TLIA Eco2Day was a fantastic success, more than sixty people turned out on June 11. Bigger than its premiere last year in 2015, this year’s event on Rest Island featured eco learning opportunities and fun for the whole family.
Eco2Day Speakers were great, and Workshop Leaders terrific! Barrington Area Conservation Trust (BACT), Native Seed Gardeners (NSG), Citizens for Conservation (CFC), PrairieLand Disposal and Recycling Services , TLIA Lake Committee and TL Tree Commission set up inspired displays, tents, and posters. Workshops for kids and tots sponsored by NSG and the CFC were also a delight, bringing ecojoy to everyone – and an armload of freebies intended to promote continuing educational opportunities at home.
All the hours of participation will count as “Eco dollars” in watershed community grant development projects as matching “in kind” contributions. “In terms of matching grant potential,” Andy Hay pointed out, “on-the-day-value of the event was $3,200”. In addition, time spent prepping Eco2Day also translates into future Eco funding. The event provided a practical economic model for strategies designed to embrace cooperative Eco updates, education and community action.
Founders of the annual TLIA ECO DAY, Fran and Rick Steffen worked hard to provide catalytic leadership in all things great and small, from tent and table set ups to V.I.P. Guest Lists.
CFC Youth Education Program supports Eco2Day!
Gail Vanderpoel, CFC Youth Education Workshop Leader
At Tower Lakes, we taught children how to plant Prairie Dropseed, Nodding Onion, and Baby Burr oaks – all historic native plants that provide food and forage in a healthy natural habitat. Children earned official Native Plant Adoption Certificates, sponsored by Citizens for Conservation, Native Seed Gardeners and the TLIA Lake Committee. When the plants have grown bigger, they’ll need their parents’ help in deciding where they should be planted – at home in their own yard! in the Village! or in a TLIA community park!
Children were thrilled to discover more about animal tracks, and how to use molds tin making clay replicas. Seeing the joy in their faces as they identified footprints of our warm and cold blooded friends was heart warming. They love the deer, fox, coyote, rabbits, frogs, snakes and other critters with whom we share our beautiful lake. We encouraged all of them to participate in special classes and programs fostered by BACT, CFC and the Native Seed Gardeners directed for Junior Naturalists at home and in the field.
We used nets to explore the shoreline and discover baby crayfish, while doing lots of talk about fish, fishing and what else they find in their lake, for better or worse. Clearly, the lake is a shared resource, a jewel in the crown of community pride – one worth preserving for future generations.
For more information on CFC Children and Youth Education (free to the public), go to: http://citizensforconservation.org/youth-education/
Citizens for Conservation is dedicated to conservation , offering community leadership in programs that nurture and restore native habitats. With a 45 year history of effective non-profit work in the Barrington area, CFC has 3 main aims as a restoration and conservation group,
- Education
- CFC has provided opportunities for over 10,000 children to learn about and observe Nature in our wildlife habitat preserves. But Youth Education is only one of the many facets of an even broader range of Community Programs – including hikes, classes and special events open to adults and future junior naturalists of any age. For more information, opportunities, news, publications and a calendar of events, go to citizensforconservation.org
- Restoration
- CFC promotes Habitat Corridors, Native Seed Gardeners, and Ecosystem Monitoring to promote success in restoring and sustaining native habitats. CFC actively manages over 500 acres in the Barrington area. Come help us make a difference! Workdays: Thurs. and Sat. 9-11 a.m. (Meet at CFC Headquarters: 459 W. Hwy. 22, Barrington, IL 60010 – located directly across from Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.) (847) 382-7283
- Land Acquisition
- CFC has saved over 3,500 acres in the Barrington area. Our 45 year history in preserving lands and native habitats for future generations is hoped to inspire a legacy of common cause in healthy stewardship of nature’s gifts.
- Properties we have helped save include: Grassy Lakes, Cuba Marsh, and the Fox River Preserve, important landmarks within our shared watershed community.
- Altho many don’t know it, CFC owns part of Tower Lakes Fen! and helped save Barclay Woods! Cooperative endeavor is key to providing stewardship on behalf of eco-friendly civic groups and individuals.
The CFC Youth Education Program was happy to participate in TLIA Eco2Day – together with key representatives from BACT, Native Seed Gardeners, Prairieland, TL Tree Commission and TLIA Lake Committee. We are kindred spirits! and appreciate joint efforts in making your area an even better place to be. We welcome invitations to join in future projects!
Katherine Grover, CFC Rep Workshop Leader for Native Seed Gardener