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Presented by Dwayne Anderson (North Cook County Master Gardener & Gemini Bhalshod (Illinois Extension Center Educator)
Sunday, August 15, 2021
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. CDT
Location: Online (Zoomtown)
Soil and human beings are intertwined. Humans cultivate it for subsistence, make mudpies out of it as children, dig graves in it to bury their dead. In human communication the medium is the message; for land plants, the medium is the soil and their communication is transmitted via mycorrhizae.
As animal and plant species, the soil is classified. In the USA, it has six classifications: Order, Suborder, Great Group, Subgroup, Family, and Series. Over 20,000 types of soils exist in the United States. The state soil of Illinois is called Drummer. Formed under prairie vegetation, Drummer is the most extensive and productive soil in the state. Considering Illinois has less than a percent of its original prairie, one can assume Drummer ain’t what used to be.
Soil originates from rock, becomes soil by weathering, and time, so much time, it seems a miracle. To form an inch of topsoil requires at least a century, and despite the time immemorial required to make soil, it’s capable of recovery, a miracle compounded.
Unearth the supernatural medium of soil at Soil: It Is Not Dirt.
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The simplest, easiest, most facile, uncomplicated, efficient, economical, time-saving method to mitigate climate disruption, support birds, pollinators, and threatened species is to plant native shrubs and trees.
You don't have to wait for federal, state, or local governments, private enterprises, corporations, or foreign governments to do something about the anthrotrauma and environmental crises affecting planet Earth. You can do something now. Plant a native tree or shrub.
Unfortunately, few garden centers sell them, but Wild Ones West Cook, in association with the One Earth Collective, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Conservation@Home, the University of Illinois Extension Center, and Interfaith Green Network does.
Purchase native shrubs and trees at Shopify. Wild Ones members (any chapter) and Conservation@Home members (in Cook County) receive discounts.
Tree and shrub pickup takes place at Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church parking lot 405 South Euclid Ave in Oak Park Saturday, September 25, 2021, from 10 am to 2 pm. We will provide contact-free pick. Choose your time slot at SignUpGenius.
The sale needs volunteers to unload, sort, and shlep the trees and shrubs to their new owners, perhaps parents or stewards are better terms. Click the volunteer button below to assist them on their journey.
During the sale, the volunteers are welcome to talk to the trees and shrubs to wish them well in their new life. Some research shows that speaking nicely to plants will support their growth. Volunteers who feel intimidated talking to trees and shrubs should walk over to the prairie willow section and speak to them. They are an amiable shrub, the Latin name Salix humilis, salix meaning willow, humilis meaning low, slight, or submissive. They will likely appreciate any gentle words you offer them.
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Presented by Stephanie Walquist
Sunday, September 19, 2021
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. CDT
Free
Location: Online (Zoomtown)
Register at Eventbrite
Butterflies need all four seasons to complete their metamorphosis. Winter becomes as important as the other seasons. This presentation will teach you proper fall and winter garden clean-up, which is vital to butterfly survival.
Stephanie Walquist has gardened for and observed butterflies for more than 15 years. In real-time, it's probably 30 years because of her passion and curiosity. She is a co-president of Wild Ones West Cook and an impresario of Class Insecta. She's called "the "bomb" by everyday people but for those in eco-restoration and native plant landscapes she's the "bombus."
Register for Stephanie --she's the bombus -- Walquist's presentation at Eventbrite.
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Habitat Apocalypse?
A mature tree/ old-growth tree dies in your landscape. You lose its shade and grandeur.
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Photo by Byron Lanning
Habitat Genesis?
If you judge the death of an old-growth tree as a change in the landscape and not a tragedy, you can find adaptation. Two years ago, an immense elm tree grew in this scene. The tree died suddenly from Dutch Elm Disease and was cut down. The landscape changed from complete shade to full sun in 6 hours.
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Photo by Byron Lanning
In the elm tree's aftermath, the garden owner planted cardinal flowers, blue lobelias, swamp milkweed, and turtleheads.
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A sugar maple, bur oak, and a buttonbush were released from the shade of the elm. The site now has more biodiversity.
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