So, last time we left off with marine plants creating enough oxygen to create an ozone layer in the atmosphere. This blocked the UV radiation that made life on land impossible. Algae colonized wet areas on land, followed by primitive plants without roots or vascular systems. All land plants descended from these early colonizers, with…
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McKinley Woods FP On Sunday, April 6, I went to McKinley Woods to see how the wildflowers are looking.  No prescribed burn this year so the display is less showy and more uneven than usual as many plants are delayed trying to come up through the leaves, while bare ground and south facing areas are…
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Invasive species April 2024 European Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Reed Canary Grass (RCG) originated in Europe, Asia, and Canada. It is unclear if there was a native strain of RCG in Illinois. The native and European strains of RCG are hard for botanists to tell apart with the naked eye but easy for ecologists to separate. See that…
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Doing our part as individuals as we enjoy nature takes a little etiquette. Beyond the usual field trip guidelines of bug spray and sturdy shoes, I would like to discuss an often-overlooked aspect of hiking etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation. Now, I’m not going to talk about using outhouses (please don’t hover over the seat; you’re too…
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