[BCNnet] Springbrook "habitat clinic" -- a report

Fri, 30 Jul 2004 10:19:57 -0500

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As a child I was plagued with solving the dilemma behind Dragon Lake =
forest preserve.  Here was a tremendous piece of land, an expansive and =
open grassland slightly interrupted by patches and ribbons of woody =
vegetation.  I envisioned legions of colorful dragonflies darting over =
the placid water, throngs of aquatic recreationalists, the din of =
outboard motors, and cool gentle summer breezes.  But where was the =
water?

            In this particular instance it is fortunate that management =
plans seldom transpire overnight. This over-sized parcel of agricultural =
acreage was slated for damming, but it received scant attention =
throughout the seventies (aside from an initial planting of short =
Eurasian grasses).  Some ten to fifteen years after the purchase and =
planting, "Dragon Lake" was discovered as favorable habitat for =
grassland bird species, attracting the attention of ecologists and =
biologists, and altering the management goals.  Springbrook Prairie was =
born.

            Saturday July 10th - under the guidance of Leslie Berns (FP =
District Dupage County), Joe Suchecki (volunteer steward), and Bob =
Fisher (Bird Conservation Network) - a "Habitat Clinic" was hosted to =
discuss the management practices that have enhanced Springbrook's =
biological integrity.  This event was sponsored by the Chicago =
Wilderness.

            The prairie restoration at Springbrook has been labored and =
time-consuming - partially due to the city of Naperville's reluctance in =
offering burn permits, after a 1997 incident in which a runaway plume of =
smoke mischievously descended upon the downtown area.  Additionally, the =
decision to act upon the land gradually, reintroducing native plant =
species on fractional plots, thus minimizing the disturbance to resident =
fauna has slowed the inherently slow process of prairie restoration.

            Nonetheless the painstaking efforts of the Forest Preserve =
District staff and volunteers have reaped rewards.  In fact biological =
assessment places Springbrook Prairie ahead of all other Dupage County =
Forest Preserve lands.  Springbrook is the only site in northeastern =
Illinois known to have recently supported nesting northern harrier.  =
Another impressive species associated with the preserve's summer months =
is the short-eared owl, discovered accidentally by a local birder, =
following an automobile collision involving a hapless fledgling.  Bob =
Fisher has the equally impressive, but more recent, sighting of a =
migrant black rail found in Springbrook's wetland area overlooking =
Modaff road.  During the "clinic's" a brief trek, the astute ears of Mr. =
Fisher and keen eyes of other group members identified clay-colored =
sparrow, sedge wren, yellow warbler, and northern harrier.

            Undoubtedly records like those named above and the =
undeniable intrinsic beauty of Springbrook attracted steward, Joe =
Suchecki, who has been monitoring bird populations on the preserve's =
varying grassland habitats for ten years.  Suchecki's through data =
collection and ingenious analysis has assisted the Forest Preserve =
District with management practices.  Using twenty-three bird points and =
countless transects a statistical correlation between short grasses =
(native and non-native) and resident grassland bird populations like the =
savannah sparrow, meadowlark, and the state endangered Henslow's sparrow =
has been established, altering the Forest Preserve District's habitat =
management plans.  Bird friendly short grasses (little blue stem, drop =
seed, and side oats grama) similar in stature to the preserve's =
predominating habitat type (fescue) are now planted replacing an initial =
plan of reintroducing taller grass species (big blue stem, switch grass, =
and Indian grass). =20

        Leslie Berns also explained riparian area management on the =
preserve's 20,000 feet of stream.  Forest preserve employees have =
gathered over 14,000 data points depicting: stream channel width and =
depth, taken random samples of stream-bottom substrate, researched =
Springbrook's natural history, and received consultation from Colorado =
based hydrology experts to conceive a management plan that will help =
optimize the stream's biological integrity.  A management plan calls for =
the reintroduction of meanders to the southern portion of Springbrook's =
watercourse, which has become entrenched in an erosive and ecologically =
degraded channel.=20

            The Chicago Wilderness "Habitat Clinic" is an excellent =
opportunity for environmental professionals and enthusiasts to expand =
their awareness and knowledge.  If you would like to know more about =
this program, or have an interest in habitat restoration, ecology, and =
advocacy contact www.habitatproject.org.  =20

=20

Abridged from a piece written by Jason Frey=20

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As a child I was =
plagued with=20
solving the dilemma behind Dragon Lake forest preserve.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Here was a tremendous piece of =
land, an=20
expansive and open grassland slightly interrupted by patches and ribbons =
of=20
woody vegetation.&nbsp; I =
envisioned=20
legions of colorful dragonflies darting over the placid water, throngs =
of=20
aquatic recreationalists, the din of outboard motors, and cool gentle =
summer=20
breezes.&nbsp; But where was =
the=20
water?<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"=20
/><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
In this particular instance it is fortunate that management plans =
seldom=20
transpire overnight. This over-sized parcel of agricultural acreage was =
slated=20
for damming, but it received scant attention throughout the seventies =
(aside=20
from an initial planting of short Eurasian grasses).<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Some ten to fifteen years =
after the=20
purchase and planting, =93Dragon Lake=94 was discovered as favorable =
habitat for=20
grassland bird species, attracting the attention of ecologists and =
biologists,=20
and altering the management goals.&nbsp;=20
Springbrook Prairie was born.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Saturday July 10th =96 under the guidance of Leslie Berns (FP =
District=20
Dupage County), Joe Suchecki (volunteer steward), and Bob Fisher (Bird=20
Conservation Network) =96 a =93Habitat Clinic=94 was hosted to discuss =
the management=20
practices that have enhanced Springbrook=92s biological integrity.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; This event was sponsored by =
the <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Chicago =
Wilderness.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;The=20
prairie restoration at Springbrook has been labored and time-consuming =
=96=20
partially due to the city of Naperville=92s reluctance in offering burn =
permits,=20
after a 1997 incident in which a runaway plume of smoke mischievously =
descended=20
upon the downtown area.&nbsp;=20
Additionally, the decision to act upon the land gradually, =
reintroducing=20
native plant species on fractional plots, thus minimizing the =
disturbance to=20
resident fauna has slowed the inherently slow process of prairie=20
restoration.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Nonetheless the painstaking efforts of the Forest Preserve =
District staff=20
and volunteers have reaped rewards.&nbsp;=20
In fact biological assessment places Springbrook Prairie ahead of =
all=20
other Dupage County Forest Preserve lands.&nbsp;=20
Springbrook is the only site in northeastern Illinois known to =
have=20
recently supported nesting northern harrier.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Another impressive species =
associated=20
with the preserve=92s summer months is the short-eared owl, discovered=20
accidentally by a local birder, following an automobile collision =
involving a=20
hapless fledgling.&nbsp; Bob =
Fisher has=20
the equally impressive, but more recent, sighting of a migrant black =
rail found=20
in Springbrook=92s wetland area overlooking Modaff road.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; During the =93clinic=92s=94 a =
brief trek, the=20
astute ears of Mr. Fisher and keen eyes of other group members =
identified=20
clay-colored sparrow, sedge wren, yellow warbler, and northern=20
harrier.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Undoubtedly records like those named above and the undeniable =
intrinsic=20
beauty of Springbrook attracted steward, Joe Suchecki, who has been =
monitoring=20
bird populations on the preserve=92s varying grassland habitats for ten=20
years.&nbsp; Suchecki=92s =
through data=20
collection and ingenious analysis has assisted the Forest Preserve =
District with=20
management practices.&nbsp; =
Using=20
twenty-three bird points and countless transects a statistical =
correlation=20
between short grasses (native and non-native) and resident grassland =
bird=20
populations like the savannah sparrow, meadowlark, and the state =
endangered=20
Henslow=92s sparrow has been established, altering the Forest Preserve =
District=92s=20
habitat management plans.&nbsp; =
Bird=20
friendly short grasses (little blue stem, drop seed, and side oats =
grama)=20
similar in stature to the preserve=92s predominating habitat type =
(fescue) are now=20
planted replacing an initial plan of reintroducing taller grass species =
(big=20
blue stem, switch grass, and Indian grass).<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; 
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Leslie =
Berns=20
also explained riparian area management on the preserve=92s 20,000 feet =
of=20
stream.&nbsp; Forest preserve =
employees=20
have gathered over 14,000 data points depicting: stream channel width =
and depth,=20
taken random samples of stream-bottom substrate, researched =
Springbrook=92s=20
natural history, and received consultation from Colorado based hydrology =
experts=20
to conceive a management plan that will help optimize the stream=92s =
biological=20
integrity.&nbsp; A management =
plan calls=20
for the reintroduction of meanders to the southern portion of =
Springbrook=92s=20
watercourse, which has become entrenched in an erosive and ecologically =
degraded=20
channel.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-tab-count: =
1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
The Chicago Wilderness=20
=93Habitat Clinic=94 is an excellent opportunity for environmental =
professionals=20
and enthusiasts to expand their awareness and knowledge.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; If you would like to know more =
about=20
this program, or have an interest in habitat restoration, ecology, and =
advocacy=20
contact www.habitatproject.org.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>
&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
Abridged from a piece =
written by=20
Jason Frey&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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