Please take note that there has been a change in the e-mail address for submissions to Field Notes. Effective immediately, the address is as follows: g.hengst@sbcglobal.net.

On November 15-16, Liz Haynes led a group of Master Naturalists on a trip to Chicago for a day of Advanced Training. The trip included a tour of the Shedd Aquarium, a lecture by Dr. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, a guided tour of the Chicago Center for Green Technology and a tour of the Morton Arboretum.

The Shedd Aquarium's mission is to connect people to the living world, and the Master Naturalists were definitely connected via an amazing array of fish, mammals, lizards, and even penguins, plus their diverse habitats. The exhibits included explorations of the World's Oceans, the Amazon teeming with poisonous frogs and giant turtles; Waters of the World featuring 90 aquatic habitats and the fish that inhabit them; Lizards and Komodo Dragons; The Caribbean Reef where divers fed sharks, sting rays and sea turtles; The Oceanarium which offered programs on dolphin training; a huge tank of beluga whales; and finally, the new Wild Reef Shark Exhibit. The Shedd is a great place to get reinvigorated about one's passion for aquatic animals, their habitats and the planet we share.

The Master Naturalists then made their way to the campus of Northwestern University to hear the renowned Dr. Richard Louv give a keynote address to a sold-out crowd. Dr. Louv's book was credited by the Chicago Park District for sparking the national conversation about nature deficit and our children.

Dr. Louv opened his program with a story about a young boy on a beach whose eyes were sparkling with energy as he explored the ocean habitat. This young boy was kicked out of school for behavior problems, but his parents noticed how intrigued their son was with nature, so they continued to nurture this love. That young boy was Ansel Adams. He posed the question – would Ansel Adams have had the same awe of nature that he built into a career of being one of the world's greatest nature photographers if he was kept in school and put on Ritalin? Louv said that too often today's youth are medicated with drugs rather than exploring other options of therapy which should include nature. He shared the recent findings by University of Illinois researchers who found that Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms improved after patients spent time in nature. Louv wants science to further study the link between the huge increase in behavior disorders and the decline of time children spend in nature.

Louv told stories of meeting and working with various groups – from developers to the Chicago Wilderness Society – to share his findings and build activists who can help in the movement to reconnect children with nature. Of importance is sharing a hopeful future with those involved. Too often, the stories young people hear about nature revolve around the negativity – acid rain, global warming, abductions etc., which leads to a fear of nature. He wants today's youth to reconnect to the sense of wonder that nature brings. He called upon the audience of environmental educators to develop a national campaign along the lines of "No Child Left Inside!" and "Grow Outside!" Louv believes this doorway issue can bring people together as we work together to find solutions. He asked for help in addressing immediate dangers such as the elimination of recess by 40% of America's schools, the decline of field trips, the fact that visits to national parks were down significantly, and the increase in childhood obesity which came at the same time as the increase in organized sports. He asked for our help in researching and finding positive solution. He wants us to connect with area groups, parents, developers, the media – our community as a whole – to shift the paradigm of importance and to get nature on the list of must haves. They are a necessary prescription to a healthy, productive life. Louv said that we can best do this by describing a world that people want to go to. It is our job as adults to give kids back their sense of wonder and hope.

We're on our way: The Rock Island County Master Naturalists are joining with the Davenport Parks Board to introduce a new Junior Naturalist program to reward kids who spend time in nature. A new promotional campaign is being created to share this program which will help inspire children to interact with nature. It will be unveiled during Bald Eagle Days. As Master Naturalists, we can embrace this important journey to reconnect kids with nature.

In addition to the Louv program, the Master Naturalists also enjoyed a tour of the Chicago Center for Green Technology. They toured this working model of a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly building, and learned about its development, history, and grounds, as well as such issues as storm-water management, energy efficiency, urban landscapes, and ecofriendly building materials.

The trip concluded with self-guided tours of the Morton Arboretum.

Greg Wolf, Environmental Educator for the City of Davenport, is organizing a diverse new program for children six through twelve that will include outdoor recreation, natural resources, conservation, and historical interpretation.This program will be offered each calendar year and will encourage children to attend programs offered by local environmental groups, such as the City of Davenport Parks and Recreation, Master Naturalists, and county conservation boards.

In addition, it will encourage participants to work on independent activities.When all requirements are completed, the participants will receive an official Junior Naturalist patch and certificate of achievement.

The program is being offered by courtesy of the Iowa Association of Naturalists, a professional organization that promotes the development of skills and education within the art of interpreting the natural and cultural environments.

Greg Wolf is looking for volunteers to assist him with the new Quad Cities Junior Naturalist program. For more information or to offer assistance, please contact him at 563-320-0384.

I had been anxiously awaiting my trip to Arizona for nearly six months. Who will I meet? What will I learn? What do I take? What can I share about Illinois ? I packed a variety of items to prepare me for the flight into warm, sunny Phoenix and scenic drive to cool, crisp Flagstaff.

After much travel, I had arrived at my destination...the Second Annual National Master Naturalist Conference in Flagstaff, Arizona. Like most conferences, there were keynote speakers, workshops, presentations, and poster sessions. A typical conference includes hundreds of people from similar professions, where you re-connect or make new connections with a couple dozen professionals and collect many business cards, but never have time to build relationships with all that attend. Yet somehow, this conference seemed different.

The National Master Naturalist Conference included 80 diverse individuals representing 24 states. Agency staff, administrators, professors, and volunteers representing a countless number of local, regional, state, and national programs made up the sundry of participants and presenters. By the end of the conference, I had met just about every attendee and knew their name. Not only did I know these people by name, I had talked with them in many unstructured discussion groups, laughed with them during hands-on team building activities, traveled with them on fieldtrips, learned from their experiences and stories...and built the foundation for lifelong relationships.

Also during the conference, the National Master Naturalist Initiative had at long last become a formal organization: The Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP). The launch of the new Alliance and warm reception by the conference participants was a proud moment for me and other founding ANROSP board members. As a steering committee member of the National Master Naturalist Initiative since 2004, I was content that the arduous task of creating the Alliance was complete, yet wildly excited to await the challenges of a growing national organization. The Alliance is first and foremost an organization of programs. It exists to carry on the work of the National Master Naturalist Initiative to support the development and enhancement of natural resource education and volunteer programs throughout the country. Specifically, its mission is to promote awareness and citizen stewardship of natural resources through science-based education and service programs. To learn more about the Alliance, visit the Alliance website: www.nralliance.org.

Before the conference began, I had contributed a great deal of time, thought and energy to the development of the Alliance. During the conference proceedings, I shared a tremendous amount of resources and "lessons learned" from the Illinois Master Naturalist program in Rock Island County. But no matter how much I tried to give of myself and of our program, I was given much more than I had ever anticipated. I was given magnificent gifts of hope, encouragement, and dedication from average people across the nation who are steadfast in their commitment to the environment and their perserverance to serve and educate the local public.

The power of one or two people can create an initiative towards change, but the power of many people in unison creates an entire movement of change. I am humbled to be a small part of this National Master Naturalist movement and fortunate to be moving with friends... the Illinois Master Naturalists and fellow naturalists nationwide.

- Elizabeth Haynes

University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists are offering a winter lecture series on Wildlife & Backyard Conservation,Thursday evenings, January 11, 18, 25 and February 1 from 6:30–8:00 p.m. at the Quad City Botanical Center, 2525 4th Avenue, Rock Island, IL.

• Each program will be led by a regional expert.Topics will include: Backyard Habitat Basics and Native
• Plants on January 11th;Water
• Management featuring Rain
• Gardens on January 18th; Habitat
• Management featuring Organic
• Pest Management and Composting
• on January 25th; and Attracting
• Wildlife on February 1st.

The costfor each program is $5 per person for Master Naturalists and $7 each for the general public. QC Botanical Center Members will be admitted free. Participants who arrive early will be allowed to enjoy the Sun Garden at no charge. Reservations are appreciated; please call (309) 796-0512 or register online at www.extension.uiuc.edu/rockisland.

Mark your calendars for a second lecture series by the Illinois Master Naturalists on Native Americans which will be held at Blackhawk State Historic Site,Watchtower Lodge, February 8, 15, 22 and March 1.

Spread the word! Anyone who is interested in becoming a Rock Island County Master Naturalist may apply for the Spring 2007 class beginning January 1, 2007. Please contact the Extension office at 309-796-0512 for an application, or e-mail Elizabeth Haynes at ehaynes@uiuc.edu for more information.

Integrating trees and shrubs on a farm can be good for the landowner as well as the land. Agroforestry can create additional sources of income while protecting soil, water, and wildlife. To learn more, plan to attend one of two identical one day workshops: February 6 in Utica or February 8 in Mt. Vernon.

The workshop is designed for individuals from State and Federal Governments Agencies, University Extension, Non-Profit and Professional Organizations that deal with a broad range of issues that directly impact farmers and landowners and their management of forests and farms. The primary goal of this professional development opportunity is to increase knowledge of agroforestry practices and their application. Another important goal is to facilitate greater collaboration among agencies and organizations to encourage more widespread use and adoption of agroforestry practices.

Each workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Researchers from the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry will include overviews of forest farming, riparian forest buffers, windbreaks, shelter belts, and vegetative environmental buffers. The workshops will show how each topic could be implemented in Illinois.

Incentive programs from the various agencies that would help clients cost-share to implement these new practices will be discussed. Participants will receive a DVD showcasing examples of all three agroforestry techniques and an erxtensive manual on a CD. Lunch will also be provided. Pre-registration by January 29 is required along with a fee of $25. To register, contact Donna Cray (217-241-4644; dcray@uiuc.edu). For more information, visit http://asap.sustainability.uiuc.edu/ and type "agroforestry" in the search box.

Any Master Naturalists interested in attending the February 6th training in Utica, IL, should contact Elizabeth Haynes at the Extension office (309-796- 0512). She will be attending that workshop and has room available to take a limited number of participants.

The Christmas Bird Count is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society. It is an early-winter bird census, where volunteers follow specified routes through a designated 15-mile diameter circle, counting every bird they see or hear all day. All birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day. All individual CBC's are conducted in the period from December 14th to January 5th (inclusive dates) each season, and each count is conducted in one calendar day.

The first CBC was done on Christmas Day of 1900 as an alternative activity to an event called the "side hunt" where people chose sides, then went out and shot as many birds as they could. The group that came in with the largest number of dead birds won the event. Frank Chapman, an officer of The National Audubon Society in 1900, recognized that declining bird populations could not withstand wanton over-hunting, and proposed to count birds on Christmas Day rather than shoot them.

To join a CBC please contact a local compiler by selecting "Get Involved" from the CBC home page at www.audubon.org/bird/cbc. There is a $5.00 fee per field participant per count. However, feeder watchers do not need to pay the fee, and all observers 18 and under may count for free. These fees help to cover the costs of generating materials for Compilers, producing an annual CBC summary issue, and maintaining the CBC website and database.

Quad City Audubon Society members will participate in six counts during the Christmas Bird Count, held in close proximity to the Quad Cities. Lots of volunteers are needed! The first QC count will be held on Sunday, December

17th, with the remaining count dates still to be determined. Contact Brent Langley at 309-799-7192 or Walt Zuurdeeg at 563-324-4664 if you would like to participate. Volunteers need not be expert birders to participate in a field party.

It's a great way for novice participants to improve their identification skills by joining a team with experienced birders. This is a great Master Naturalist family activity that increases awareness of our feathered friends!

In January of this year, I took the vacation of a lifetime and went to Costa Rica for a week. I welcomed the heat and humidity as I stepped off the airplane at the Liberia Airport. After negotiating customs, I connected with my transport driver for the three hour drive to Tamarindo and the beautiful Pacific coast. The first order of business was to take a nap since I spent all night packing up until my 3:00 a.m. departure to the Quad-City Airport from Clinton. I wanted to be awake for the leatherback sea turtle watch that evening.

At 10:00 p.m., my transport and guide picked me up for the hour's drive to Los Baules National Park and the turtle watch. Fortunately, my group did get to see a leatherback turtle laying eggs. The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of the sea turtles and highly endangered. What impressed me as I watched the mother turtle is how she used her back flippers to gauge the depth of the nest. The turtle's flippers resembled mittens with an opposable thumb and were quite effective scouring the nest.

Watching the eggs drop from the ovipositor is quite humbling. Out of 100 eggs laid, the odds that a baby leatherback will reach adulthood is 1 in 10,000. If extraordinary measures aren't taken, these magnificent animals may disappear from the earth within 10 years time. Thanks to organizations like Earthwatch, the leatherback's chances of survival are enhanced.

My hotel at Tamarindo featured an outdoor restaurant and subsequently, experiences with Costa Rican wildlife. My waiter told me not to be frightened when an iguana scurried near my feet to snack on berries from a potted plant. In the morning, a magpie bluejay with an exquisite long tail flew from table to table until he boldly landed on a man's plate, grabbed an orange slice, and retreated to the rafters.

I rose bright and early at 8:00 a.m. the next morning for a mangrove estuary tour. I had a private tour and thoroughly enjoyed conversing with my tour guide, "Chuckie". He identified the wildlife in Costa Rica using perfect English.

Sightings included: Great Egrets, Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, an alligator, and the Howler monkey made famous by the reality show, "Survivor."

After the beaches of Tamarindo, I then was escorted to the cloud forest in the mountains of Monteverde. My big adventure at Monteverde was flying throughthe rain forest on a canopy tour. At the first platform, I didn't gauge my speed very well and stopped short. The platform guide had to come out, wrap his legs around me, and tow me in. The second platform, I was going too fast, couldn't stop, and slammed into the guide. The guides then told me, "Leenda, we will take you." I was relieved and embarrassed I was so out of shape.

That afternoon, I took a self-guided tour through the rainforest in a downpour. In the evening, I went on a guided night hike and saw an amazing animal. As I peered up through a hollow tree looking for an opossum, an olinga entered the tree and proceeded right towards me. This was quite exciting as it is rare to see olingas in the wild. In fact, the guide had never seen one.

From Monteverde, I then traveled to Fortuna via a daring boat ride on Lake Arenal. During the drive to the lake, our driver graciously stopped the van so we could get out and snap pictures of a sloth that had wandered out of the rain forest onto telephone wires and was reaching for a tree.

My last hotel featured a view of the Arenal Volcano. I went horseback riding to the Fortuna waterfalls with crazy Costa Rican cowboys and went on the Las Negre Boat Tour.

Costa Rica is an amazing place. So much so, that I have decided to return in February on a guided tour, this time going from the Caribbean to the interior.

"Mucho Gusto!"

- Linda Boardsen

The 2006 Master Naturalist Directory was recently mailed out to everyone involved with the program. Listings nclude volunteers, the advisory board, and sub-committee members.

However, several mistakes have since been found and, as a result, the directory will be updated and sent out again in the near future.

If you find any discrepancies in your listing, please provide Liz Haynes with the correct information.

She may be contacted by calling 309-796-0512 or by e-mailing her at ehaynes@uiuc.edu.

Master Naturalists and their family members are invited to a special program on drumming on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at Singing Bird Nature Center, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island, IL, at 6:00 p.m. Members of the Quad-City drumming group will bring instruments and offer an interactive experience with this ancient communication form.

Feel free to bring any rhythm instruments you may have; i.e. maracas, rainsticks, jingle bells, etc.

Apple cider will be provided. Master Naturalists are asked to RSVP by calling Linda Boardsen at (563) 242-9297 or by e-mail at iagirl@cis.net by Friday, December 8, 2006

December 14 – Mary Lou Petersen will give a presentation on "Quad City Christmas Counts – Changes in the Last Fifty Years," 7:00 p.m. at the Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline. After the meeting, stick around for some good pie, coffee, and fellowship!

January 6-7 – Bald Eagle Days. In addition to a booth at the Expo Center,QCAS will provide spotting scopes at Sunset Park to offer an opportunity for viewing bald eagles in the wild.

Mary Lou Petersen will present bird identification classes on January 11 and February 8, 7:00 p.m. at the Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline.

The 4th Annual Vermicomposting Symposium will take place on Monday, February 5, 2007, 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., at Northfield Center, 3280 North-field Drive, Springfield , IL.

Be an Early Worm! Early registration and payment received by January 5, 2007, will qualify for entry in the "Early Worm Prize Drawing"! Registration Fee is $35 ($50 at the door.)

Please send your registration to: Illinois Stewardship Alliance, P.O. Box 648, Rochester, IL 62563; Phone: 217-498-9707

Milwaukee Wisconsin

The North Central Weed Science Society (NCWSS), Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN), and the Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin (IPAW) will co-sponsor a two-day program on invasive plants in the Midwest.This meeting will give land managers and landowners the opportunity to meet with researchers, extension agents, and herbicide and restoration company representatives to discuss the need for further research and products for invasive plant control. For more information on the conference, visit the NCWSS web site at http://www.ncwss.org/.

Saturday, February 10

Interested in becoming certified and licensed to use herbicides on public lands? If so,The Nature

Conservancy will be hosting the next herbicide training and testing workshop for volunteers on

Saturday, February 10 at The Brookfield Zoo. Registration details and other information will follow in

the December issue of Gatherings Online. For additional questions, contact Karen Tharp at

ktharp@tnc.org.

Challenges and Strategies for Wildlife Managers

A workshop for wildlife managers is to be held on January 17-18, 2007, at Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago.

Registration deadline is December 15.

This workshop will provide conservation professionals with an overview of release programs, including the science, design, and implementation of reintroductions and translocations, and will include national, midwestern, and local speakers. For more information or to register visit the web site: http://www.reintroduction.org.

Global warming strikes again. A University of Illinois researcher reports that a red-winged black bird population in Ontario, Canada has decreased by 50 percent since 1972. The decrease is related to a positive shift in the North Atlantic Oscillation which has resulted in warmer, wetter winters in the southeastern United States .

When Patrick Weatherhead put his 25-year data about the red-winged black bird alongside climate records, he found a direct correlation with the North Atlantic Oscillation. The NAO is a dominant cause of winter climate variability in the North Atlantic region ranging from central North America to Europe and much of Northern Asia. It has been on an upward trend for the past 30 years. Weatherhead, an ecologist who specializes in the behavior of birds and snakes, says that although some people may be in denial, global warming exists. "There are long-term records that show melting glaciers and altered ecological patterns like earlier migration and earlier nesting of birds.

"When you first start out, you don't set out to get 25 years of data on a topic," he said. "But when you're in the field long enough like I have been, that's what you wind up with – long-term ecological data which may have unintended uses." The data was collected in Ontario, Canada at the Queen's University Biological Station from 1975 to 2000, with some additional data in 2005.

"We also found that although the breeding season started at the same timeeach year, it lasted longer," said Weatherhead. "The birds appear to be interpreting the longer season as the end of the season lasting longer, when more female eggs typically hatch, so that shift has affected the population sex ratio."

Over the years, Weatherhead's team has put bands on the legs of thousands of red-winged black birds in order to track their nesting habits. They winter in southeastern United States. In mid-July they become gregarious and switch from eating insects to eating corn and have caused millions of dollars of damage.

Red-winged black birds feed on corn borers, so that makes them well-liked by farmers, until they switch in the breeding season to eating corn. That's when the hero suddenly becomes the pest.

So, is the 50 percent decline in population a good thing for the environment? Weatherhead says that what will happen in the future isn't clear, but if the climate trends continue, there are likely to be further changes in population size.

In 2005, Weatherhead returned to the marshy region of Canada where the other decades of data had been collected. The North Atlantic Oscillation had returned to neutral values. "We found that the harem size (the number of female birds per male) had rebounded to 2.06 which is less than expected, but it did go up. We are currently measuring the length of the breeding season to see if that has changed, affecting the sex ratio as well."

The data collection was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of

Canada and the University of Illinois.

An upcoming opportunity is available for lady Master Naturalist volunteers at Science Siesta. Science Siesta will be held Friday, January 26th at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island, Illinois.

The Rock Island County 4-H staff is in need of presenters (preferablyfemale) for the following two workshops: Project WET and Rainforest Ecologist (from the Wonderwise curriculum).The sessions are one hour in length and are scheduled from 9:30-10:30 p.m.

There will be approximately 20 girls in the session.This event is for girls who are in the fifth and sixth grades.

Staff would like the presenters to use hands-on activities from those curriculum to make the workshops fun and interactive.

Liz Haynes can work directly with the Master Naturalists who would like to volunteer...helping to select hands-on activities, gathering or purchasing supplies, and anything else needed. Please let Liz know if you are interested in volunteering for Science Siesta by Friday, December 15th. It is a very fun and rewarding experience for presenters and students!

Also, any Master Naturalists interested in helping in "crowd control" throughout the evening are more than welcome to join in the festivities of Science Siesta. It is a large group of girls (approximately 60+) and your presence would be greatly appreciated! Any questions should be directed to Liz Haynes at 309-796-0512 or ehaynes@uiuc.edu.

Green cleaning or eco-cleaning has become a big business as homeowners gravitate toward more planet friendly lifestyles. Eco-cleaning companies are popping up everywhere and there is a plethora of low impact cleaning products available to purchase. While there are a few commercial products that are staples in my pantry, many of my cleaning solutions are ones that can be made at home. Much like the home remedies used in the garden, these formulas are inexpensive and simple to prepare. If you don't have the ingredients already, you can find everything you need at your neighborhood grocery store.

Stock Your Pantry

• Borax – Great for disinfecting and deodorizing and as a mild abrasive. Borax is a safe alternative, but IS toxic. So be careful where you store it.
• Vinegar – A natural acidic for removing grime and soap scum. Because of vinegar's acidic quality, don't use it full strength on tile grout and it's not recommended for marble or unprotected vinyl flooring.
• Baking soda – There are too many virtues of baking soda to list here, but mainly it is a great deodorizer, mild abrasive and general gunk remover.
• Lemons – The juice is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. Dried lemon peel can be used as a moth repellent.
• Essential oils – These oils are great to add a little fragrance to homemade cleaners. Especially recommended is lemon, grapefruit or lavender. Check your local health food store for essential oils.
• Liquid soap
• Cinnamon sticks
• Whole cloves
• Muslin
• Old t-shirts, diapers or other soft cloth
• Plastic spray bottles
• Small bucket

Cleaning Solutions

Here is a list of homemade cleaning solutions that can be used in your home. When trying new products in your home use the same precautions as you would in the garden. Test in a small area before using throughout your house. Also, remember to store cleaning products away from children and pets.

All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 gallon water in a cleaning bucket. Then add 1/2 cup vinegar. Use immediately.

Furniture Polish: Mix 1 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Apply to wood furniture with a soft, clean cloth. Allow to dry and buff with another soft, clean cloth.

Disinfectant: Combine 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. Remember that borax is not non-toxic, so keep this solution away from the little ones.

Drain Deodorizer: According to plumbers, one of the best ways to prevent build up in pipes is with boiling water. About once a week pour a kettle of boiling water down the sink.

To keep the kitchen sink fresh and deodorize the disposal, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain. Let stand for a few minutes and then flush with boiling water. The vinegar and baking soda will foam so be prepared for that. Also, don't try this if you've recently used a commercial drain opener and are uncertain if any is still present.

Glass Cleaner: Mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar with 1 quart of water. Store in a spray bottle. When cleaning windows using old newspaper really does make a difference.

Bathtub and Sink Cleaner: Mix 1 2/3 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of liquid soap, and 1/2 of cup water in a cleaning bucket. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Air Fresheners: My favorite way to bring fragrance into the home during the fall and winter is with a simmer pot. Fill a muslin bag with cinnamon sticks, orange peel and whole cloves. Simmer the bag in a pot of boiling water. Just be sure you don't leave the pot unattended. A few drops of essential oil in a small dish of baking soda freshens the air. Place a dish of vinegar by the stove when cooking fish or onions to element odors.

Stuck on Grease: Baked on food can be loosened with baking soda. Sprinkle the dish liberally with baking soda and set aside for 5 – 10 minutes. Wash pan as usual. Sprinkle half a lemon with salt and use it to scrub dishes.

Fabric Softener: Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Article courtesy of P. Allen Smith Gardening Newsletter (October 27, 2006):

Fall Cleaning with Homemade Solutions. This article may also be found on-line at: http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1320& Itemid=96

The National Great Backyard Bird Count is scheduled this year for February 16 – 19. Why count backyard birds? Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Now that winter has gripped much of the continent, what are our birds doing? Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux.

It doesn't matter whether you identify, count, and report the five species coming to your backyard feeder or the 75 species you see during a day's outing to a wildlife refuge. The data that you collect will be combined to provide an immense picture of our winter birds. Each year that this data is collected makes them more important and meaningful.

Participating is easy. All you need is basic knowledge of bird identification and access to the Internet. Here's what you do:

• Count the birds in your backyard, local park, or other natural area on one or all four days. You can count in as many different locations as you wish, just make sure to keep separate records and fill out a checklist for each area.
• Watch the birds for at least 15 minutes on each day that you participate. We recommend watching for a half-hour or more, so that you'll have a good sense of what birds are in your area.
• At the end of the day submit your bird checklist on the GBBC web site. Fill out the questions about your location, local habitat, and count duration. Then enter your high counts for each species sighted on that day and location. You can submit one bird checklist for each day that you count or for each new area that you count in.

To learn how you can be a part of the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count, go to the following website: http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/index.shtml. This is a terrific Master Naturalist activity that increases awareness of our feathered friends while enjoying the great out-of-doors!

For inclusion in the January/February issue

of Field Notes, all submissions should be sent by

January 1st to Gretel at g.hengst@sbcglobal.net.

In this area wells can bring us our drinking water from the ground. If you are fortunate enough to have community water available, government regulatory agencies are checking on it for you. If you have your own well, you are the regulatory agency.

If you are concerned about the safety of your well water, the Rock Island County Health Department will help you test for bacteria or nitrates and can direct you to other sources for water testing.

Be mindful that everyday activities affect groundwater and groundwater is the source of most drinking water for northwest Illinois and Wisconsin. Keeping drinking water safe and plentiful is everyone's daily job.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has some suggestions for everyone.You can keep safe water plentiful by using it wisely. Use water-saving devices and appliances. Look for and fix leaks. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in your refrigerator – no need to run the tap to cool the water. Reduce use for bathing and showering.Turn off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. Use less water for dishes.

You can keep groundwater safe by minimizing waste. Don't use household drains as ashtrays, wastebaskets, or garbage disposal especially if you have an on-site sewage system. Keep toxic products in tightly sealed containers in a safe dry spot. Reduce or eliminate the use of lawn pesticides and fertilizers. Take waste oil to a collection place. Use nontoxic and biodegradable soaps and household cleansers or environmentally friendly alternatives.

If you have a septic system, know that even a properly sited, permitted, constructed, and maintained on-site sewage system can pollute groundwater, especially if the soil is highly permeable or the water table is close to the surface. Consult the Stephenson County Health Department for tips on keeping your septic system in good working order.

If you have a well that is not being used, make sure it is sealed properly. Cracks in old casing or an exposed opening can carry pollutants directly to the groundwater.

You can do your part to keep water drinkable and plentiful.

Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org. Article published in the Journal Standard, Freeport, Illinois.

Geneva: Beginning Beekeeping classes offered through the Geneva Park District. Classes begin January 23, 2007,Tuesdays 7:30 to 9:40 – end March 13th. Peck Farm is located at 38 W 199 Kaneville Road, Geneva. Contact: Becky Lambert 630-262-8244 or blambert@genevaparks.com.

Wheaton: Beginning Beekeeping Classes offered through the heaton Park District. Classes begin January 24, 2007 – Wednesday 7:30 to 9:30 – end March 14th. Location: Wheaton North High School. Contact Linda Dolan at Wheaton Park District. Community Center, 1777 South Blanchard Road, 630-690-4880 Cost is $49 for residents or $74 non-residents. Discounts for senior citizen.

For the first time ever, Illinois farmers in 2006 have planted more acres using no-till methods than with conventional tillage systems, reports Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Educator. This data comes from the newly released T-Transect Survey, collected and compiled by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

The T-Transect Survey, reported that 33.1 percent of all Illinois corn, soybean and small grain fields surveyed in 2006 were farmed using no-till practices, which leave the soil virtually undisturbed from harvest through planting. According to Frazee, this means that for the first time, no-till is now used to plant more fields than any of the other tillage systems. Mulch-tilled fields, which allow some tillage, but have at least 30% crop residue on the soil surface accounted for 16.4 percent of the acreage; reduced-till, which uses more extensive tillage, with leaving only 15-30 percent residue, had 19.3 percent of the acreage, and conventional tillage, where extensive tillage trips leave less than 15 percent crop residue, was used on 31.2 percent of the acreage.

Another important tillage milestone was also reached in 2006, reports Frazee, when Illinois soybean producers planted the majority of their soybean acreage, 51 percent, using no-till. What are some of the major reasons over 5 million acres of Illinois soybeans are now planted using no-till methods?

Frazee cites five good reasons. First, in 2006, Round-up resistant soybean varieties were planted on over 90 percent of Illinois soybean fields. The Round-up herbicide program saves valuable time and tillage trips while at the same time providing excellent grass and broadleaf weed control throughout the season.

Second, high diesel fuel prices have encouraged many producers to eliminate the deep ripping or chiseling of last year's corn stalks in the fall and the secondary tillage trips in spring of 2006.

The third reason showcases the tremendous improvements the major equipment manufacturers have made over the past few years in their no-till soybean planters and drills. This new equipment technology is resulting in excellent soybean seed placement and depth control, a problem which Frazee said did occur with some of the older planting equipment. Fourth, no-till soybean fields continue to yield as good as or better than conventionally or mulch-tilled soybean fields resulting in higher profits. And fifth, Frazee emphasizes that farmers are becoming good stewards of their soil and water resources by becoming increasingly concerned about soil erosion and water quality. No-till fields have been shown to reduce soil erosion by as much as 90 percent as compared to conventionally-tilled fields where no crop residue remained.

Another positive trend reported in the survey is that no-till corn acres are again on the increase. Frazee states that in 2006, 17 percent of Illinois corn acres are now planted utilizing no-till and strip-till methods. This is up from 14.9 percent acres of no-till corn in 2004.

In conclusion, Frazee feels most Illinois producers could benefit by "getting on the bandwagon" and switching to a no-till farming system for their corn, soybeans and small grains. The key is to start small and grow into the system.

Source: Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Extension Educator, Natural Resources

Management. Phone (309)-694-7501 Ext. 226; e-mail rfrazee@uiuc.edu.

Governor Blagojevich recently awarded more than $32.9 million in grants through the state's Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program. The 101 grant projects will provide a wide array of outdoor recreation facilities throughout the state. When combined with matching funds from local government sponsors, more than $65.8 million in land acquisition and park development projects will become a reality thanks to our investment in this program.

Thanks to the support of the Governor and General Assembly, the $32.9 million available this year for OSLAD grants is the largest single award in the program's 20-year history. The 14 land acquisition grant projects will provide approximately 400 acres of new park land for local agencies, while the other 87 projects will help develop new parks or renovate facilities in existing parks.

The projects we are funding are as diverse as the communities themselves. For example, in the rapidly developing community of Romeoville, the Forest Preserve District of Will County will acquire 30 acres adjacent to O'Hara Woods Nature Preserve, a high-quality natural area that contains a number of species of rare, endangered plants. This 30-acre parcel was ranked as a critical acquisition priority in the district's 2005 Capital Improvement Program Acquisition Plan.

Conversely, in an unincorporated area between Belleville and East St. Louis, Stookey Township will use OSLAD funding to develop its very first park site. Facilities to be constructed at the 22-acre park include a playground, walking trail with fitness stations, dog park area, landscaping and parking.

The other 99 projects being supported by OSLAD this year will provide everything from active use park sites with playgrounds, ballfields, tennis courts, soccer fields and swimming pools to more passive recreation areas with interpretive trails and facilities that promote environmental study.

The OSLAD program has had a very positive impact on improving local parks, recreation facilities and natural areas throughout the state. In existence since 1986, OSLAD has provided nearly $278 million for nearly 1,400 local park projects.

The program is funded by a percentage of the state's Real Estate Transfer Tax. To qualify for an OSLAD grant, the local agency must show a need for its project and an ability to carry it through to completion. Other factors include the local agency's record in maintaining its other facilities, the degree of local planning involved, and the project's ability to address regional and statewide outdoor recreation priorities.

If you would like additional information about the OSLAD program, please visit the IDNR website at www.dnr.state.il.us and click on Grant Info, or contact the IDNR Division of Grant Administration, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL, 62702, phone 217/782-7481, TDD 217/782-9175. Also, a complete list of this year's 101 OSLAD projects can be found on the website by clicking on Press Releases.

The OSLAD program really does enhance the quality of life in Illinois, and we appreciate your continued support. Future generations will benefit greatly from our partnership in acquiring and developing these outdoor recreation facilities.

- Sam Flood, Acting Director, Illinois Department of Natural Resources