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…
Read more
Members went to Braidwood Dunes and Savanna on a lovely Sunday, July 21 st . But for me andVlad Nevirkovets, the excitement started before the field trip. Vlad had contacted me a fewdays before the field trip with the news that he had found the state endangered PrairieQuillwort (Isoetes melanopoda) at Braidwood Dunes and Savanna…
Read more
Langham Island Field Trip: On June 29 th the KNK Torrent Chapter went to Langham Island to see one ofthree (?) species known only from Illinois (a.k.a. endemic). One is the American Fairy Lantern (Thismiaamericana), which was last seen at its only known home near Lake Calumet in 1916. Another, theSangamon Phlox (Phlox pilosa var.…
Read more
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…
Read more
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…
Read more
Hi all, The Kankakee Torrent Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society is pleased to announce that registration for the Community Habitat Symposium (Saturday, February 24, from 8:30 – 4:30) is now open on the Kankakee Torrent Chapter page of the Illinois Native Plant Society website (https://www.illinoisplants.org/kankakee-torrent-chapter/). For the bargain price of $40, you get…
Read more
The excerpt