Greetings Friends of the Prairie,
NEWS
It’s September. Sawtooth Sunflowers reach 6 and 7 feet upward toward the early Fall sky, closer to the ground, Fringed and Bottle Gentian show off their delicate petals in striking blue, tall grasses form waves across the Prairie and migration begins for birds and Monarch butterflies. With the wetter than usual summer, the Prairie is enjoying a lushness of growth and blooms. Efforts to control non-woody invaders are winding down and soon the focus will shift to invasive brush.
Many thanks to our Prairie Neighbors for mowing nearby roadsides, collecting trash, notifying the Village about dumping, helping wayward turtles across the road and offering to become stewards of specific areas. This community involvement in the care and management of the Prairie helps insure the future of this terrific natural area for all creatures to live in and enjoy.
EVENTS
CHIWAUKEE PRAIRIE WALKS 2018
This month, naturalist Kay McClelland will lead her final Chiwaukee Prairie Walks of the year. She will have a plant list available and offer information including a little history, a little geology and lots of plant names and facts. Don’t miss the most magical time on the Prairie.
| Third Thursday | September 20 | 9-11 AM |
| Fourth Saturday | September 29 | 9-11 AM |
Meet her at the intersection of 121st Street and 2nd Avenue. Park on 2nd Avenue. Wear good walking shoes or boots and long pants. The walk goes in light rain, but not if there is lightning.
Kay McClelland, Naturalist
262-994-1939 (Mobile)
kaymac1939 @ gmail.com
WORKDAYS
Sasha and Brynn Johnson wore their safety vests collecting Queen Anne’s Lace along 122nd Street. Together the girls prevented hundreds of flowers from going to seed and invading the Prairie. Earlier in the year they did a terrific job collecting Lion’s Tooth flowers.
The August workday again focused on Queen Anne’s Lace (QAL). Pictured above are four of the volunteers who did a second pulling in the hawk monitoring field south of 122nd Street. The pile from the first pulling is in the foreground and, since then, a third pulling has been done! Efforts to control QAL over the past few years have greatly reduced its presence in the entire State Natural Area. Because it is a biennial, next year’s QAL will depend on last year’s control efforts.
The August volunteers managed to pull a truck load of QAL, control Black Swallow-wort, and enjoy a pizza lunch at the Chiwaukee Cottage after the workday. THANK YOU one and all!
This Saturday, September 15, the weather forecast is for mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70’s with an ESE breeze. Wear old clothes, long pants and sturdy shoes. We supply work gloves, tools, water, instruction and answers to all your questions about the Prairie.
The workday is from 10 AM – 1 PM. Come for part or all of it.
PLEASE NOTE:
We will meet on 2nd Avenue at 121st Street.
(Map of the vicinity at www.chiwaukee.org/about/where/)
If you would like to be notified about additional workday opportunities, plant scouting opportunities or plant identification walks, please email volunteer@chiwaukee.org.
Workday cancellations will be posted on our website and Facebook by 8 AM on scheduled workdays. If you are unsure whether a workday will take place, please use good judgment when deciding whether to attend.
If you have questions, email volunteer@chiwaukee.org or call 773-515-2772.
Thank you for your support,
Chiwaukee Prairie Preservation Fund, Inc.