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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,…
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Poplar Creek, Schaumburg Road Grasslands, 11/22/2025
Contents Map Images From Site Views 1. Prairie Grass Just After Sunset 2. Sunset Through Oak Trees 3. Late Fall Color of Birch (Yellow) and Raspberries (Red) with Lotus Seed Pods (Achenes) in Foreground Burn Scar 4. Looking north of the southernmost burn scar on 2/15/2023. 5. Looking north of the southernmost burn scar on…
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Fire’s Impact on Moss in a Prairie Planting
Moss in a prairie planting after burning. The same moss a few days later. Burning the prairie planting appears to have killed this moss. It took a few days before the moss changed color, and I could see it had been killed. This is moss that survived the burning. The fire did not burn the…
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Hosah Glossy Buckthorn Control 10/11/2025
Contents Maps Discussion Future Goals Images from Workday Piles of Cut Stems Herbicide Applications Views of Treatment Areas From Different Directions Views of Smaller Work Area Fauna Precipitation Maps Closer view of work area in above map. Discussion This post was written to record the work completed at the 10/11 workday at Hosah Park. Glossy…
Stewardship Chronicles
Documenting Land Management in Northern Illinois
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