National Public Lands Day is coming up on Sept. 22, and at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service staff and Midewin volunteers are planning events for volunteers from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Activities will include harvesting native Illinois prairie seeds to be planted to improve and expand the prairies and cutting back invasive brush that prevents native plants from growing.
Participants can get up close with the Forest Service’s iconic mascot, Woodsy Owl, whose famous motto is “Give a hoot — don’t pollute!” and the newer plea: “Lend a hand; Care for the land.
Registration is required. Do so as soon as possible by emailing coordinator Allison Cisneros at amcisneros@fs.fed.us or by calling 815-423-2149.
Pick a project in advance from these activities: Harvest seeds at the River Road Seed Beds; harvest wild seeds in the South Patrol Road Prairie; cut invasive brush at a special prairie remnant; cut invasive brush around a huge burr oak tree or collect aquatic insects to learn about water quality.
Thorn Creek cleanup
A workday will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 16 at Will County’s Thorn Creek Woods on Monee Road at Park Forest.
The volunteer day will be open to all ages, but those 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Work activities will be held both outdoors and inside. Outdoor work will be on natural surface trails across uneven terrain.
Registration is required by Sept. 14; call 708-747-6320.
Bring a lunch, work gloves and dress for the weather. Groups and individuals needing community service hours are welcome.
Will County FPD
The Forest Preserve District will participate in the 25th anniversary of National Public Lands Day by organizing a volunteer workday 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 22, at Isle a la Cache preserve in Romeoville.
Volunteers who register by Friday will be eligible to receive a T-shirt and a light lunch. RSVP to 815-722-7364 or rgauchat@fpdwc.org.
This will be the 18th year the district has joined the national volunteer effort — making that one of the district’s longest-running workdays, volunteer supervisor Renee Gauchat said.
Forest Preserve staff members and volunteer stewards will coordinate the day’s activities.
This year’s workday focuses on “resilience and restoration,” according to the National Environmental Education Foundation, which coordinates National Public Lands Day activities.
Lands Day “brings together hundreds of thousands of individual and organizational volunteers to help restore the country’s public lands ... the places Americans use for outdoor recreation, education and just plain enjoyment,” the NPLD website notes.
During this Isle a la Cache workday, volunteers and staff members will be removing buckthorn, honeysuckle and other invasive species from the preserve. Brush removal will begin at 8 a.m. and last until noon with a break at 10 a.m.
Native plant seed will be collected from 10 a.m. to noon. The seeds will be used in Forest Preserve restoration work.
Gauchat said the workday draws people of all ages, including scouting groups, high school and college students, other individuals who want to make a difference by helping the environment.
In addition to participating in the workday, many volunteers also spend time visiting Isle a la Cache Museum, which enhances the experience.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Volunteers should wear long pants, sturdy, closed-toe shoes and work gloves. Work will take place on uneven terrain that is primarily natural surface.