Your Blog Update from Henry Eilers and the Shoal Creek Volunteers

Smokey Bear

The local connection. Really? “Bear” with me, please.

The 2019 summer issue of Smithsonian magazine featured an article: ‘Under Fire: How our beloved Smokey Bear has become a lightning rod in a heated environmental battle. 

The article was prompted by the deadliest wildfire season in our history. Remember, 85 people died in a

 Prairie Gentian in October, a last exuberance
 of the prairei year

matter of minutes in Paradise, California. The article is fascinating on many accounts, not only for a fire practitioner. 

The name became a sensation in the 1940’s, surpassed probably only by Micky Mouse in name recognition. In 1950, Harlow Yaeger was a forest ranger in Prescott, Arizona and sent to help fight a forest fire near Flagstaff. He rescued a black bear cub and it was sent to the National Zoo in Washington, DC, ever since famous as ‘Smokey Bear’.

Rose Mallow or Hibiscus along the drainage,
 as beautiful as any of its many garden selections

I was visiting with Bert Arnold at our Litchfield Museum where Bert was still volunteering, though well over 90 years of age. What an example for the rest of us. Harlow Yaeger was Bert’s brother-in-law his wife, Marian was Bert’s sister! So, here is your small world, Litchfield and Smokey Bear connection. [I bet you did not know that, right?

Shoal Creek Limestone

Shoal Creek Limestone Formation', once much used in local construction

Our first histories, whether from adjacent counties or own Montgomery County were written about 150 years ago. Among the many other fascinating items, it mentioned that at ‘Rocky Branch’ [Rocky Hollow now?] was a quarry with ‘pretty good limestone’. It is apparently distinct enough to have its own name in geology: Shoal Creek Limestone formation. The foundations of the old St. Mary Catholic Church, Litchfield downtown stores and old residences came from this quarry and perhaps other nearby quarries as well. The blocky, rectangular outline of this stone is still visible in the Rocky Hollow inlet at lowest level during the winter drawdown. 

Horseshoe

Horseshoe mystery

On an early spring day, I was hiking up from the Rocky Hollow Lane to the Central Barrens. The ground was still a bit bare from the burn. What do I see? A horseshoe, very rusty, encrusted with soil, barely visible. It had been there for a long time, a very long time. No sign of an old lane, no landmark, just typical flat upland oak woodland here. Truly a mystery. This area was heavily logged prior to lake construction. Did they sled out the logs with horses? Probably not, as elsewhere I remember a lot of trees with damaged trunks, no doubt caused by careless use of motorized equipment. A prior logging event from earlier in the 20t^h century was documented from here because of a fatality. That’s when horses were definitely still in use.

Just 2 of our many aster species in the fall

A rather popular past time locally some 50 years ago was nighttime hunting of racoons with mules. Did a mule lose the shoe then? Would the size of the shoe give a clue?

We have a photo from the turn of the century, 1900, of a horse drawn carriage crossing the Shoal Creek Bridge below. ‘The Cave’ area, now what we call the Central Barrens, had long been a favorite local picnic spot. [The ‘Cave’ itself, lower down on the sandstone cliff, was inundated as Lake Lou Yaeger filled]. We have photos of ladies and gents in their Victorian finery enjoying such a picnic. Is the horseshoe from that era? The mystery remains!

SOS Project

 Julia collecting seed from one of the little species,
 Pale-blue Lobelia

The Seeds of Success [SOS] project is international in scope. Administered by Kew Gardens, of the UK. This effort aims to store as many native seeds as possible from all over the world. It is in response of the fact that we are rapidly losing our natural plant diversity throughout the world. That diversity is the underpinning of everything else, including our human existence. In the USA, the Bureau of Land Management [BLM] partners with the Millennium Seed Banking project above. Our central part of the United States partners with the Chicago Botanical Garden.

 Three-awn Grass, another one of the little species
 in utility corridor

Some five years ago I had collected seeds for SOS, but had forgotten just how much documentation work was involved. Still, for body and mind it was a stimulating project. We are part of the Southern Till-plain region and there had been few collectors. Most of the over 90 species came from our Shoal Creek Conservation Area and from the Route 66 Prairie.

 I had noticed a few abundant native species in recently cleared utility right- a-ways along city owned woodlands and collected there as well. To my great surprise, these strips were unexpectedly rich in species diversity and added greatly to the total count. Two of the species encountered, (What new species did you find?) though not collected for the project, may be county records. These are annual St. John's-wort species with rather interesting names: 'Nits and Lice" and "Orange-weed". While quite similar in many respects to our SCCA these small areas are still as different as siblings in a family.

Would it not be good if we could protect, enhance some of that diversity? Perhaps it is possible at the old Litchfield Lake by our water plant. There was a rather spectacular display of Button Blazing Star here last summer. If the adjacent woods could be opened up, cleared of invasive honeysuckle that could eventually make for an outstanding floral display from spring into fall.  It would be a great "Welcome Sign" as travlers approach our community from the east!

Route 66 Prairie

 Parking and trail under construction as viewed from overpass

Monarch on Showy Goldenrod on a breezy,
 dark fall day

Many have wondered as to what is going on here. IDOT has been in the process of installing a large parking lot and nature trail. That should be completed in coming months. It is called a ‘Pollinator Preservation Project’. Meanwhile our site activities have been and will be limited. The Natural Areas Guardians [NAGs], of which many of us are supporters, have collected large amounts of seed to eventually restore the nearly one acre of construction disturbance. We have also raised substantial funds for signage, as that was not included in the project. We want to highlight not only the long-lost prairie heritage, but also the history and meaning of settlement to the thousands that annually travel the Old Historic Route 66 Corridor. Good signage is important; not inexpensive though. We are looking for advice and input.

Here at little old Litchfield that we have two or more great projects of Illinois Natural Historyand more! Both provide many opportunities for getting out in nature! 

For volunteering opportunities contact:

 Henry Eilers at heilers@consolidated.net. 

You may send your financial support to Jim Stapleton, SCV, Inc treasurer, 

I am the Steward of the Shoal Creek Conservation Area, often referred to as the Shoal Creek Barrens, its most iconic feature.

Once most likely a barrens, now dominated by Sugar Maple
 and no ground  flora

This has been my main job for the last 30 years. I am also the Restoration Steward at the Route 66 Prairie. All well paid jobs, right? Well no, but who is complaining? It has been and still is a most rewarding journey. I digress.

Please keep supporting such work, as so many of you have done in the past - not only at the local level but also the public realm. Natural diversity is even more important than the much talked about issues like climate change. These two sites are literally just fly specks in a sea of human development. Yet such sites sequester huge amounts of Carbon dioxide, perhaps by the acre equal to or more than the even the Amazon rain forest.

Central Barrens from adjacent Waterfall Barrens lobe

Who would have known that just only a few years ago? We need significantly more projects like these, and at a far larger scale if we want to make a difference globally. Please don’t forget to make a little contribution to the cause, either by volunteering or digging into your pockets, even if they are not so deep. See addresses for that at end of blog. Thank you.

Henry Eilers often just called ‘Weeds’ and that’s ok by me.

Just one of the many showy forbs of summer
In the barrens

Thirty Year Anniversary

Thirty years ago, the Shoal Creek Conservation Area became a reality. It was set aside on January 6, 1990, by the Litchfield City Council and Mayor Dorothy Mansholt. The City and its lake department have been steadfast supporters ever since.

This once seriously overgrown woods with dense stands of invasive species, it is now a changed ecosystem with far more open appearance. It now resembles might how it would have looked to a Native American from the 17 or 18^th century! A great number of volunteers have eliminated undesirable shrubs and trees over these decades. The restoration has been aided from using prescribed burning of the area over the past thirty years. Although fire is a difficult activity, it is the one most necessary for recovery of such ancient woodland communities. It has been a force on our lands for eons and eliminating it has had unforeseen bad consequences. Undoing the ill effects of 100 – 200 years of little or no fire will take time. How much? Can we really know? The woodlands were also drastically altered by intensive livestock grazing and repeated timbering. Those eliminated most all the truly big trees, often leaving behind ‘doghair’ stands of slender pole trees.

Shooting Star, one of the early flowers

Today, with fewer but larger crowned trees, mostly oaks and hickories and a more open canopy, that has been the result of selective thinning, the various prairie grasses and forbs [flowers] that were barely hanging on in places are becoming far more common, especially in the Barrens community, creating spectacular displays in spring summer and into fall.  

Another unique forest community is the Flatwoods. Often flooded at various times of the year, it is home to many wetland species. It also contains such prairie species as the sky-blue Ohio Spiderwort early on and later in the season with many yellow composites and expanses of Purple-pink Prairie Blazing Star. The threatened Buffalo Clover, is just one of several rare species at our preserve. Not only are we talking about rare species here, but also rare natural communities as both of the above rank among the best [and unfortunately the few] of what Illinois has left.

Flat-woods with two flowered Cynthia

Take a closer look, the flatwoods in winter are now dominated
by the tan color of Giant Woodreed. The Black Oak had been girdled.
But also note lightning scar

Lake Yeager really emphasizes the seasonal aspects, creating lovely vistas throughout the year 

Mood of the seasons, winter time

Mood of the season, shoreline at lake draw-down

Mood of the seasons, muted fall colors

Plants and butterflies, rocks and critters enrich all hiking experiences. Woodland management has made remarkable differences.

A spider orb in early morning perfection

Many organizations have made all this recovery possible. Support in the beginning was strong from the Litchfield Rotary and the nature trail still carries its name. At the state and national level, The Nature Conservancy has also provided support and guidance. More recently Friends of Lake Lou Yaeger [Folly] and Litchfield High School Environmental Studies classes with their Earth Day celebration have stepped up to the plate. Above all, it has always been the individual who have made the significant differences visible today. The list of those volunteers is long and worthy of more than a few blogs.

An unusual color form of Scullcap
the only one I have ever encountered

Several prominent Ecologists have written accounts of their research, conducted in our Shoal Creek Conservation area, in several different scientific journals. An account also appeared in the Journal of the International Oak Society. At the 25^th anniversary meeting of this group, a contingent of members from many countries toured the site aided by FOLLY. ‘Got to love that name’, the editor remarked in his account of the visit! Many other groups have visited and more recently SIU-E has conducted orchid research here.

.

Bee-balm and Swallowtail

Ashy Sunflower, a showy denizen of flat woods and old-fields

Contact information

heilers@consolidated.net

Henry Eilers
1302 Union Ave.
Litchfield, IL 62056

If making a contribution to support the work that is being done make the check to
Shoal Creek Volunteers, Inc

SCV, INC. BLOG, 12 – 2018

Winter in the Conservation Area.

As a site steward I try to get out to the Shoal Creek Conservation Area as often as I can. Then again, I likely would do that even without that responsibility.

In looking at my journal entries I see that even in January I was out there seven times. During the worst of the month’s winter weather, and there was a lot of it, I had to make do with reading books. One was ‘Saving Tarboo Creek’ by S. Freeman. It is about a restoration project in the Pacific Northwest. It is also a validation of what our volunteers are attempting to achieve here on the shores of Lake Yaeger. This is reflected in one of the book’s statements: “When we preserve a local slice of nature, we are doing our part in saving the planet”. One can also draw inspiration from PBS programs, such as ‘Nature’ and ‘Nova’ and I always look forward to one of my favorite magazines, “Natural History”. It is always amazing to see the extraordinary length some people go to, to bring us these stories. An article in the December 2018 issue really caught my attention as it parallels observations and puzzles about tree recruitment at our conservation area. Perhaps more about that later!

Well, maybe the above are just excuses. I ought to use at least some of that time to work on the blog that I keep promising the editor, yes time and time again. Is it procrastination or is it really that difficult? Why do I prefer to plod through mud and snow, slip and slide over hidden ice? Even pulling honeysuckle or treating them seems like more fun. More fun, really? Forgotten are the stiff toes and fingers, the constantly dripping ‘what-ever’, the thorns and brambles in your face. As I begin writing this it very much looks like winter, though the calendar says that it is still fall. So, perhaps this will still be of interest, though almost a year later now.

With a much-increased lake drawdown, a shore line walk reveals much that was hidden or difficult to access before. On the first outing there was a now exposed curious rock. A closer look revealed a large fossil bark imprint, unlike anything we find today. It was a very different forest then during the Carboniferous age. We still have Horse-tail today, 2 species at our preserve, both less than 3’. Back then this one, a Calamites, grew to 90’. Fern fossils and faint bark imprints have been more common on the shore line in the past and we have many examples of them. They may have been understory trees. All of that formed the coal that has powered our modern industrial age and now much maligned for its contribution to climate change. Talk about connections.

#1, #2

1. Calamites fossil imprint

2.Old deer head  in the Waterfall Ravine

On another outing I encountered remnants of a deer skeleton, especially the head. The antlers had been chewed on by rodents, probably species of mice and voles. They are secretive and mostly nocturnal and seldom seen. That they occur in rather great numbers can be seen after burns when their dense network of runs and tunnels is everywhere. On this hike I did encounter a rodent, though a very large one! From a high point of the Waterfall Barrens I was scanning a beaver lodge across the inlet, at the base of the Central Barrens lobe, that had recently been extended downhill as a result of the lake drawdown. There was suddenly a slight turbulence and out popped the head of a Beaver, ever so briefly. They have been called by some our best volunteers as they chomp down trees on the adjacent ridges. It is only the second time that I was privileged to see one.

#3

3.The Beaver just submerged

A large stump, oak most likely, previously submerged, measured 4’ across, though much eroded after over 50 years under water. Many other such forest remnants line the current shore line or protruded from adjacent ice. With exposed root systems some looked like abstract sculptures. Such large trees are uncommon today. The uplands were also heavily timbered at time of lake construction, but for the most part the trees there may never have grown as large as the bottomland trees.

#4

4. Stump at drawdown. After over 50 years still 4' across

After a light thaw I walked the inlet below the steepest part of the Rocky Hollow Bluff. For the first time it was just an exposed mudflat below, due to lower drawdown level.  I took images of inscriptions on the rock faces, all from the 1800’s, much weathered even in the last few decades. The tooth of time does not even spare hard rock. In a recess was a well-hidden old nest, likely of a swallow. The squishy 6” mud layer here and a bit of water film may have been due to water welling up from the sands below the ravine run which still carried water.

5. One of many inscriptions

6. Interface between sandstone and limestone

7. Limestone slab

Along the lowest waterline it was very soft in places from soft oozy bluish layers of clay. Later, near the W line inlet, I encountered sizable stone ledges of the same strange color that turned out to be disintegrating and may be an earlier stage for the clay layers seen elsewhere. Such clean clay may have been mined by native Americans for making pottery. The first Montgomery Co. map shows that there was a clay pit in the now submerged valley. What was the clay used for?

On the way back, the mist turned to rain and in the distance low, dense fog drifts moved quickly across the thick lake ice. New drifts welled up and came ever closer and finally blew into the inlet only to magically dissolve. Perhaps it was an interaction between warmer air and rain and the ice. It certainly was ephemeral and a phenomenon not witnessed before. Another outing that was anything but boring.     

On numerous outings during suitable winter weather I engaged in control of invasive woody species, cutting out and treating some 2,000 Amur Honeysuckle, including a few Multiflora Rose and Autumn Olive. The latter two are thin barked and full kill is achieved. Well, maybe ‘kill’ is a poor choice of word. Harvesting comes to mind. But that does not quite fit either. I guess I was thinking of deer, since it currently their harvesting/hunting season. Way too many deer though – poor harvesting. All the damage that deer do to our choicest flora. Here I go off on a tangent again. So back to the story.

Only a few of the very largest Honeysuckle survived. They develop a rather unique bark that prevents adequate penetration by herbicides. Much of the preserve is relatively free of these serious invaders by now, but elsewhere they exist by the ten thousand, mostly near preserve property lines. With a steady seed rain spread by birds it will take constant vigilance. Control is also much enhanced by regular burns that kill small seedlings and the tops of larger plants, thereby eliminating fruit production. Control is the best we can do. We will never eliminate them.

Prescribed Burns and More, by Andy Furman

In December of 2017, we were able to accomplish burns in the southern area of the preserve. The Shoal Creek bottom area proved very challenging to sustain a good burn. The Blue Bird trail area up to Chandler’s corner burned somewhat better, however also had some pockets that did not carry the flame. Special thanks to Lowell Chandler and Glen Bishop who participated and included some of their acreage in the burn, thus making the fire break preparation a bit easier.

In March of 2018 we were able to complete burns in the remainder of the conservation area with somewhat better results. The North Barrens complex burned fairly well while the Central Barrens required some follow up ignition, which improved the burn field. However, there were still some pockets that failed to ignite. Special thanks to John Buscher who participated and included his ten acres in the burn, thus making the fire break preparation a bit easier.  Also, thanks to the Litchfield Fire Department on their support during the burns.

#8

8. Fast and furious movement of fire

Travels and Learning with Henry [learning together!]. 

In February we traveled to Giant City Lodge in Makanda, IL for the 2018 Illinois Prescribed Fire Council Winter Symposium.  The two-day event was filled with presentations on topics associated with prescribed burns.  Henry “Weeds” Eilers was known by a large number of those in attendance.  Henry and I were some of the few in attendance that were not either State employed or University based. 

Both IDNR staff as well as Missouri Conservationists were on hand, as well as SIU School of Forestry and University of Missouri experts. 

Unfortunately, due to an ice storm overnight, the next day’s activities that were to be field tours were cancelled.

In April we once again visited Southern Illinois for “Let the Sunshine In –Tour and Conversations”.  This event was held in multiple locations across Southern Illinois. We stayed at the River View Mansion in Golconda IL, a hotel that has been in existence since 1894.  I had an opportunity to visit this

Hotel while in college at Carbondale.  Carol Sue Brown, who had been an English Teacher at Litchfield purchased the Hotel in 1978 and several of her old students that were at SIU visited her as she renovated the old classic.

The Let the Sunshine in event kicked off with a cookout at Lake Glendale on Wednesday.  Thursday, we met at Trail of Tears State Forest for several presentations and then a tour of three sections of forest that had been burned and thinned using three different approaches.  This extremely large forest area in Southern Illinois has led to the use of helicopters for aerial ignition. 

We then ventured to La Rue Pine Hills – which includes the only road in America that is closed for snake and amphibian migration.  We did get to see several snakes and amphibians.  The next day we started off at Dixon Springs with a pancake and sausage breakfast and several presentations on efforts to get local landowners involved with prescribed burning. The group then traveled to Shawnee National Forest – Simpson Barrens Natural Area. The area had many similarities to our local Barrens area and of course some of its own unique features.

In May we travelled to Springfield to the Illinois Native Plant Society meeting to learn from Guy Sternberg. Guy gave a presentation on how to use a Pressler increment borer to determine the age of a tree without destroying it. He had led a team to determine the age and history of the trees at the Governor’s Mansion. We think that we have some presettlement oak trees in the Wet-side Park und would like to confirm that with such a tool.

Earth Day

As in the past, Henry led the local High School students on April-20 on the annual Honeysuckle, Multiflora Rose and Olive Autumn pull in the southern portion of the Conversation area. Susan Shelton has brought out nearly 100 students annually for close to 10 years. That really shows as a now flower rich spring woodland as witnessed by Mark McDonald, producer of the Decatur PBS, ‘Illinois Stories’ series. To view the thirty-minute video go the following web site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ9CiJ9uFIM

SCV Newsletter Fall/Winter 2016/17

SCV Newsletter/blog,11-28-2016

Coral Mushroom, (Ramaria aurea), seen along the trail

President's Message:

I has been some time that we have communicated with our membership. The fault is entirely mine. I won't bother you with my excuses. To our great surprise we are still getting the occasional contribution and we are grateful for that. Much of what you will read below is copied or adapted from other material.

Your Shoal Creek Volunteers President by Default Henry Eilers

I have the privilege of writing the occasional column for our Central Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society. Many of these are based on local experiences and so is this first item.

Jelly Babies Mushroom, (Leotia lubrica)

Plant Profiles; Connections: Savanna Blazing-star and Book Report

            In the natural world everything is connected to everything else. I was reminded of  this often cited statement and its variations again as a news release arrived. It announced the description of a fungus species new to science. It has the specific epithet 'shoalensis' for it was discovered at the Shoal Creek Conservation area. [See full article elsewhere].

            That brought back a flood of memories. It was in the mid 1970's, if my recollection is right, that I had come across a Blazing-star species that was very different and distinctive and new to me on  a steep slope near the recently constructed new city reservoir, Lake Yaeger. Some of the plants were nearly 6' tall while in full flower with the uppermost heads nearly the size of some thistles. Pretty impressive. With meager taxonomic resources available to me at that time I turned to the state botanist John Schwegman for assistance. After some research it was determined to be Liatris ligulistylis, a species considered quite rare. That later became L. scariosa nieuwlandii and of course still just as rare. It is insightful to read the extensive species treatment in the new 'Steyermark's Flora of Missouri'. It makes one realize the complexity that goes into species concepts across their often wide range.  Years later, as I reviewed Liatris aspera herbarium sheets at the Illinois State Museum I came across numerous specimens that had been mislabeled for they were clearly the former. Some of us have been fortunate to see this always impressive plant several times on recent field trips at the Horn Prairie Grove Nature Preserve in adjacent Fayette County. It remains uncommon both in Missouri and Illinois as its savanna habitat continues to shrink.            

            And that brings me now to the main subject for these PP notes, a book just recently published by the SIU Press, by John E. Schwegman; The Natural Heritage of Illinois. Essays on its Lands, Water, Flora and Fauna. 2016.

Savanna Blazing-star [Liatris scariosa].

             Most of  the essays were news releases from the early 1990's, a few of which I vaguely remember from our local news papers; 2 of these pertained to the Shoal Creek Conservation Area. I had known John long before that [See also above]. At his urging we made a pitch to our city council for  protection as a state natural area. Neither the mayor nor the council were in favor at the time as there had been maps and proposals for that lakeside area that involved major recreational and resort developments. Full protection was offered in 1989, but under city control. I think it involved 3 attempts. It had been a 'local control' issue all along. In retrospect that has turned out to be a real blessing as results on the ground go. Our volunteer organization, the Shoal Creek Volunteers,  Inc. has had unstinting support as we implemented burn management, invasives control and canopy reduction in restoring barrens and flat-woods communities.

            Speaking again about connections, without John there would not have been a Shoal Creek Conservation Area and most likely not the discovery of the new fungus species mentioned above.

            Back to the book. It is not only by far the best publication on this subject that is available here in Illinois. John had been the state's botanist until his retirement and as such added greatly to the knowledge of our state's natural communities.  For 'just' being press releases he communicated the wonders of our natural world in remarkably fine prose and well crafted detail. Where else can one read about observing mussels gone fishing or talking [communicating] with wolf spiders? Such a book deserves wide distribution in our state, which is often considered a bit challenged on the subject of nature appreciation and protection. It should be in every school and public library. This year we are celebrating the 100 year anniversary of our National Parks. What a great time to remind ourselves that even in this land of corn and beans we have a lot of natural diversity and our lives can still be enriched by wondrous new discoveries.

             As an aside, I had borrowed the book, twice, from our always very accommodating Carnegie Library. To my considerable surprise a copy arrived in the mail. I eventually found out that it was a gift from one of our board members. How gratifying. I believe this book is available in Springfield book stores and of course from on-line purveyors. You will enjoy it even without the local connection.

Last month's column also had a local connection. I will retain the heading but shorten it. The full text can be found on the website of the Illinois Native Plant Society.

Plant Profiles; Monarda bradburiana and Plant Preservation

Monarda bradburiana; May

            Our esteemed INPS editor, Alana, recently forwarded a request, seeking seed for Monarda bradburiana. Eastern Bee-balm is not exactly an evocative common name and we will therefore stick with the botanical one. Of course, as we all know too well that does not always work as smoothly as we might like either.

Monarda bradb; May bloom

 You will on occasion see it listed as M. russelliana. Not too bad really as the 'names confusion' is often far more extensive.

            Jeff  Carstens, from the USDA-ARS Plant Introduction Station at Ames, Iowa was looking for its seed for their seed germplasm banking program. You can find out more at: http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/index.html. It was an easy request to fill as even at the late date a lot of seed remained on the plants. This Bee-balm is still abundant in the barrens and open woodland communities at the Shoal Creek Conservation Area. Its numbers

Monarda bradburiana fall color

are currently in decline and will continue so over the years unless we can get back on schedule  with regular prescribed burns. It is just one of a whole suite of southern till-plain woodland flowers that responds spectacularly to a fire regime that they evolved with over many millenia.  A nice plant will form a compact mound, less than 2' tall. The delicate pink flowers, covered with purple dots are abundant in late spring. Under favorable conditions the glossy foliage assumes pleasing fall colors. The species no doubt occurs in every county in southern Illinois were the woods remain open and free of invasive species.

            Ken Schaal and I participated in 2013 in a similar program by the Chicago Botanic Garden. It is affiliated with the BLM's SOS [Seeds of Success] seed banking program and Kew Garden's Millennium Seed Banking Programme. We collected well over 100 species. In addition to a 2 page data sheet it also involved a series of photographs and herbarium sheets.  As I recall it was quite a  challenging project. You can find out more at this website: http://www.sciencecollections.org/content/dixon-national-tallgrass-prairie-seed-bank.We have used the stipends in managing the Route 66 Prairie north of town.

            Both Chicago Botanic Garden and down our way Missouri Botanic Garden are involved with another critical preservation program, the Center for Plant Conservation. In addition to the ex situ programs above this one involves in situ work and species restoration. The emphasis is on highly endangered species. For over 20 years we have been able to provide a home for the very rare Heart-leaf Plantain  from this program in one of our valleys. Plantains tend to be major weeds, but certainly not this one. At over 2 feet across it would be a heck of a weed! Even at that impressive size it is an unassuming plant, though not to deer and perhaps other herbivores. We monitor it every year.

            That brings us full circle as in the end all preservation is local. This may have been a bit of a boring presentation. Never mind as long as it encourages you the dear reader, to do YOUR PART to preserve our natural heritage in your neck of the woods.

            Of course that admonition in that last paragraph goes for all of us as well. Above all, we urgently need to spread that message to a younger generation.

40 Oaks Project

Blackjack oak in flat-woods ,
60-70 ft. exceptionally tall

40 Oaks project Blackjack Oak

            The University of Illinois Plant Clinic is celebrating 40 years of service. Earlier this year they

had sent out sent out invitations for proposals featuring some special oak tree and recording observations about it during this calendar year. They also suggested community participation. We submitted a Blackjack Oak at the Shoal Creek Nature Preserve and were accepted. Two high school students, Garrett Werner and Julia Brandtner assisted in the monthly observations. We look forward to the final report and will share the results with our readers.

Henry and his group from the All class  Reunion

Litchfield High school All-Class Reunion

            A small but inquisitive group toured the nature trail and it was well reported by our newspapers. One pair of sharp eyes spotted a mushroom that I had not seen before. Turns out, Coral Mushroom, (Ramiria aurea) is not that rare. It even occurs in Europe and listed in my German reference book as edible. Nature is infinitely varied and fascinating. You can learn something new all the time. Shown with Henry from left to right are Beth Christ, Terre Haute, IN; Edie Phillips, Cody, WY; Jane Hanafin, Memphis, TN; Candi Brown, Litchfield, IL; Sherry Boehme, New Bern, NC. 

SCCA Sign and Flower Bed

            Several board members worked on reducing the size of the sign planting and re-mulching it. Its maintenance will need to continue and we are looking for some more volunteers. Much of the lettering of the top board of the sign had flaked off and was in need of repainting. It was taken down and Bill Borklund repainted it. It really stands out now!

There is a new fungus among us!

Mushroom details show X. shoalensis

            I have copied the item below from an e-mail that I received. Dr. Andrew N. Miller is Mycologist and Director of the Herbarium at the Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois. See his brief bio below. We bask in the glow of his considerable fame.     What little we still know of the natural world around us. This is so much more exciting than the 'virtual reality' of our technology that increasingly surrounds and envelops us.

New Species to Science Discovered at Shoal Creek Conservation Area  (Yes, it’s a fungus!)

            A new species to science discovered at the Shoal Creek Conservation Area (SCCA) was recently published in the international journal of fungal systematics, Sydowia.  The fungus, Xylomelasma shoalensis A.N. Mill., Y. Marín & Stchigel (Figure 1), was named after the place where it was collected and is the only known record of this species.

Xylomelasma is a genus of decomposers introduced in 2006 to accommodate two new taxa isolated from rotten wood, X. novae-zelandiae and X. sordida.  Recently, another new species isolated from the same type of substrate, X. moderata, has been described.  Xylomelasma shoalensis can easily be distinguished from the other species in the genus by the shape and size of its spores.

            Andrew Miller started his mycological career by conducting a mushroom inventory of the Shoal Creek Conservation Area in the summer of 1992.  He served as Treasurer for the Shoal Creek Volunteers during the organization’s first three years.  After completing his Ph.D. at The Field Museum in December 2003 on the systematics of very tiny black fungi on wood (pyrenomycetes), he wanted his first official herbarium specimens to be special so he headed to SCCA in April 2004 to collect whatever he could find (three specimens with collection numbers ANM 1, ANM 2 and ANM 3).  These were tentatively identified, preserved and accessioned into the Illinois Natural History Survey herbarium where they remained unexamined for 10 years until a visiting doctoral student from Spain was given them to study.  Yasmina Marín examined ANM 1 and determined that it was a new species so it was described, illustrated and submitted for publication.  The full citation for this publication is: 

Hernández-Restrepo, et al.  2016.  Fungal Systematics and Evolution: FUSE 2.  Sydowia 68: 193–230.  DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia68-2016-0193 (http://www.sydowia.at/syd68/T22-Hernandez.htm)

Ginseng Study

American Ginseng

Pounding leaf DNA into the test strip

            A few months ago two people from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources contacted us looking for information on possible wild Ginseng growing in Montgomery county.  We knew of at least two locations where Ginseng had been seen. One was located near the end of Westlake Trail and while Henry showed them the spots, Bill Borklund took pictures. We found about a dozen small Ginseng plants, some with red berries still on them. One of the researchers took leaves and ground them to a pulp in a mortar and pestle. The ground up leaf was them transferred to a sterile paper tab which

was indexed for later DNA testing. Someday we hope to know the origin of Montgomery counties wild Ginseng.

SCCA Steward Report

            We continue to monitor, record and photograph as needed. We received additional herbicide from the Nature Conservancy and the Volunteer Stewardship Network. It will come in handy in the control of invasives. Honeysuckle and other woody invasive species are showing up in large numbers. We may always have to deal with that. Fire management would really help. We met

with our fire chief and as in the past can count on the support of our fire department. A lot of planning is required, beginning with firebreak work, smoke management and so much more. Foremost are always safety concerns. So far, as in past years, the weather conditions have not been conducive to burns. We will try and be proactive on short notice. Please
volunteer to man the fire lines, as so many of you have done in the past.

           

At the Route 66 Prairie we contracted for a spring burn and separately for the continued control of Teasel. With the great growing season there was also spectacular flowering. We are hopeful that we can some day have the necessary infrastructure of parking, paths and signage to make it accessible to the general public. We had one of our great supporters mow a loop through part of it this summer, but it was still

difficult walking. I was asked to take part in a survey of
'Singing Insects'. In a rather short period we came up with over 10 species of grasshoppers and katydids. There are also crickets out there and even the rare Prairie Cicada; all of these being musical insects! We had quite an abundance of a few butterfly species late in the season. I saw a fair amount of Monarchs and took quite a few photos. On closer examination most of these turned out to Viceroys, a Monarch mimic.

 This tiny 10 acre patch may well be one of the best remaining examples of a Southern Illinois Till-plain prairie and as such needs to be put on the map, as they say. We have all sorts of ideas, but have to deal with funding and ownership issues. Your help or suggestions are truly appreciated. 

The Board of Directors of Shoalcreekvolunteers wishes you a very happy new year. If you are a  Sustaining Member please remember that we need your money but not that much of it. Please make an annual contribution of $10 by sending your check to our trasurer, Jim Stapleton at 364 Westlake Trail, Litchfield, IL 62056.

All photos without attribution were taken at the Rt. 66 Prairie.