our water? In this episode we will focus on our local watershed and how that is impacted through our conservation efforts. We will have a guest speakers from the Flint Creek Spring Creek Watershed Partnership BACOG join us to discuss our aquifers and how we can all make an impact in the health of our water systems. This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

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! This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

Learn more about World Soil Day (December 5) at www.un.org/en/observances/world-soil-day

Let’s delve into some of our plant and tree favorites that we have helped to restore within our easements and how they function within their ecosystems. This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.

BACT’s introductory podcast episode! Learn about the history of conservation here in Illinois and the United States, plus how that ties into what we do at Barrington Area Conservation Trust. This podcast is made possible through funding by the Barrington Area Community Foundation.