Sterne’s Woods & Fen Volunteer Work Day - 5.21.23
Time: 9:00 AM
Location: 5617 Hillside Dr. Crystal Lake
We're meeting a week early in May to avoid the holiday weekend. Please join us on Sunday, May 21, from 9-11AM. We will continue cutting and stacking brush east of the oak knoll. We will also pull any garlic mustard we encounter.
THE GROUP
We meet once a month at Sterne's outdoor pavilion, 5617 Hillside Dr. from 9-11AM. Volunteers have a chance to learn about restoration ecology and what makes Sterne’s Fen special. Please bring a water bottle and a pair of work gloves. The park district will supply loppers and bow saws. Invasives like honeysuckle and buckthorn are crowding out the native fen species. The brush also prevents the use of controlled burns on the fen. Email Brice Alt, volunteer site steward, to receive a monthly workday reminder: bricemaieralt@hotmail.com. Our next two Sunday work dates are: June 25 and July 23.
THE PARK
Sterne’s Woods & Fen became an Illinois State Nature Preserve in 1994 to preserve and protect its unique ecology. A fen is a rare type of wetland in which cold groundwater that is high in calcium and magnesium seeps to the surface. The unique water chemistry supports plants that grow nowhere else. Sterne’s Fen is home to at least 10 rare or endangered plant species. The surrounding parkland acts as a buffer to the fen and includes prairie, oak savanna, and flatwood ecosystems. Every one of those ecosystems can benefit from the efforts of volunteers. Join us once a month and learn about them!
THE PARK
Sterne’s Woods & Fen became an Illinois State Nature Preserve in 1994 to preserve and protect its unique ecology. A fen is a rare type of wetland in which cold groundwater that is high in calcium and magnesium seeps to the surface. The unique water chemistry supports plants that grow nowhere else. Sterne’s Fen is home to at least 10 rare or endangered plant species. The surrounding parkland acts as a buffer to the fen and includes prairie, oak savanna, and flatwood ecosystems. Every one of those ecosystems can benefit from the efforts of volunteers. Join us once a month and learn about them!
THANK YOU
We've been awarded a $4,000 Community Stewardship Challenge Grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation. We've documented over 400 volunteer hours in 18 months to earn the grant. Much thanks to the groups who have volunteered with us at Sterne's: the MUDD trail running club, the Silver and Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, the BREAK, Jacobs High School Interact, Girl Scout Troop 888, Cub Scout Pack 156, and Boy Scout Troops 158 and 368.
NEWS
For an update on the recent restoration project at Sterne's Fen: https://www.crystallakeparks.org/project-updates#SternesFen
Who was Ted Sterne? The Crystal Lake Historical Society article: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h61unofnnnx06kg/Ted%20Sterne%20.pdf?dl=0
ECOLOGIC RESTORATION
By volunteering at a Sterne's workday you're helping with the ecologic restoration of an exceedingly rare type of habitat.
To learn more about restoration ecology, here's a quick video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNwQ6cRMTKI
Sterne's Fen has a management plan: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ekp2nfniddn1d6/1989%20management%20plan.pdf?dl=0