U of I Extension, Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve District Announce Wilderness Wednesdays!
Join others for Wilderness Wednesdays evening zoom meetings, which are all about the wilderness! The University of Illinois and Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve District are partnering with experts from across the state to bring residents information about nature. Attend all sessions or just the ones you would like. For a full description or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/WildernessWednesday.
•March 1 – Native Plants, with Ryan Pankau: Native plants are essential to maintaining biodiversity of both plant and animal species in Illinois. Many people plant native species, not only for their beautiful blooms or attractive foliage, but to better support native insect populations that are absolutely vital to everything from plant pollination to supporting the lower rungs of our diverse and interconnected food web.
However, cultivars of native plants may or may not provide the same support as the straight-species. Join this presentation to learn more about recent research into the ecological value of native plants versus their cultivars, or “nativars.” Ryan has more than two decades of experience as a forester and arborist, building his lifelong love of trees into the career he enjoys today. Register now.
•March 15 – Save the Eagles, with Jo Fessert: Birds are an important element of our world’s ecosystem. Eagles, as well, are a bit part of that ecosystem and, amazingly, eagle numbers are rising! Join Jo for an awesome conversation about what contributed to this increase and what you and your family can do to help save the eagles. Jo has worked for the Illinois Audubon Society since 2006. Register now.
•March 22 – All About Wildlife, with Laura Kammin: People have lots of questions about wildlife. Who do I call to help the baby bird I found on the ground? What do I do if a bat gets into my house? When can I hunt ducks in Illinois? Where can I find the latest in wildlife research? Why should I wash my birdfeeder?
The Living with Wildlife Illinois suite of websites has answers to these questions and much more. This presentation showcases content from the five websites, with time at the end to explore to work together to answer even more wildlife questions. Laura Kammin is a Wildlife and Natural Resources Outreach Specialist with the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. Register.
•March 29 – Natural Disasters, with Duane Friend: Tornadoes, floods, and flash floods are major disasters that occur in Illinois. Duane Friend will discuss recent trends concerning these disasters and will talk about how to prepare if one or all occur in your area. Duane Friend is a climate specialist with Illinois Extension and has collaborated on disaster programs with other Extension professionals. Register.
This program provided in partnership with the Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve District.