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Draft Purple Loosestrife: Glyphosate Applied to Cut Stems
Contents Introduction 2024 Application 1. A large purple loosestrife plant sprouting after herbicide application 2. A second large purple loosestrife plant sprouting after herbicide application 3-9. Medium size purple loosestrife plants, not sprouting after herbicide application 2025 Application 10. View of part of the application area 11-20. Purple loosestrife plants sprouting after herbicide application 21.…
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Big Jump and Orland Tract at The Nature Conservancy’s Nachusa Grasslands – A Comparison Post Five Years Following Woody Invasive Species Control
Contents Introduction Big Jump Map Images From Big Jump 1. Burn scar near work area 2. A closer view of the burn scar Discussion 3a. Controlled invasive bush honeysuckle with a wall of multiflora rose in the background 3b. Area above after forestry mowing 4a. Thicket of multiflora rose 4b. Above area after forestry mowing…
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Thelma Carpenter Prairie, Nachusa Grasslands, 4/18/2026 Flowers, Badger Mound Succession, and Red Clover
Contents Introduction Fire Intensity Maps Images From Site 1. Bison in Distance (South Lowden Road) 2. Sign 3. Prairie Violet (Viola pedatifida) 4. Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) 5. Pasture Thistle (Cirsium discolor) 6. Thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica) 7. Arrowleaf Violet (Viola sagittata) 8. Bird’s-foot Violet (Viola pedata) 9. Early Buttercup (Ranunculus fascicularis) 10. False Toadflax (Comandra…
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Prescribed Burn Crabtree Nature Center 3/2/2026
This blog post captures a prairie burn, emphasizing visibility from the road. It details the fire crew’s actions, including starting backfires, managing the burn, and controlling flames around wetland vegetation. The imagery illustrates the intensity and scale of the fire, highlighting the careful monitoring and extinguishing efforts throughout the process.
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Soil Crust
Draft: I plan to add more images later Bluff Spring Fen Map of Areas Visited 1. Moss growing on small ridge 2. Wider view showing small ridge. The slight increase in elevation helps keep leaves blowing in the wind from depositing. 3. Moss growing on infrequently used trail. People walking keep the trail relatively free…
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Lichens Growing on Charred Oak Log
Knot in wood Below knot in wood Toward bottom of log All three above in one image Zoomed out farther Zoomed out even far Entire burned section of log Wide view
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Morton Grove Prairie Nature Preserve 2/14/2026
Contents Introduction Map Images from site 1. Sign at entrance 2. Invasive woody species removal 3. Closer view of invasive woody species removal area 4. Overlook 5. View north of overlook 6. View looking west from north side of overlook 7. View looking south from north side of overlook 8. Blue joint grass looking west…
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Busse Woods 1/10/2026 Failure of a Restoration Group
Contents Map Introduction Workday Location 1. Area cleared of common buckthorn ten years ago Sumac Expansion 2. Expanding patch of staghorn sumac 3. Closer view 4. An even closer view 5. Sumac stems scorched by fire Soil 6. Soil profile Hickories Top Killed 7. Hickories that regrew after fire Sedge 8. Carex albursina Map Introduction…
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Winter Fire 12/21/2025
Contents Downspout Garden Tree Underplanting Woody Species Control Weather Conditions Future After a previous post, “Fire’s Impact on Moss in a Prairie Planting,” I wanted to see if I could burn in a manner that would reduce impacts. I had previously burned at below freezing temperatures. The brown-dead tips of Carex sprengelii burned off, leaving…
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Bluff Spring Fen Winter Scenes 12/14/2025
The high for the day was only 10 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill below zero. Most volunteer workdays in the region were canceled. I was hoping to see “sea smoke” rise from the water. The springs have a constant temperature of 50 degrees F. This difference in temperature should have been more than enough. Still,…
Stewardship Chronicles
Documenting Land Management in Northern Illinois
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