Iriks ~Pf A\i^irV pk^pv 1 * Quarterly Newsletter Illinois Native Plant Society “...dedicated to the preservation , conservation and study of the native plants and vegetation of Illinois. ” TODD BITTNER * moving on and UP” VOLUME 24, NO. 4 January 2008 HARBINGER Editor Mike Tyner Typist Staff Reporters Connie Cunningham, Forest Glen Todd Bittner, Northeast Melanie Manner, Northeast Doug Franks, Irene Cull Rich Hartley, Irene Cull Guy Sternberg, Central Mike Tyner, Central Governing Board Bo Dziadyk, President R.J. Fehl, Jr., President Elect Gordon Tucker, Past President Melanie Manner, Treasurer Connie Carroll-Cunningham, Secretary Marty Vogt, Erigenia Editor Mike Tyner, Harbinger Editor Lorna Konsis, Membership At-Large Board Members Tracy Evans John Benedict Mary Hartley Floyd Catchpole Robert Bryant Chapter Presidents CENTRAL CHAPTER John Benedict (President) 142 Lilac Lane Chatham, IL 62629 217/483-5278 Johnlana@insightbb.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 haywool@winco. net NORTHEAST CHAPTER Floyd Catchpole 321 Marigold Place Joliet, IL 60433 815/603-5190 fcatchpole@comcast.net QUAD CITY CHAPTER Robert Bryant, President 2639 W 35th Street Davenport, IA 52806 563/843-2852 bjbryant@netins.net SOUTHERN CHAPTER Tracy Evans, Acting President TRACY.EVANS@illinois.gov Bo Dziadyk, INPS President Augustana College 639 38 th St. Rock Island, IL 61201 309/794-3436 bohdandziadyk@augustana.edu MEMBERSHIP REPORT Latest Report Available Life members 121 Institutional 11 Patron 15 Supporting 73 Student 8 Regular 227 Exchange 35 Total Statewide 490 At-Large members 6 Central Chapter 99 Forest Glen 65 Irene Cull 32 Northeast 152 Guad City 43 Southern 57 Exchange 35 Total Statewide 490 INPS Membership Mailing Dorothy Hosto has taken over processing and record keeping for Membership in INPS. To facilitate this change please send all Membership Applications and Membership Renewals to her at: Dorothy Hosto INPS Membership Chair 710 S. Columbia Ave. Springfield, IL 62704 And, just a reminder that the INPS address is: Illinois Native Plant Society P.O. Box 3341 Sorinafield. IL 62708 Dear Members, I have received some material from members over recent months and could always use more. Too much is far better than not having enough to fill these pages. There will, of course, be 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@insightbb.com 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. Tonya, Todd Colby, Shannon THE BITTNERS GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES TODD BITTNER ANNOUNCES CAREER MOVE CONGRATULATIONS SUPER GUY!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for your service and contributions. It has truly been rewarding and a tremendous honor to work with so many dedicated and knowledgeable individuals towards conserving our natural heritage, and I will miss many of you and the places we worked together to preserve and steward. But the time has come to open a new life chapter, and I have accepted a position at Cornell University as Director of Natural Areas starting in February. There I look forward to helping to mentor the next generation of natural area stewards, scientists, and citizens, while also working to preserve and care for wonderful natural areas. I wish you all the best in the continuing effort to preserve our significant Illinois natural heritage, and I hope our paths will continue to cross down the road. I can still be reached at my personnel e-mail account which is prairiequv@earthlink.net . My new Cornell University contact information is: Todd Bittner Director of Natural Areas Cornell Plantations One Plantations Road Ithaca, NY 14850 (607)255-2400 rtb52@cornell.edu Longtime INPS member and IDNR staffer Deb Nelson has left Illinois for California position Some of you may have already heard this, but for those of you that have not, I am leaving Illinois at the end of August. My last day with the IDNR will be August 17th. I have thought long and hard about this decision and it is with a mix of anticipation, excitement, fear, joy, and sadness that I take this leap. I am following my heart from: N42.40487 W 087.80671 to my destination at: N34.08858 W1 16.93856 It's a wonderful new adventure and I'm convinced there's gold in them thar hills! I will take with me great memories of some of the most amazing places and most amazing people in Illinois! It has been a pleasure and honor to work with the dedicated professionals that choose to spend their life energy trying to "do the right thing" for the benefit of the precious remaining natural areas within Illinois. I have learned quite a bit from all of you and I will sincerely miss you. I wish you all well, lots of perseverance, and as much satisfaction as you can glean from all your hard work. I hope to keep in touch, and anyone with a GPS unit should be able to find me if they want to! With the mountains and coast in my back yard, visits from friends in Illinois will be whole heartedly welcomed! I can be reached via my personal e-mail account at dlneslon@mc.net for awhile. GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES Emerald Ash Borer Discovered In Geneva Residents encouraged to report suspicious trees January 14, 2008 GENEVA, IL - The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) confirmed today that the emerald ash borer has taken up residence in the City of Geneva. An arborist employed by Hendrickson’s Care of Trees Tree Company discovered the EAB infestation while responding to a residential call. The confirmed infestation is on public and private properties northeast of the intersection of Randall Road and Route 38. IDA officials responded immediately with a limited survey of the area and results indicate the infestation is limited, at this time, to the immediate area along Bradbury Lane. The recent and numerous EAB finds underscore the need for communities to be proactive against EAB. IDA urges community officials to initiate an ash- tree-reduction-strategy within their districts. “Begin by taking inventory of all ash trees within the community, budget needs for labor and equipment should large-scale ash tree removals be necessary. Then aggressively begin to cull your poor-conditioned ash trees. Work with local tree care professionals, as they are generally the first line of detection. Establish a formal plan to record and report inventory reduction and reforestation activities. Start now to develop a communication plan should the emerald ash borer be found in your community,” says Warren Goetsch, bureau chief for Environmental Programs. The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a small, metallic green, non-native invasive pest whose larvae feast on the trunks of ash trees thereby cutting off their ability to transport nutrients and ultimately causing the tree’s decline. Ash trees can be infested with EAB for a few years before the tree begins to demonstrate any signs of EAB infestation. Symptoms of EAB include canopy dieback, D-shaped exit holes, shoots sprouting from the tree trunks and S-shaped larval galleries underneath the bark. EAB was first discovered in Illinois in June 2006, in the Windings near Lily Lake in Kane County. The Illinois Department of Agriculture has since confirmed EAB infestations in several communities within Kane, northern Cook, DuPage and LaSalle counties and has issued a quarantine affecting all or parts of 18 of the northeastern -most counties of the state including Kane. As part of a cooperative agreement with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), IDA is responsible for EAB survey, control/eradication and outreach. This EAB infestation is of little surprise to IDA officials, as it seems to confirm suspicions of its movement pattern. “The Geneva EAB infestation kind of completes the connection between the first 2006 EAB find in Kane County and the earlier find in the summer of 2007 in Glendale Heights in Du Page County. If you look at a map with all the confirmed EAB infestations there is a hint of a definitive pattern, and Geneva was the missing link,” says Mark Cinnamon, Nursery Manager for IDA. City officials will continue to inventory and monitor trees closely to determine the full extent of the EAB infestation. EAB was first discovered in North America in 2002 in the Detroit and Ontario areas. Since then, it is estimated that approximately 25 million ash trees in North America have been felled due to EAB. More than 1 1 ,000 trees make up the City of Geneva’s parkway canopies. The ash species account for approximately 20 percent of that number. As a proactive measure to limit the possible damage from an EAB infestation, the City of Geneva ceased the planting of ash trees in 2002. As a result of the Dutch Elm Disease that devastated Geneva’s Elm tree population in the late 70’s, the City implemented a tree planting program to diversify tree species to avoid a reoccurrence of another heavily populated canopy devastation. City staff members will respond immediately to suspect sighting of EAB. It is very important for residents of Geneva to be aware and vigilant in inspecting their ash trees for this pest. If you suspect you may have found adult or larval form of this insect, freeze the insect and bring it to the City of Geneva’s Public Works Department, 1800 South Street or contact the Public Works Department at 232- 1 502 or the Illinois Department of Agriculture toll-free hotline 1 -800-641 -3934. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the following links: www.emeraldashborer.info/ www.agr.state.il.us/newsrels/r0727062.html www.lllinoisEAB.com www.agr.state.il.us/ www.na.fs.fed.us/thp/eab www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ep/eab/ www.mortonarb.org FEBRUARY AND MARCH BRING MAPLE SYRUP DEMONSTRATIONS LINCOLN MEMORIAL GARDEN www.lmqnc.org Springfield, Illinois Weekends --- Feb 16, 2008 through March 9, 2008 Maple Syrup Tours and 2 weekends of Pancakes and Sausage Breakfasts. See website. SUGAR GROVE NATURE CENTER www.suqarqrovenaturecenter.org Funks Grove, Illinois Saturday, February 23, 2008 Maple Sirup Experince Tours. See website. Welcome Rare Plant Enthusiasts! Please join us for one of our: 2008 Plants of Concern Workshops Saturday, April 5 Volo Bog (Ingleside, Lake County) Thursday, April 17 Midewin Tallgrass Prairie (Joliet, Will County) Sunday, April 27 Chicago Botanic Garden (Glencoe, Cook County) Workshops will be held from 9:30 to 3:00. This workshop will give you an opportunity to learn monitoring skills or to refresh your skills for the new season. We ask any monitors who have never been to a workshop to attend. After the workshops, there will be an optional site tour at Volo Bog, and you will be free to enjoy the Chicago Botanic Garden on your own. Free parking at all locations for workshop day only. What the workshop provides: An introduction to Plants of Concern, a rare plant monitoring program for NE Illinois, funded by Chicago Wilderness, the Wildlife Preservation Fund, USFS (Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie), CorLands, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and C2000. Training in the basics of monitoring techniques, including measuring and mapping populations and using a GPS unit. A chance to meet representatives of the Forest Preserve Districts and Illinois Department of Natural Resources who will present their monitoring opportunities. Monitoring positions are available in Cook, Kane, Lake, DuPage, McHenry, and Will counties. An opportunity to meet seasoned monitors who will share their experiences Bring a lunch. Morning refreshments will be served. Registration is required. A confirmation will be sent after registration and directions will follow shortly before workshop date. Please contact Marian Hofherr, POC Program Assistant/Volunteer Coordinator: mhofherr@chicagobotanic.org (Office) 847- 835-6873. 2008 is the eighth season of Plants of Concern rare plant monitoring. Coordinated through the Chicago Botanic Garden by Research Botanist Susanne Masi, POC has worked with land-owners and a dedicated corps of over 180 volunteers. Trained volunteers have used standardized protocols to gather invaluable data on 585 occurrences of rare plants over the past seven years. For more information - Watch the Plants of Concern website for news on the prosram: www.plantsofconcern.org Natural Landscaping Seminar "Backyard & Beyond" The Wildflower Preservation and Propagation Committee presents their 16th annual Natural Landscaping Seminar on Saturday, February 23, 2008 from 8:00 am to 3:45 pm at McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, IL. The program will include "Project Quercus: The Future Mighty Oaks of McHenry County" presented by Ed Collins, MCCD and Lisa Haderlein, The Land Conservancy; "The Home Landscape, Naturally" by author and garden speaker Keith Nowakowski; Mike Nowak, humorist and host of WGN radio's "Let's Talk Gardening"; and a speaker on the wild birds of the backyard and beyond. The WPPC has been advocating natural landscaping in McHenry County for over 35 years. 2008 is a great time to make your resolution to tread more lightly on our Earth! Registration includes lunch: $30 in advance, $35 at the door. There will be exhibitors and vendors to peruse during the coffee and lunch breaks. For more information visit www.thewppc.org or phone Nancy at 815-455-9462. JUNE 6, 7 and 8 2008 INPS ANNUAL MEETING Planning continues for the 2008 Annual Meeting to be held under the auspices of the Northeast Chapter on June 6, 7 and 8. Early planning is for the meeting to be Headquartered in the Will County area. Please contact Janine Catchpole i9-catchpole@comcast.net and volunteer to assist in the planning. Further details will be available in the next Harbinger and on the INPS website. www.iii-inps.org A historic (1882) shot of the largest tree ever measured east of the Mississippi - a sycamore along the Wabash River near Beall Woods that was cut by its owner in the 1880s because it was attracting too many tree-looking trespassers. The man at left is ornithologist Robert Ridgeway; his brother is at right with the gun and the top hat. Saturday April 26 Washington Park Botanical Garden 1740 W. Fayette Avenue Springfield, IL 62704 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Diverse selection of local provenance natives Sampling of native cultivars Prairie plants Woodland plants Herbaceous and woody plants of all sizes, some extremely rare Trees - balled & burlapped and potted trees FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT MARY RING 21 7-243-6055 westrina@verizon.net OR JOHN BENEDICT 217-652-7705 INVOLUCURE February meeting of the INPS Irene Cull Chapter The Irene Cull Chapter will meet on February 23 at 9:00 a.m. at Jubilee State Park headquarters. Take the road north from the entrance on Rt. 150. There is a sign. We will be planning the year’s projects. INPS February meeting is our planning session for 2008 meetings. As you probably know, there are all kinds of neat activities the chapter can do. We usually have field trips to local sites of interest. We have LOTS of sites to choose from. In 2007 we had a seed collecting meeting (see September 2007 meeting below). This provides another type of opportunity for members. Another activity that we have not had recently is having a speaker in to teach us about a subject. Related to that is having a "teacher" go through a "lab exercise" that teaches about some aspect of plant biology in which members become the students. The possibilities abound for the group. So come to the February meeting, have a cup of coffee and a cookie and tell us what to do and where we should go in 2008. At the September Meeting The end of September found the INPS members travelling in extreme comfort in Doug Franks' car (read small bus) to Canton for breakfast. The breakfast was wonderful (Ari's on the east side of the square) and the conversation botanical. I personally learned about American Chestnuts vs. Chinese Chestnuts and how to tell the difference. After taking nourishment, we drove to the prairie area along the road that goes between Cuba and Canton to collect seeds. We used several different methods of taking seeds, depending on the seed type and how many we wanted. The seeds were bagged and will be used in future prairie plantings in Fulton County. This was a fun time as we all learned a little more about prairie plants and helped get a few more native plants dispersed into more areas. More on the enemy from the Dept, of Entomology, Michigan State University Garlic mustard reproduces only by seed. Most seeds germinate within the first or second year after being produced but can remain viable in the soil seed bank for up to five years. Seeds require prolonged exposure to cold before they can germinate. Seeds germinate in the spring and form low growing rosettes of dark purple to green, kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. Leaves grow on stalks that are a half to 2 inches long called petioles. Young leaves smell distinctly of garlic or onion when crushed, although the odor becomes less intense as plants grow older. Seedling density in infested areas can reach nearly 17,000 per square yard in the fall, although overwintering mortality is high and rosette density in the spring averages 25 to 70 per square yard, but occasionally reaches as high as 375 per square yard. Leaves on second year plants are roughly triangular and sharply toothed, a little over one to three inches wide and long becoming gradually smaller towards the top of the stem. As with first year plants, young leaves smell distinctly of garlic or onion when crushed, although the odor becomes less intense as plants grow older. Shoot elongation from the rosette occurs in the spring, with the plant growing as rapidly as three-quarters of an inch per day. Flowers are continuously produced at the top of the long stalk. Flowering occurs in late April through June. Flowers are white with four petals that form a cross. The flower is similar to others in the mustard family with six stamens: two long and four short. Petals taper sharply toward the base of the flower. Siliques grow on short, rugged stalks and radiate out from the stem. Wind dispersal is limited and most seeds fall within a few yards of the plant. Dense stands can produce about 12,500 seeds per square yard each year. Humans transport seed on boots, clothing, hair, by mowing, in automobiles and trains. Birds, rodents and whitetail deer are likely seed dispersers in woodland habitats. Garlic mustard seeds can remain viable in the soil seed bank for up to five years. INPS Irene Cull Chapter 1023 W. Truitt Avenue Chillicothe, IL 61523 Do we have your current email? If you have email, please send your email address to afrve@bitwisesvstems.com < mailto:afrve@bwsvs.net > so we can keep in touch. We’ll use this list to notify members of last minute announcements and events. I use blind copies to preserve your privacy. To receive The Involucre via email, send your request, with your email address, to afrve@bitwisesvstems.com You will receive a text file & a virus scanned Word document for printing. Members who prefer hardcopy can still receive a paper copy. President's Corner.... By Dr. Bohdan Dziadyk bohdandziadvk@auqustana.edu In 1963 the Illinois General Assembly voted to establish the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission to create a system of natural areas representing the diversity of Illinois landscapes. At the time this was something new under the sun - nothing else like it existed anywhere in the country - and since then the nature preserves system has grown to include 339 dedicated units ranging in size from an acre or less to more than 2,000 acres. The total area currently protected is approximately 45,327 acres including the broad diversity of grassland, woodland, wetland and related habitats that make up a fraction of presettlement wilderness in the Prairie State. The soundness of the nature preserve system was brought home to me during the last two years when my colleagues at Augustana College and I discussed enrolling a portion of one of our biological field stations into it. Augustana owns and manages three field stations in northern Illinois, and one of these in Rock Island County contains two small (0.6 acre total) but high quality hill prairies. With the unstinting help of Natural Areas Preservation Specialist Angella K. Moorehouse and the blessings of our College administration, a total of 20 acres (the hill prairies core plus a surrounding forested buffer zone) was dedicated on September 22, 2007 as the Josua Lindahl Hill Prairies Nature Preserve in honor of the first professor of natural sciences at Augustana College. I remember with pleasure that clear and mild September morning when a contingent of colleagues, students and friends met at the site for a simple but heartfelt dedication ceremony. After we talked, observed and walked through the woods to the hill prairies, I thought a few words were in order: " We gather today to dedicate the Josua Lindahl Hill Prairies Nature Preserve approved by action of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission on February 6, 2007 in Springfield. On behalf of Augustana College, the Field Stations Governing Board duly accepts the responsibility of preserving and protecting this 20 acre complex of hill prairies and forests in perpetuity in accordance with the stipulations of the Commission. This agreement is fully consistent with the mission of our field stations to promote the understanding and protection of lllinios native ecosystems in our care. " My colleagues and I at Augustana have been humbled and gratified to become part of this wonderful system to protect what's left of wild Illinois. For all those concerned with the survival of native plants and animals who are also fortunate to own rare habitats, I strongly recommend they consider partnering with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission to place the property under this highest possible level of protection. The property remains in the full possession of the owner but must meet certain use restrictions and management criteria (determined by the landowner) thereafter. In addition, the IN PC makes stewardship funds available for brush removal, control of exotic species and other uses through the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. Augustana College gratefully acknowledges the recent $8,000 stewardship award from the INPS through the efforts of Angella Moorehouse for the control of brush and exotics at its new Josua Lindahl Preserve. WILDLIFE PRAIRIE STATE PARK You are invited to attend and participate in Wildlife Prairie State Parks First Annual Landscape and Garden Conference and Exposition, March 15, 2008 at Wildlife Prairie State Park in Hanna City, IL. The purpose of this conference is to broaden the knowledge of Illinois prairie conservation and development of native outdoor education habitats, including products, policies, techniques and ideas. All topis related to prairie conservation and native wildflower habitat will be considered. For further information call 309-676-0998. IT IS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME January is traditionally our INPS membership dues renewal month. To save postage costs please simply forward your dues renewals now to: INPS c/o Dorothy Hosto 710 S. Columbia Ave. Springfield, IL 62704 INPS MEMBERSHIP IS VERY REASONABLE AND HELPS PROMOTE OUR INPS PURPOSE . .dedicated to the preservation, conservation and study of the native plants and vegetation of Illinois. IT IS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME □ NEW □ RENEWAL □ ADDRESS CHANGE ONLY