Habitat ReStore is a non-profit retail business, operated by Habitat for Humanity-Quad Cities (HFH-QC). The ReStore, opened in December 2002, links those in our community who have surplus building products with those who can use them. Donation-based and open to the public, it sells both new and "gently used" building products, such as doors, windows, hardware, plumbing and electrical fixtures, and paint. To date, over 740 tons of building materials have been diverted from area landfills through ReStore sales.
Proceeds from the store have raised more than $123,000 for the work of Habitat for Humanity – Quad Cities. HFH-QC uses the funds to fulfill its mission "to build simple, decent, affordable housing and improve our community so all people can live as God intended."
The ReStore accepts donations from businesses and individuals during regular business hours. Many local businesses have formed partnerships with the Habitat ReStore, donating their surplus inventory in exchange for a tax receipt and reduced disposal costs. Hundreds of homeowners have also donated materials which were removed during remodeling projects or leftover afterwards. Occasionally, the ReStore harvests materials from buildings slated for demolition. Salvaged materials represent a small portion of the store's inventory, but those renovating older structures may find such items as doors, hardware, furnace covers, and woodwork at the Habitat ReStore.
Volunteers operate the ReStore under the direction of a small paid staff. To date, over 16,000 hours of volunteer time and talent have been donated at the ReStore. Volunteers pick up and process donations, set up store displays, assist customers and help promote the store in the community. Some give a few hours a month while many schedule regular weekly commitments. Besides giving back to the community, volunteer benefits include meeting new friends and becoming part of a fun, supportive family of generous people. More information on how to give time to the Habitat ReStore can be obtained on the website or by calling the store.
Located at 3629 Mississippi Avenue in Davenport, the ReStore is open Wednesday through Friday from 10-5, and Saturday 9-2. Visit the website at www.restoreqc.org or call 563-391-4949 for more information.

The "Seedlings" Program for children ages 5-10 years old is held at the Quad City Botanical Center on the second Saturday of each month from 10:30-11:30 a.m. The programs generally include a story, craft activity, and visit to the gardens. The June 10th program, Stink Soup, by Jill Esbaum, will introduce growing tomatoes. When Annabelle and her brother Willie spend a week with their grandmother, Annabelle tries to keep him out of trouble, struggles to avoid eating tomatoes, and has a memorable encounter with a skunk. Participants will plant cherry tomato seedlings to take home and harvest throughout the summer!
The July 8th theme will be dragonflys. Suggestions for good fun and/or educational books about dragonflys welcome!

International Wolf Center
Current News: www.wolf.org/wolves/news/live_
news_detail.asp?id=1492

Upcoming Trails Symposium –
Newly redesigned website: www.americantrails.org

Illinois Pesticide Review newsletter – Two articles of note are "Container Recycling – Saving Money and the Environment" and "Formosan Termites in Mulch?":
www.pesticidesafety.uiuc.edu/
newsletter/html/index.html

Having a long time concern for the effects that herbicides and pesticides have on the environment, I pursued the Master Naturalist program. I love to garden and landscape and wanted to learn more about how to "grow things" naturally.
One additional problem I faced each summer was the looming water bill that made me think of better ways to "feed my habit". The addition of rain barrels helped but as I laid out the diagram for my next landscaping project, the class presentation just happened to be on the use of native or prairie plants in the home landscaping. They are hardy, need very little water especially after the first year, are perennials and are bug and disease resistant. What a deal!!
I set off to learn more about such "miracle plants". I talked with other Naturalists, read the books and handouts we were given and hopped on line. I found a ton of very useful information. Then Jody put the call out for a speaker in Galesburg for the April Master Gardener program. I was excited to share what I had learned with other like minded people.
My talk was entitled "Prairie Plants in Landscape Design, Reclaiming some of the Prairie State". With some help from Angella Moorehouse from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission I was able to put together an informative PowerPoint presentation for about 25 enthusiastic Master Gardeners. Angella was very helpful and sent me an outline of a similar workshop she had conducted, many photos and some tips on what the gardeners would like to see.
We talked about three different types of prairie gardens, where and how to build them, color, height and bloom time considerations, care and maintenance, and some common mistakes. The group was very participative and had much to share and talk about. I learned as much from them as they from me.
The best way to learn about a topic, any topic is to teach it. Think about the one thing you have been most excited about learning and share it with others. With this very enthusiastic group of Naturalists, you will have lots of help!

- Gina Howell

The 2006 Illinois Land & Water Resources Conference is scheduled for July 30-August 1 at the Holiday Inn Select in Decatur, Illinois. Session topics will include presentations dealing with: Watershed Management, Natural Resource Reclamation/Restoration, Ground Water Protection, Sustainable Agriculture, Cropping Systems, Farmland Protection, Livestock Waste Management, Erosion and Sediment Control, Water Quality, and Natural Resource Management Technology.
The Illinois Land & Water Resources Conference provides an opportunity for local Soil and Water Conservation District board members from throughout Illinois to assemble and learn the latest research and technology associated with resource management. Farmers, landowners, crop consultants, lenders, and agri-business representatives are also encouraged to attend this year's conference. Advance registration is encouraged.
Continuing education credits will be available for Certified Crop Advisers and Certified Professionals in Erosion & Sediment Control. To receive a detailed conference agenda or for more information, contact Richard Nichols, Illinois Department of Agriculture, phone 217-782-6297 or Bob Frazee, University of
Illinois Extension, phone (309)-694-7501, Ext. 226.

Home landscapers play an increasingly critical ecological role in maintaining biodiversity where they live. The domestic landscape expands inexorably with sprawl, while natural areas grow ever smaller and more isolated from each other. This habitat fragmentation threatens genetic diversity, because when populations of a species are cut off from one another, inbreeding occurs. One likely result is that many future generation will lack the genetic variation that would help them cope with changing conditions, from global warming to imported insect pests. Our manicured gardens threaten biodiversity in other ways as well. Free of checks and balances that controlled their numbers in their native lands, scores of imported plants jump garden gates and swamp nearby native vegetation. Park and preserve managers struggle daily to control these invasive pests.
You can promote biodiversity as well as create a beautiful garden by using native plant communities as your models.

Reduce the size of your lawn. Think of lawn as an outdoor living space and keep only as much as you absolutely need.

Model your biodiverse garden on a plant community native to your area. For example, people who live in the East can replant the shrubs, ferns and wildflowers found in native forests beneath shade trees on their properties. Midwesterners can replace turf with prairie grasses and wildflowers, mowing the edges for a more manicured look.

Increase habitat niches for wildlife by re-creating the layers of plant growth found in local natural areas. These strata are most obvious in forests, but they exist in all plant communities. The topmost layer of a forest is the canopy formed by the tallest trees. Below the canopy is an understory of smaller trees. Sapling trees and shrubs make up the shrub layer, while wildflowers, ferns and mosses weave a tapestry on the ground.

Choose plants to feed and shelter birds, butterflies and other local wildlife year-round. Learn which plants offer food for various butterflies and their caterpillars, and which shrubs offer fall fruits to migrating birds.

Never plant an invasive species. Check local botanic garden or native plant society websites for lists of garden plants that are invasive in your area. If they are growing in your yard, remove them.

In ecology as politics, there is power in numbers. Work with your neighbors to promote biodiversity in community gardens, schools and parks.

Someday, hopefully, thousands of biodiverse gardens may link up, forming a network of green corridors criss-crossing the country, helping native animal populations to reconnect. With such land bridges, we can supplement parks and nature preserves, transforming lonely islands of wilderness into a functional unit big enough to ensure the survival of thousands of species. Planting these gardens can be our great gift to future generations.
Excerpts taken from an article by Janet Marinelli, National Wildlife Magazine, April/May 2006,Vol. 44, Issue 3; published by the National Wildlife Federation. Please refer to www.nwf.org/backyardwildhabitat for more information on creating your own biodiverse haven for wildlife.

- Janet Marinelli

As invasive as it may be, garlic mustard does have a few desirable attributes. It was brought to this country by early European immigrants because it's similar in taste to garlic, it's high in vitamins A and C, and it's easy to grow. The leaves have been used in sauces as well as mixed into salads with more mild-tasting greens. Large plants can produce fleshy taproots which have a taste similar to horseradish. It also has medicinal appeal – when leaves are crushed until moist, they can provide warmth when rubbed on sore muscles. Garlic mustard is also tasty when used in refried beans, salsa, and guacamole. Try the following recipe for a delightful approach to eradicating this aggressive invader.

Garlic Mustard Pesto
4 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp. garlic mustard taproots
3/4 cup parsley
1 cup garlic mustard leaves
1 cup basil
1-1/2 cup low-sodium olives
2 cups walnuts or pine nuts
1/2 cup mellow miso
1-1/4 cups olive oil or as needed
Chop the garlic and garlic mustard roots in a food processor. Add the parsley, garlic, garlic mustard and basil and chop. Add the nuts and chop coarsely. Add the olive oil and miso and process until you have created a coarse paste.
Makes 4 cups

For more information about garlic mustard and other wild foods, the website www.wildmanstevebrill.com offers many other recipes.
Reprinted with permission from "Wildman" Steve Brill, Naturalist–
Author–Broadcaster–Artist.

Habitat ReStore is selling "Our New Orleans" – A Benefit Album. The CD offers a mix of various artists from the New Orleans music community. The album sells for $15 and proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity – International Hurricane Katrina Relief AND Habitat for Humanity – Quad Cities "One for One" Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. This is a GREAT CD! Check it out at the ReStore today.

Cabinets continue to be hugely popular with ReStore shoppers and it is difficult to keep enough in stock. If you know of someone changing out cabinets, PLEASE have them contact the ReStore at 563-391-4949 before they toss out their old cabinets. Often these cabinets still have useable life and the ReStore can benefit from receiving these . . . and the landfills don't see them too early!
The ReStore is also looking for new or "gently used" carpet squares. These are typically used in offices and commercial applications, but ReStore customers have long asked if we can find a source for these carpet squares. If you have suggestions on whom we may contact for this type of donation, please contact gail@restoreqc.org. Your help is appreciated!

July 12-15, 2006: Four-Day Expedition from St. Louis to Hannibal, MO
July 18-20, 2006: Three-Day Expedition from Hannibal, MO to Burlington, IA

Living Lands & Waters is offering two workshops to rediscover the Mississippi River aboard its floating classroom, barges, and aluminum plate boats. Join them on a one-of-a-kind float trip as they travel north on the river. These free* workshops will feature guest speakers and interactive activities emphasizing the natural and cultural history of the Mississippi River, the river's ecology, river stewardship, and ways to integrate river education through all disciplines.
Specific activities may include: foraging for wild edibles (with a cookout at night to enjoy our finds!), sampling for macroinvertebrates, touring a commercial towboat, talking with commercial fishermen, hunting for fossils, examining live mussel shells, birdwatching, and a river cleanup. College credit is available and many free materials, including a river curriculum will be given to all who participate.
For more information, please contact Tammy Becker, Education Coordinator at tammy@livinglandsandwaters.org or at 309-236-0725 OR visit www.livinglandsandwaters.org.
*The workshops are free, including all materials, breakfasts, lunches, and 1-2 dinners, but participants are responsible for covering lodging costs and 1-2 dinners

Are you looking for an opportunity to showcase a Master Naturalist volunteer project and to show your appreciation? This award may be worthwhile to pursue. Here are the details. Officials in Illinois' cities, towns and villages are being asked to recognize the contributions of their communities by nominating their volunteer efforts and accomplishments for the 25th Annual Home Town Awards. Each year, the Governor's Home Town Awards recognize Illinois' hard-working and dedicated volunteers who improve the communities in which they live. The awards, according to Governor Rod Blagojevich, not only recognize volunteer efforts but also help encourage civic pride, boost local morale and help motivate continuing volunteer efforts that are vital to fostering strong and vibrant communities. Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Governor's Home Town Awards are presented in a number of categories based on community population. Applications for awards may be submitted by a variety of community representatives, including local governments, schools, community organizations, chambers of commerce, community action agencies, area agencies on aging and local job training organizations. There are six project categories: Youth Involvement, Senior Citizen Involvement, Veteran Involvement, Parks and Recreation, Clean-Up/Beautification and General, which includes submissions that do not fit in the other specific categories. Applications are reviewed by a team of volunteer judges, who conduct site visits to finalist communities before deciding on winners. The deadline to apply is June 16. For more information or to receive an application guidebook, contact Lou Ann Williams at DCEO at (217) 558-2838, TDD: (800) 785-6055 or e-mail lwilliams@ildceo.net.

Conservation World is a 30 acre plus park on the northwest corner of the Illinois State Fairgrounds. It offers visitors a chance to relax, enjoy nature and participate in a variety of free natural resources or outdoor recreation-oriented activities, including archery, fishing and mining. For more information or to volunteer contact Terry Beard at tbeard@dnrmail.state.il.us.

July 22 - 26

The International Soil and Water Conservation Society annual conference will be July 22 - 26, 2006 at the Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado. Founded in 1945, the Soil and Water Conservation Society is a nonprofit, professional organization that serves as an advocate for the conservation professions and for science-based conservation policy. The Society has chapters in all 50 states and about 9,000 members worldwide.
Plan to attend the conference to gather valuable natural resource conservation information, network, and participate in numerous plenary and concurrent sessions, and educational tours. The SWCS annual conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and policy makers at all levels of government, along with a broad cross-section of other interest groups, to explore current issues in natural resource management and planning. But more specifically, the 2006 conference will focus on six topics:
1) The 2007 Farm Bill
2) Best Management Practices: Evaluation and Design
3) Climate Change and Drought
4) Conservation Technology & Tools
5) Fish and Wildlife Habitat
6) Air Quality
The 2006 annual conference will take place at the Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado. For more information on the Conference Agenda, conservation tours, featured speakers, and registration information visit the SWCS website at: www.swcs.org/. For more information, contact Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Educator, phone: (309)-694-7501, Ext. 226.

Now Available on the Web. Over the past several years the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) has been slowly updating the vegetation management guidelines. These guidelines are provided to give guidance to landowners, managers, custodians and stewards of sites in the Illinois Nature Preserve Programs. They are an important resource method of controlling invasive species in natural areas and in other places on the landscape. These updated guidelines have recently been placed on the INPC's Stewardship program web site: http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/stewardship.htm.

Published by Bureau of Integrated Science Services – Wisconsin DNR 2005
This guide provides the first comprehensive treatment of Wisconsin acridids and includes keys for identification of species, full color plates, maps of known species distributions, descriptions of habitats occupied, and comments on taxonomy, life history, and ecology of the individual species. The conservation status of each species is also assessed by listing its state rank. This guide is available free of charge from the Wisconsin DNR through the Bureau of Integrated Science Services. To obtain free copies, please contact Martin Griffin, Science Communications Manager, at (608)-266-0842 or Martin.Griffin@dnr.state.wi.us OR you can order the booklet online or download it as a pdf file. Visit the following website: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/publications/ss1008_2005.htm. Highly recommended.

- by Kathryn Kirk and Charles Bomar

The Adopt-A-Highway Program is a community involvement program that brings citizen volunteers into partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation to encourage people to stop littering.
Through the cleanup efforts of more than 10,000 Adopt-A-Highway volunteers throughout Illinois, visitors and tourists have a better first impression of our state. Illinois' Adopt-A-Highway program began in 1995, and today nearly 1,700 volunteer groups have adopted 3,400 miles of highway. Each year these groups collect 32,000 bags of trash from state highways.
Each volunteer group is responsible for a two-mile section of highway and agrees to remove litter a minimum of four times a year over a two-year period. The Department will erect permanent signs identifying the adopting group and will provide safety vests, trash bags, removal of filled bags, temporary warning signs and initial safety training.
A list of County Contacts for
the Adopt-A-Highway Program is listed on their website: http://www.dot.il.gov/ahh/default.aspx.

This is a great website for Master Naturalists, teachers and environmental organizations to provide a scorecard on facts about pollution in your local community. The following website which compiles the latest information about Air Pollution, Land Contamination, Watershed Indicators, Livestock Waste, and
Toxic Releases from Industrial Facilities for your local community by providing your Zip Code. Check it out at: www.scorecard.org.

Avian Bird Flu

The Illinois Department of Public Health has an abundance of information available about avian influenza on its website www.idph.state.il.us/avianflu.htm. General information, professional guidance, outbreak information, travel advice, avian flu hotline phone numbers and additional links to related organizations are all offered.
Topics include: Key Facts About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus; Avian Influenza Infection in Humans; Transmission of Influenza A Viruses Between Animals and People; Spread of Avian Influenza Viruses among Birds; Health Updates on Avian Influenza; Outbreaks in North America; and Traveler's Health.
The Centers for Disease Control also provides frequently updated answers to many questions regarding bird flu, pandemic preparedness, and infection in animals. You may find them at www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/qa.htm.
Several examples of questions are: How does avian influenza spread among birds?; How do people become infected with avian influenza viruses?; How is avian influenza detected in humans?; How is avian influenza in humans treated?; What precautions can be taken to reduce the risk for infection from wild birds in the United States?; What precautions can hunters take to reduce the risk for infection when hunting birds in the United States?; What is CDC doing to prepare for a possible H5N1 influenza pandemic?; Can domestic cats be infected wth avian influenza viruses?; and Can dogs be infected with avian influenza?
Answers to these and many other questions can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of the CDC website.

The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation has just announced the launching of a new website on how and where educators can obtain the best and most usable environmental education programs available today: www.ClassroomEarth.org. The site is divided into five major sections:

• Most Popular (for K–12 classrooms)
• Rising Stars
• After School
• Home School
• Earth Day

The pages on each of the above programs contain a clear description, grade level, overview of content and topics, materials, and fast steps for obtaining and implementing the program. Please note that there is a charge for a number of these educational resources.
However, under the "Government Agency" category, many FREE environmental curriculums & teaching materials are available at http://www.classroomearth.org/govt_programs/. Some of the Educational Curriculums and their Sponsoring Government Agency include:

• Learning Landscapes – Bureau of Land Management
• Learning Web – US Geological Survey
• Office of Environmental Education – USEPA
• Education Center – US Army Corps of Engineers
• Education Center for NRCS – US Dept of Agriculture
• Conservation Education for US Forest Service – US Dept of Agriculture
• Learn NPS – National Park Service
• NOAA Education Resources – National Oceanic & Atmospheric Admin.
• Education Gateway – National Aeronautics & Space Admin.
• Partners in Resource Education – Five Federal agencies

Planning is underway for the sixth annual Illinois River Sweep scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2006. Previous Illinois River Sweep's have been very successful with over 1,700 volunteers cleaning up the shorelines of the Illinois River from Chicago to Grafton, Illinois. 4-H clubs, community groups, service clubs, churches, schools, hunting and fishing clubs, and other organizations which enthusiastically participated in last year's clean-up effort and are being encouraged to help again this year. This year, many communities are expanding their focus with the Illinois River Sweep by also including River Walks, Bird Watching, Canoe and Boat Races, and festivals as part of their community activities.
The Illinois River is one of the most important natural resources in the state
of Illinois. The river and its associated watershed provide us incredible economic benefits and recreational opportunities, as well as surrounding us with awe-inspiring beauty. We must all do our part to help save and restore the Illinois River. Friends of the Illinois River provide free t-shirts, work gloves, and trash bags for the clean-up event if ordered by August 15, 2006 by contacting this number – phone (866)-584-1310. Consider being a catalyst in your community by organizing volunteers for "It's Our River Day" on September 16th. For more information, contact Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Educator, phone: (309) 694-7501, Ext. 226.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources' (IDNR) Division of Education sponsors educator workshops through the ENTICE and Projects WILD, WET
and Learning Tree programs. These workshops offer Continuing Professional Development Units for teachers.
Please register for workshops through the link shown with each workshop description. There is a nonrefundable $10 registration fee per workshop. Should you have questions about workshop registration please email (dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov) or call (217-524-4126) the IDNR Division of Education. Should the IDNR cancel a workshop, registrants will receive a credit certificate good for one ENTICE or Projects workshop registration. Some restrictions apply.

• Course Name: Illinois Prairies; Program: ENTICE
  Location: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia
  Date and Time: June 15, 2006, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  Join other educators of grades four through eight in this look at the history of the prairie in Illinois from pre-settlement to today. Information presented at this workshop will be applicable to both science and social science learning standards. A visit to Fermi Lab's restored prairie and bison herd will be included in the workshop. Experience the SIMply Prairie quadrat study and get your students to become apprentice scientists. Receive free materials to supplement your curriculum. Continuing Professional Development Units are available.
• Course Name: Native Americans and Nature; Program: ENTICE
  Location: Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown
  Date and Time: June 30, 2006, 8:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
  Learn about Native American peoples and how they used natural resources in this interactive workshop. Targeted to educators of grades four through six, hands-on activities and classroom-ready materials will be provided. Workshop materials are relevant to Native American history throughout the state. Continuing Professional Development Units are available.
• Course Name: Illinois' Bats; Program: ENTICE
  Location: Sugar Grove Nature Center, McLean
  Date and Time: July 12, 2006, 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
  The only true flying mammals will be examined at this workshop for educators of grades four through six. Work with resource professionals as you learn about the life history of bats and their relationships to other species in the environment. Experience hands-on activities that can be instantly implemented into your curriculum. Take home many Illinois-specific supplemental materials. Continuing Professional Development Units are available.
  

Reducing exposure to ticks is the best defense against Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. There are several approaches you and your family can use to prevent and control Lyme disease.

• Use repellent, tick checks, and other simple measures to prevent tick bites.
• Control ticks around your home and in your community.
• Ask your doctor if taking antibiotics after a tick bite is right for you.
• Learn the early signs of tick-borne illness.

This information about Lyme disease and much more is available from the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/
ld_prevent.htm.

The Rock Island County Health Department provides information about West Nile Virus on its website www.co.rock-island.il.us/envhealth.
asp?id=307.
Questions about reporting dead crows or blue jays for West Nile Virus are answered by going to www.co.rock-island.il.us/envhealth.
asp?id=306.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also offers West Nile Virus information on its website www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/
wnv.htm.
Information about protecting your home from mosquitoes is given by the IDPH at www.idph.state.il.us/
envhealth/wnv_house.htm.
Five common myths of the West Nile Virus are discussed by the Centers for Disease Control. These include:
Myth #1 – There's not much I can do about West Nile virus. Truth: There is a lot that you, personally, can do to reduce your chance of West Nile virus infection.
Myth #2 – Kids are at the most danger of getting sick from West Nile virus. Truth: People over 50 are at the highest risk for developing severe West Nile disease.
Myth #3 – It's only people who are already in poor health who have to worry about West Nile virus. Truth: Healthy, active older adults who spend time working and exercising outdoors have been affected by severe West Nile virus infection.
Myth #4 – Repellents containing DEET are not safe. Truth: Repellents containing DEET are very safe when used according to directions.
Myth #5 – As long as my area has a mosquito control program, I don't have to worry about using repellent. Truth: Mosquito control activities don't eliminate every mosquito, so personal protection is still important.
To find out more about these myths, please go to www.cdc.gov/
ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnvmyths.htm.

As part of a Chicago Wilderness funded project, the Education Team's Volunteer Managers Task Force has developed a workbook to assist volunteers in communicating with the general public about biodiversity. Designed to complement training workshops and stand on its own, the workbook provides an overview of key biodiversity messages related to Chicago Wilderness, while offering practical tools for communicating biodiversity in a meaningful way. Additionally, Volunteer Managers of Chicago Wilderness member institutions may find this a useful supplement when training or orienting volunteers about their institutions' roles in Chicago Wilderness' efforts to preserve and educate about biodiversity.
The workbook can be downloaded free of charge from the CW Members web site at: http://www.chicagowilderness.org/members/repository/folders/
index.cfm?folderid=76. For additional information, please contact the CW Education Team Interim Liaison, Chris Mulvaney, at 847-242-6424 or cmulvaney@chicagowilderness.org.

The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management is a USDA-CSREES funded and University-sponsored website that provides excellent information to help with the identification, prevention and control of Wildlife Damage that may occur in the home, yard, garden, field, and forest. Wildlife information can be obtained at http://wildlifedamage.unl.edu. In addition, there are wildlife games, wildlife publications, identification of damage, vendor services and products, and colorful wildlife photos available.

National Trails Day, scheduled for Saturday, June 3, 2006, brings awareness to trails and hiking, along with their many pleasures and benefits. Now in its 14th year, the American Hiking Society's National Trails Day® is the only nationwide trails celebration, bringing together thousands of outdoor enthusiasts to participate in educational exhibits, trail dedications, gear demonstrations, instructional workshops and trail work projects on the first Saturday of June.
The theme "Take the Path to a Healthier You" relates trail activities to improved health. Improve your health by getting outdoors on a trail. With the extremely high obesity rates in the US, trails can become the pathways to better health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity, including trail use, is very beneficial for preventing or controlling many diseases. The American Hiking society has an excellent website, with many Fact sheets on
a variety of hiking topics http://www.americanhiking.org/events/ntd/.
Some of these Fact Sheets include: Family Hiking, Hank's Hiking Activity Handout, A Beginners Guide to Hiking and Walking, Leave No Trace, Battling Bugs on the Trail, and The Health Benefits of Hiking. This website also provides a number of ideas which will excite and teach children about the wonder of the natural world of hiking. For more information on how you or your organization can participate in National Trails Day, contact Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Educator, phone: (309)-694-7501, Ext. 226.

Franklin Creek Grist Mill – Tuesday, June 13, 2006 –
10:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

9:00 Sign in and coffee at the Grist Mill
10:00 "Sharing Our Story" Site Superintendent Elmer Stauffer will present a very interesting and informative slide program highlighting the development of the Franklin Creek State Natural Area and the Franklin Creek Grist Mill, both of which were created with the use of extensive volunteer labor and donations. Come learn how it was done.
11:00 Lunch
12:00 "Nachusa Grasslands" by Bill Kleiman of the Nature Conservancy. Bill's superb slide program will highlight the history of the Grasslands and bring you up-to-date with the ongoing stewardship programs. Learn about the plants, animals, and various habitats that comprise Nachusa Grasslands.
1:00 Up-close and personal tour of Nachusa Grasslands with Bill Kleiman. There should be a sea of pale purple coneflowers in prime bloom - a magnificent sight to behold!
This program is intended to provide residents of the Lower Rock River watershed with very interesting and highly informative information about Franklin Creek and Nachusa Grasslands (now at 2500 acres) in Lee County, Illinois. These sites now touch each other at a few points.
This program is open to the general public.
There is a $3.00 fee toward the cost of lunch.
Questions? Contact Terry at 815.456.2277 or tator@essex1.com

"Why Should I Care About Invasive Plants?" is a new brochure that was recently produced by Midwest Invasive Plant Network (see below for more info on MIPN). The brochure explains how invasive plants affect us all by briefly detailing how they affect hunting, fishing, boating, gardening, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and other recreational activities in the Midwest. For a copy, check with your local Forest Preserve District, Conservation District, or Park District office OR MIPN directly at Info@mipn.org.

URBANA – When Stephen Long talks about using miscanthus (a grass that grows up to about 14 feet high by late September) as a biomass energy source to produce Ethanol, he likes to stress the word, "potential." Long and his graduate student Emily Heaton have been studying this enormous grass since 2002 at the University of Illinois.
"Miscanthus is now a commercial crop in Europe," said Long. "They've been growing it in Denmark for 30 years. It's used in Japan as a thatching material, too. I saw that it had considerable potential when I worked in Great Britain and then when I came to the U.S. one of my graduate students asked, 'Why don't we grow it here?' We've been doing trials ever since and having some remarkable success."
Long and Heaton got the original plantings from the Chicago Botanical Gardens. They have been conducting side-by-side comparisons of a similar North American plant called switchgrass to the European miscanthus. Switchgrass has been promoted as a future biomass crop for the Midwest and was mentioned in the President's 2006 State of the Union Address.
In aerial views, the growth difference is obvious. The switchgrass plots next to miscanthus look like squares of indoor-outdoor carpeting alongside squares of a dense shag rug.
In the 2004 trials, miscanthus out-performed switchgrass by more than double and in the 2005 trials more than triple. Long says "our results show that with Miscanthus the President's goal of replacing 30% of foreign oil with ethanol, derived from agricultural wastes and switchgrass by 2030, could be achieved sooner and with less land."
Long is looking to the future. Currently, Illinois consumes five billion gallons of liquid fuel per year. He says that if just 10 percent of Illinois's 35.6 million acres of farmland were dedicated to growing miscanthus, it would yield enough dry mass to provide four billion gallons of fuel. There has been no breeding of miscanthus, so it is likely yields could be increased yet further.
Heaton said that because of the high yields with minimal inputs farmers would make a profit if they received about $20 per ton to make a profit. "The closer the field is to the processing plant, the cheaper it gets," she said.
But there are still some barriers to miscanthus being welcomed commercially – one is the planting cost, which is also true for converting corn residue to Ethanol. It is expected that improved understanding of propagation and engineering of planting machinery could reduce this substantially. Some related strains of miscanthus that are fertile and so may become invasive.
The type of miscanthus that Long and Heaton study is a sterile hybrid between two species and Long says it is infertile. "It's like when you cross a horse with a donkey and get a mule – vigorous, but sterile." Long-term trials and environmental impact studies in the European Union from Sicily in the south to Denmark in the north have confirmed this lack of any invasive risk with the sterile hybrid. Positive environmental benefits have also been found in Europe. It provides cover for breeding birds throughout the summer and fall, unlike the row crops it replaced and with little or no nitrogen requirement has decreased pollution of ground water and rivers.
In the meantime, Long and Heaton will continue to conduct trials. And Long says that there is a lot of interest from Illinois farmers in growing miscanthus as a crop. Adoption though will depend on the creation of markets for such biomass. Pellet burning stoves, purpose-built biomass heat & power plants, and cellulosic ethanol plants are the most likely markets to develop here in Illinois.

What is the Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN)? MIPN was formed to help reduce the impact of invasive plant species in the Midwest. This network is composed of people from federal, state, and local governments, universities, industry, non-profit organizations, and the general public, who are concerned about invasive plants. Together they are working to address the threats of invasive plants through prevention, early detection and rapid response, control and management, research, and education. For more information, visit their web site at www.mipn.org.

– Updated and County Data Now Available

The USDAs PLANTS database has added 8000 new names representing 4500 new accepted taxa and 3500 new synonyms. Many of these are vascular plants of the U.S. and most of the rest are agriculturally important. The U.S. vascular flora
has been completely revised with updated nomenclature, plant distribution, growth, habit, duration, and U.S. nativity. PLANTS now has county distribution data for 48 states! We appreciate the help of the Biota of North America Program in this endeavor. To the best of our knowledge all legal status data are also current, including noxious weed status, threatened and endangered lists, and wetland indicator status.
To access the county level type
data, you'll need to use the advanced search at http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov/ cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=advquery/
adv_query.html.

Illinois Free Fishing Days is an opportunity for those who want to give fishing a try, or those who haven't fished for a while, to experience the fun of one of our most popular forms of outdoor recreation. Illinois and non-resident anglers can fish without purchasing fishing licenses, salmon stamps, or inland trout stamps during the four-day Free Fishing Days promotion. Held in conjunction with National Fishing and Boating Week, June 3 - 11, it is co-sponsored in Illinois by Plano Molding Co., the world's largest manufacturer of fishing tackle boxes. More details are available at the following websites: http://www.nationalfishingandboatingweek.org or http://dnr.state.il.us/
If your service club or youth organization would like to host a free fishing days celebration, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Plano Molding Company will furnish the group with a couple of Plano tackle boxes and educational materials for both children and adults. Contact Gary Watson, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, ph. 217-782-9990 by May 12th to make necessary shipping arrangements.
Free Fishing Days are aimed at helping young people and adults discover the joys of fishing and at developing an appreciation for lakes, rivers and streams, and the wildlife in and around them. For more information, contact your local IDNR Fisheries Biologist or Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Educator, phone:
309-694-7501, Ext. 226

With the arrival of spring, we rejoice in the warmer weather, observe wildlife babies and smile at blossoming trees and flowers, many of us also retreat inside for annual spring cleaning. We ceremonially throw open windows, seize all kinds of cleaning supplies to dust, mop and scrub, and gather unwanted goods and clothes to give away. In honor of spring and the new season before us, here are some Green Tips for keeping your spring cleaning session environmentally friendly: use vegetable-based cleaning products.
Many standard cleaning products contain corrosive and irritating ingredients that are harmful to the environment and to your health, while others contain nonrenewable resources, such as petroleum. With labels that state "harmful if swallowed" or "avoid direct contact with skin," conventional cleaning products can cause us to wince with worry as we pour them onto our bathtubs, floors and sinks.
Vegetable-based or earth-friendly cleaning products are now available at major grocery store chains, but be wary of labels that tout "environmentally friendly," "natural" (a petroleum-based product can be labeled as natural), or "organic" (only foods and herbs can currently be labeled as organic). The key is to check out labels on cleaning products to ensure they contain eco-friendly ingredients such as: grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve as a solvent; coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum in detergents; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary, or sage rather than triclosan.
Home-made cleaning products are also a dependable option for keeping any cleaning session green. Simple ingredients that can be found in almost any household, such as baking soda, vinegar, plain soap (no fragrances or dyes), borax and water can satisfy most cleaning needs.
Ensure your unwanted goods don't end up in the local landfill. Recycling, reusing and composting ensure that millions of pounds of materials do not end up in a landfill each year. The local thrift store is a good option for giving someone else the opportunity to reuse your gently-used items, and while garage sales take more time and effort, they can be a great way to connect with neighbors and earn a little extra cash for that sweater that Auntie knitted years ago. Some goods, such as broken or outdated electronics that are not appropriate to sell or give away, are harder to get rid of. Check our www.earth911.org to find out what recycling options exist in your local community.

Great Outdoors Week 2006, June 12-17, will highlight efforts underway to enhance outdoor recreation for all Americans in the 21st century. Volunteerism, public-private partnerships, improving health through recreation, ensuring strong recreational trails and scenic byways programs are the focal points of this year's celebrations.
Great Outdoors Week will again be coordinated by the American Recreation Coalition (ARC) and will be hosted by more than a dozen federal agencies and national organizations. First proclaimed by President George W. Bush in 2004, Great Outdoors Month – June – includes a long list of recreation community events and meetings, including National Trails Day and National Fishing and Boating Week. Great Outdoors Week, June 12-17 provides a great opportunity for families to get involved with social and recreational activities by doing things together in the great out-of-doors. This is a great program to share in newsletters going to families and youth. Full details on the month's activities will be available at the Great Outdoors Week website www.funoutdoors.com.

Breeds Respect for Environment in Adults, Study Finds

If you want your children to grow up to actively care about the environment, give them plenty of time to play in the "wild" before they're 11 years old, suggests a new Cornell University study.
Although domesticated nature activities – caring for plants and gardens – also have a positive relationship to adult environment attitudes, their effects aren't as strong as participating in such wild nature activities as camping, playing in the woods, hiking, walking, fishing and hunting," said environmental psychologist Nancy Wells, assistant professor of design and environmental analysis in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell.
Wells and Kristi Lekies, a research associate in human development at Cornell, analyzed data from a U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service survey conducted in 1998 that explored childhood nature experiences and adult environmentalism. The Cornell researchers used a sample of more than 2,000 adults, ages 18 to 90, who were living in urban areas throughout the country and answered telephone questions about their early childhood nature experiences and their current adult attitudes and behaviors relating to the environment.
The findings will be published in the next issue of Children, Youth and Environment (Vol. 16:1).
"Our study indicates that participating in wild nature activities before age 11 is a particularly potent pathway toward shaping both environmental attitudes and behaviors in adulthood," said Wells, whose previous studies have found that nature around a home can help protect children against life stress and boost children's cognitive functioning.
"When children become truly engaged with the natural world at a young age, the experience is likely to stay with them in a powerful way – shaping their subsequent environmental path," she added.
Interestingly, participating in scouts or other forms of environmental education programs had no effect on adult attitudes toward the environment.
"Participating in nature-related activities that are mandatory evidently do not have the same effects as free play in nature, which don't have demands or distractions posed by others and may be particularly critical in influencing long-term environmentalism," Wells said.
Unlike previous studies that have looked at the effect of childhood experiences of adult environmentalists, this study looked at a broad representative sample of urban adults. By examining individuals' pathways to environmentalism, the study also took a "life course" perspective, that is, a view that looks at individual lives as sets of interwoven pathways or trajectories that together tell a story.
The study was supported by the Bronfenbrenner Life Course Center and College of Human Ecology, both at Cornell University.
Susan S. Lang, "Camping, hiking and fishing in the wild as a child breeds respect for environment in adults, study finds," Chronicle Online, Cornell University, http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/march06/wild.nature.play.ssl.html. Reprinted with permission from Cornell University.

- Susan S. Lang

Children ages 7-10 years old are invited to the Quad City Botanical Garden to explore plants and animals from Madagascar, the world's fifth largest island! Five fun-filled days of crafts, games, stories, snacks and much more! Create an island journal that tracks your adventures and scientific findings, learn about chameleons, lemurs, fossa, insects and more! On Wednesday during the week of camp, we will be meeting at Niabi Zoo for our activities and a tour (included in camp price). Camp will be held Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. The cost is $60 for members and $70 for non-members. Enrollment is limited to 20 students per session, so call soon to reserve your child's place on this tropical adventure.

For inclusion in the July/August issue of Field Notes,
all articles should be submitted by July 1st to
Gretel at ghengst@qconline.com.