\3 1£ U\1 W r W8&W& Quarterly Newsletter Illinois Native Plant Society "... dedicated to the preservation , conservation and study of the native plants and vegetation of Illinois . ” to NO. 4 JANUARY 2010 STARHILL FOREST PETERSBURG, IL VOLUME 26, ILLINIS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY HARBINGER Editor Mike Tyner Governing Board R.J. Fehl, Jr., President Connie Carroll-Cunningham, President-Elect Bo Dziadyk, Past President Jo Durkee, Treasurer Becky Croteau, Secretary Tracy Evans, Erigenia Editor Mike Tyner, Harbinger Editor Mike Tyner, Membership At-Large Board Members Janine Catchpole Connie Cunningham Bohdan Dziadyk Bob Edgin T racy Evans R.J. Fehl Becky Croteau Ron Kiser Andy Methven Angella Moorehouse Mike Tyner Chapter Presidents CENTRAL CHAPTER Beth Adams (President) 1700 W. Glenn Springfield, IL 62704 217/787-0942 eadams21@hotmail.com FOREST GLEN CHAPTER Connie Carroll-Cunningham (President) 8310 E 1425 North Rd Fairmount, IL 61841 217/733-2660 carrollc@inhs.uiuc.edu IRENE CULL CHAPTER Mary Hartley (President) 20300 W Walnut Creek Rd. Laura, IL 61451 309/995-3356 havwool@winco.net NORTHEAST CHAPTER Janine Catchpole 321 Marigold Place Joliet, IL 60433 815/603-5190 i9-catchpole@comcast.net QUAD CITY CHAPTER Robert Bryant, President 2639 W 35th Street Davenport, IA 52806 563/843-2852 qc inps.home.mchsi.com SOUTHERN CHAPTER Chris Benda, President 600 N Carico St Carbondale, IL 62901 217-417-4145 botanizer@gmail.com R. J. Fehl, INPS President 20766 Sand Burr Lane Petersburg, IL 62675 217/632-2412 Rifir4eco@aol.com MEMBERSHIP REPORT Latest Report Available Life members 129 Institutional 13 Patron 11 Supporting 50 Student 6 Individual 275 Family 37 Exchange 33 Total Statewide 554 At-Large members 7 Central Chapter 129 Forest Glen 70 Irene Cull 35 Northeast 166 Guad City 44 Southern 71 Exchange 33 Total Statewide 554 Dear Members, Thank you for the material submitted over recent months. I could always use more. Too much is far better than not having enough to fill these pages. There are, of course, deadlines to meet. July 1 st , October 1 st , January 1 st , and April 1 st . I hope you enjoy the newsletters and always welcome suggestions for improvement and content. Thank you for your input. Sincerely, Mike Tyner windfirerain(5)comcast.net Editor P. S. It is really very convenient to receive material via e-mail. That saves this poor typist a great deal of mid- night hours. When sending items please be sure the subject line of your e-mail begins with “Harbinger”. That way a simple sort when doing my editor work will take me directly to the best news, views and photos in the INPS world. STARHILL FOREST ARBORETUM Starhill Forest Arboretum is a scientific plant collection begun in 1976 by Guy and Edie Sternberg near Petersburg, Illinois. The mission of Starhill Forest is to promote an understanding and appreciation of trees and nature through programs that integrate science and the liberal arts. Focus is directed toward native landscapes and well-documented plant collections arranged aesthetically and ecologically in a naturalistic design for professional and public study and quiet enjoyment. Values sought include conservation, aesthetics, inspiration, natural heritage management, and advancing knowledge. The living collections comprise taxonomic (generally genus-specific) collections as well as habit-specific, habitat-specific, aesthetic, and other collections. Categories include hardy woody plants, herbaceous plants, non-hardy (conservatory) plants, and natural habitat communities. All living collections in the arboretum are displayed within an aesthetically pleasing informal garden context and/or a natural-appearing, ecologically sound, sustainable habitat. The oak ( Quercus ) collection is designated as a national reference collection for North America by the North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC) and is recognized worldwide. Approximately 150 other genera are also accessioned at Starhill Forest. Starhill Forest is managed under a trust agreement for Illinois College (1C), and eventually will be transferred in fee simple to 1C. Students already use the arboretum for internships, field classes, and special projects. This partnership is so successful that it has earned the Friends of Illinois College award presented by the 1C Alumni Association and the State Journal-Register’s Frank Bellrose Award. Friends of Starhill Forest is a non-profit organization recently incorporated to support the mission of the arboretum. Memberships are award for financial contributions and/or volunteer service, and benefits include special programs, rare plants, logo shirts, hand-made walking sticks, and the satisfaction of participating in a worthy cause. For more information about the Friends contact StarhillForest@aol.com . Learn More about Volunteer Opportunities at Starhill Forest Arboretum The Friends of Starhill Forest will host a volunteer opportunity orientation at 9 AM on Saturday, March 13 at Starhill Forest Arboretum. Learn more about the various volunteer opportunities available at Starhill Forest.. ..guiding short topic-specific tours for lay visitors; helping maintain herbaceous plantings; grounds maintenance; fundraising; helping with special events; records keeping, mailings, and newsletters; and more. After lunch, those interested in being trained to guide one or more of five short walking tours will have time to learn more about them. The walking tours are intended for the lay public and not for tree or horticultural "experts". Guy and Mindy will continue to respond to those requests. An agenda for March 13 will be distributed in February. If you know someone who might be interested in volunteering, let us know. In the meantime, we'll be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. The Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism and Organic Conference, held in Springfield, focused on the needs of the producers of crops beyond the usual corn and beans of Illinois. The group represents organic, or not, orchardists, nut growers, beekeepers, herb farms and vegetable growers. A highly diverse, sustainably driven, family farm seems to be the norm. This type of agriculture is, I hope, the cutting edge and future of food production: more local, much fresher products. I won’t go into the issues of feeding the world. The take-home message is that sustainable food producers are complementary to managing natural resources. Who wouldn’t want sustainable orientated neighbors surrounding a preserve? Finding and using these producers should be encouraged. The other event I attended was the Mid-America Horticulture Trade Show in Chicago. This trade show has been for years the place where folks in the mid -west went to see and learn about the newest in plant varieties and landscape techniques. This year, one of the pre-conference workshops was Sustainable Landscape Solutions: From the Soil Up to the Greenroof, sponsored by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association. The speakers were among the leaders in innovative landscaping in the Chicago area. The take home message from the day-long workshop was that sustainable landscape design involves creating an ecosystem. The ecosystem begins by healing and caring for soils damaged by construction and valuing the water as a resource to be used on-site. The workshop stressed the need to use native plants in the design as the most sustainable choice. To see a roomful of landscapers, caring enough about being in the forefront of design and technique, dutifully making a note to buy Plants of the Chicago Region by Swink & Wilhelm made this INPS member happy. Two more days had break-out sessions dealing with sustainable design and native plants. Again I was in a packed room seeing people jotting down two book titles, Plants of the Chicago Region and Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy. The website to see details of the conference is: http://www.midam.org/index.html. So here we are, native plants and sustainability becoming the cutting edge in agriculture and horticulture. This could mean that, as INPS members, we need to remember we can be a resource for so many folks wanting to learn about native plants. This is another thing to ponder on cold winter days. / STARHILL FOREST PETERSBURG, IL WICKER HOUSE Horseshoe Lake PLANNING FOR LATE WINTER IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Ben Dolbeare and Becky Croteau have reserved Wicker House at Horseshoe Lake for Feb. 25, 26, 27, 28 Mar. 1, 2010. We have the Wicker House facility reserved for the weekend of February 27/28th. Participants may arrive as early as Thursday the 25th, and leave as late as March 1st. Guided field trips will be scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. The Southern Illinois Chapter is going to coordinate some activities with us. We are extending the invitation for their members and others from throughout the state to also join us, at Wicker House, if they wish to. Participants who will be joining us should call or email Becky Croteau 217-786-2369 beckv.croteau@llcc.edu to confirm your intention to go on this trip. This will help us coordinate meals, and other details. CHAPTER’S CALENDAR OF EVENTS Central Chapter February 1 1 th Mexico: Oaks, Weeds and more Henry Eilers Washington Park Botanical Garden February 25 th to March 1 st Wicker House Trip Horseshoe Lake Union County Details in elsewhere in newsletter For detailed information about meetings and directions, contact Beth Adams at eadams21@hotmail.com Irene Cull Chapter Contact Mary Hartley for upcoming chapter events at 309/995-3356 or e-mail at havwool@winco.net Southern Chapter Upcoming Schedule: Next southern chapter board meeting is February 9 th Regular monthly meeting is February 16 th - inform members of rendezvous with central chapter at end of month. Rendezvous with central chapter at Wicker House at Horseshoe Lake, February 25 th - March 1 st Arrange speaker for March 1 6 th regular meeting Put on a plant collecting and vouchering workshop for April 20 th regular meeting Staff a booth for INPS at NatureFest on April 24 th , create wildflower picturebook, have postcards, brochures, and membership applications for distribution Organize a spring social at Trail of Tears State Forest for May 1 st and create Natural History of Spring Ephemerals document for use in plant ID Sponsor Microstegium Summit in August Northeast Chapter For upcoming meetings, contact Floyd Catchpole at 815/603-5190 or e-mail him at i9-catchpole@comcast.net Annual Meeting for the Northeast Chapter April 1 8, 3:00pm to 4:30pm at the Iron Oaks Environmental Learning Center, Olympia Fields, IL, more details to come. Tentative Fieldtrip Schedule 2010 The fieldtrips are not sponsored financially by the NE Chapter. All arrangements to the trips will be on your own or with other people planning to attend. The trips are geared to provide at look at different sand communities in Indiana and northern Illinois, excluding sands along Lake Michigan. The trip will be weekend trips with camping available. We hope to also see members from other INPS chapters as the sites cover the northern half of the state. The actual sites to be visited and overall order of the sites are not yet finalized. Nothing is set in stone. May 1 5/1 6 Indiana Sands Camp at Tippecanoe State Park in Indiana. Visit preserves in Newton, Jasper & Pulaski counties. May/June, State Annual Meeting July 1 7/1 8 Central Illinois Sands Camp at Sand Ridge State Forest. Visit Sand Prairie Scrub Oak NP, Henry Alan Gleason NP and others to be determined. August 14/15 Illinois Kankakee Sands Camp at Des Plains Conservation Area. Visit Hitts Siding, Braidwood Dunes and Savanna, Sand Ridge Savanna, Wilmington Shrub Prairie. September 18/20 Mississippi Sands Camp at Mississippi Palisades. Visit Hanover Bluff, Foley Sand Prairie, Ayer Sand Prairie and maybe Savanna Army Depot. October 4 Southern Cook County Sands No camping Visit Indian Boundary Prairies, Sand Ridge NP, Thornton-Lansing NP and Jurgenson Woods. Quad City Chapter For upcoming meetings, check out their website http://ac inDS.home.mchsi.com Forest Glen Chapter Contact Connie Cunningham for details at carrollc@inhs.uiuc.edu or 21 7/7 33-2660. Gardeners' Day Saturday, March 20, 2010, 8:00 am to 12:05 pm University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit Building #30 Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield , IL JANUARYIFEBRUARY MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TME Illinois Native Plant Society is totally membership based. Every tacit of our organization is built upon member/volunteer participation. The Erigenia, Harbinger, chapter newsletters, plant sales, programs, web sites, field trips, monthly and annual meetings, etc., are planned and prepared by members and volunteers. So in January we ask all members to renew their memberships to support these activities. In fact, many members have already sent in renewals. Renewals received since about September are considered to be for the new year, ASSUMING DUES WERE PAID FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. ALL UNRENEWED MEMBERSHIPS WILL BE PURGED FROM THE DATA BASE IN APRIL. THE APRIL HARBINGER WILL CARRY A NOTIFICATION IF YOU ARE UNRENEWED. It is our hope to be able to accomplish member renewals without the cost of sending membership notices in a separate mailing, if possible. RENEW TODAY!! RENEW TODAY!!!! RENEW TODAY!!!!!!!! SEE MEMBERSHIP FORM ON LAST PAGE. Please complete the entire form. Thank You!!! INPS Membership Mailing Membership processing and record keeping for INPS Membership Chair has been assumed by Mike Tyner. To facilitate this change please send all Membership Applications and Membership Renewals to him at: INPS Membership, P.O.Box 3341, Springfield, IL 62708 And, just a reminder that the INPS address is: Illinois Native Plant Society, P.O. Box 3341, Springfield, IL 62708 Illinois Native Plant Society P.0. Box 3341 Springfield, IL 62708 Non-Profit Org. US Postage Paid Springfield, IL Permit #500 U NEW LI RENEWAL LI ADDRESS CHANGE ONLY Mr, /Miss/Dr, amt C4y Stats Zip Phone Number Membership Year Email Addrete MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: INPS MAIL TO: INPS, P. 0. Box 3341, Springfield, IL 62708 MOVING? Notify us of your change of address, we can no longer be held responsible for forwarding charges on standard mail CHAPTER AFFILIATION LI Central (Springfield) LI Forest Glen (Westville) □ Northeast (Chicago) □ Southern (Cartx>nda!e) LI Quad City (Rock Island LI Irene Cud (Peoria) MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES □ Student $13 00 □ individual $20.00 LI Family (new category) $ 30 00 LI Institutional (noo- voting i $ 20 00 □ Supporting ... ..... . $30 00 □ Patron $ 55 00 J Life $ 300 00 Please check here to receive publications (except Erigenia) and notices electronically. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR HARBINGER ELECTRONICALLY IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS ISSUE AS A PDF IT IS BECAUSE YOU REQUESTED IT THAT WAY OR BECAUSE IT IS BEING SENT THAT WAY FOR YOU TO SEE HOW IT WILL BE ARRIVING. If you have not requested it be sent by PDF you will receive a hard copy as well. If you would like to have it as a PDF please advise the Editor by email at windfirerain@comcast.net Please use Subject ---“PDF Harbinger” Making this choice will save INPS $2000.00 to $3000.00 per year in Harbinger postage/printing costs. If you wished you could then print out your own copy. In addition, all members should send their current e-mail address to windfirerain@comcast.net Please use Subject— “INPS EMAIL” Harbinger by mail will be black and white— PDF versions will be in full color. ALL EMAIL DISTRIBUTIONS OF HARBINGER OR OTHER NOTICES WILL BE SENT USING “BCC” BLIND CARBON COPY TO PROTECT EVERYONE’S EMAIL FROM THOSE SPAMMERS OUT THERE.