Sierra Club Woods & Wetlands July 2001 Outings for NE Illinois

	Sierra Club Woods & Wetlands Group Outings
	July, 2001

Date	Title / Location	Rating	Leader / Contact	Bring	$$
Saturday, July 7, 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.	Sun Lake Owl Prowl CANCELED	(2,2,2)	Evan Craig 847-680-6437 auk@interaccess.com Limit 20. Reservations: 4	Long pants, tall socks, hat, light jacket, binoculars.	$5 to SLR Fund
Explore W&W's adopted Forest Preserve looking for owls. Good for kids age 7 - 75. Reservations required. Fee goes to Sun Lake Restoration Fund.			N on Deep Lake Rd from Rt. 132, west on Painted Lakes/Gelden Rd. for 200 ft, left on Spring Farm Rd. right on Longwood Dr. park in cul de sac.

Saturday, July 14, 9:00 - 12:00 a.m.	Sun Lake Stewardship, Lake Villa	(2,3,3)	John Massman 847-838-9440 beritz@earthlink.net	Water, eye protection. Dress ruggedly. Additional loppers, saws, and other pruning tools useful.	Free!
Enjoy this pristine Forest Preserve while liberating it from the invasion of exotic species. Fee goes to Sun Lake Restoration Fund.			N on Deep Lake Rd from Rt. 132, west on Painted Lakes/Gelden Rd. for 200 ft, left on Spring Farm Rd. right on Longwood Dr. park in cul de sac.

Saturday, July 21 10:00 - 3:00	Canoe the Nippersink, Glacial Park, McHenry	(3,3,4)	Evan Craig 847-680-6437 x4, or x6,5 auk@interaccess.com Limit 16. Reservations: 6 Cut-off: June 17 to reserve canoes. To sign up, fill out this Information and Sign Up Form, print and sign the waiver, and send it in with the fee.	Water, Hat, Sunscreen, Lunch.	$5 to SLR Fund + $20 Canoe Rental per person
The Nippersink is one of the highest quality streams in the region. We will canoe two previously channelized sections that in 1999 and 2000 were restored to their presettlement meandering streambeds. The meanders have vastly reduced erosion, and invited back a profusion of aquatic plants. The trip will include a brief exploration of the north branch of the creek, which is now threatened. New sewage treatment plants are proposed upstream, and the sheer flow they would deliver would inundate the creek. This unregulated multiplication of the flow will also bring increased load of pollutants, and cause erosion and degradation.				Participants must be approved by leader in advance. Please sign up, and indicate whether you have a canoe, an open seat, and a transport vehicle. Plans will be made accordingly.

Canoeing the Nippersink, 2001 !
New Curves! Linda and Emmet round one of the many meanders restored by the recent IDNR project. The sloping banks are already covered with native flora. The high flows of spring rose 6 feet and caused erosion between steep banks farther downstream, but here the flow expanded, and the banks withstood the force of the water without harm.
	Slow Water Mike and Maureen take a brief stop on the sandy shore. Thanks to previous farming, there are few trees near the meandering portion, but these show what could be restored.
Brief Excursion We leave the canoes to hike up the banks for a look at the surrounding Glacial Park, and for a closer look at the plants selected by IDNR to initiate the native ecosystem. The coarse woven mat laid to retain the bank while the plants took hold is now hardly visible, and will biodegrade in a few years.
Botanical Lesson Linda is interning with IDNR, and told us a little about the geology and ecology of the area.
	Muddy Water Our paddles often struck the sandy bottom, and made us wonder how much we contributed to the murky waters. Will the new meanders also support more aquatic plants to help filter out the fine sediment? How clear can we expect the water run, and what measures still need to be taken to restore the creek to full health? Here Bill and Betty take the lead. Click the cranes to return to the Chart:
More coming later ...

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