McHenry County Conservation District Certificate Programs for Spring 2012
NEW!
reduced workshop cost!
People and Nature Program Spring 2012
for Home Owners, Natural Areas Stewards, and Nature Interpreters
Natural areas are under constant threat from exotic weeds, pollution, and development. Learning about the problems, talking to others about them, and making our home and business landscapes more nature friendly is the best way to protect and enjoy nature. Be part of the solution!
McHenry County Conservation District and McHenry County College welcome you to a new and expanded program of workshops designed for people who enjoy living in, working with, and talking about nature. The homeowner can pursue a certificate in Landscaping with Nature, and will find workshops on recognizing native plants, observing how they are used in the home landscape, and learning how to put together a design for their garden. Natural areas stewards can pursue a certificate in Ecological Restoration and take workshops on prescribed burning, controlling weeds, the ecology of Illinois Landscapes, and the nature interpreter can pursue a certificate in Nature Interpretation will enjoy workshops on basic techniques of interpretation, developing a historical character for first-person interpretation, and much more! If you don’t have time to earn a certificate, just choose the workshops of most interest to you.
There are a total of six required workshops and two electives in the Landscaping with Nature track (L), ten are required for a certificate in Ecological Restoration track (R), and six required and two electives for the Nature Interpretation track (I). Electives are marked with an “E”. To learn more about the People and Nature Program, please contact Tom Simpson at
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or 815-678-4532 x 8218.
To register for workshops, see the McHenry County College Schedule of Classes and call (815/455-8588) or visit the MCC website at (http://www.mchenry.edu/coneducation/).
SPRING
Forensic Ecology (R)
Instructor: Ed Collins (Natural Resources Manager, MCCD)
Meeting Date and Time: Saturday, March 10, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park
Cost: $40
This intensive wide ranging seminar is designed to enable homeowners, agency staff, land managers and others interested in discovering a site’s past and use history. The morning program will introduce students to many of the varied resources available for discovering lands hidden past. Resources covered will include: the public land survey notes, early plat books and maps, diaries, journals and early publications, sequential aerial photography, soils, census records, county history books & directories, newspapers, farm drainage information, cemetery records, post cards, and probate and tax records. Students to use these resources in a series of practical exercises that utilize McHenry County sites to track land use changes from 1837 to the present. Special emphasis will be placed on newly emerging methods and databases now available in a digital format for these types of records.
Prescribed Fire in Ecological Restoration (R)
Instructor: Jeff Murray (Restoration Ecologist, MCCD) and Ben Haberthur (Restoration Ecologist, Forest Preserve District of Kane County)
Meeting Date and Time: Saturday, April 7, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park
Cost: $40
Prescribed burning refers to the use of fire as a management tool, in which managers control the timing and extent of fires to have the maximum ecological benefit at a minimum cost, and to do so while ensuring the safety of the fire crew and the public. Because most native ecosystems of the Midwest formed under the influence of recurrent fires, prescribed burning is the single most important management tool that MCCD uses in ecological restoration. This workshop will provide Chicago Wilderness crew member burn training certification. We will spend part of the
day outdoors, so come prepared for the weather. Please bring a lunch and something to drink.
Developing a Historical Character (I)
Instructor: Kim Compton (Education Program Coordinator, MCCD)
Meeting Date and Time: Saturday, April 14, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park
Cost: $40
Portraying a historical character is a very powerful way to teach about any topic. Aldo Leopold reading his own words, Albert Einstein discussing his work, Harriet Tubman describing her struggles—these presentations allow an audience to experience a moment in time, rather than just read about it. First person narration can be a challenging yet rewarding experience for the presenter and their listeners. In this class we will explore some examples of first person interpretation and learn how to begin developing our own characters. Please bring a lunch and something to drink.
Illinois Landscapes (R, L, I)
Instructor: Tom Simpson (Research Field Station Ecologist, MCCD)
Meeting Date and Time: Saturday, April 21, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park
Cost: $40
What sort of world did the native plants and animals of McHenry County come from? Terms like “prairie” and “oak savanna” are often used, but what did these places actually look like, how did they function, and it what ways are they different from the woodlands and grasslands we commonly see today? If we wish to restore natural land, interpret its ecology, or use native plants around our homes and businesses, we need to find answers to these questions. This workshop will take a look at the strange and beautiful world that existed before European-American settlement and find its relevance today. We will spend much of the day outdoors, so come prepared for the weather. Please bring a lunch and something to drink.
Plants of Forests and Woodlands (E)
Instructor: Greg Rajsky (Director of Small Waters Education)
Meeting Date and Time: Saturday, May 5, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Coral Wood Conservation Area
Cost: $40
Woodlands and forests were less common than prairies and oak savannas in McHenry County prior to European contact, but they were rich in plant species that occurred nowhere else. Learning to identify these plants will help you restore these ecosystems and appreciate their beauty and diversity. This workshop will introduce you to many of the species of forests and woodlands. We will spend much of the day outdoors, so come prepared for the weather. Please bring a lunch and something to drink.
Wildlife Neighbors (E)
Instructor: Sara Denham (Wildlife Resource Center Manager, MCCD), Beth (Wildlife Resource Center Specialist, MCCD)
Meeting Date and Time: Saturday, May 19, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park
Cost: $40
As the amount of developed land increases, interactions between people and wildlife increase as well. While many people welcome the sight of a songbird or butterfly in their yard, few people enjoy a raccoon in their attic or a skunk living under the deck. This workshop will introduce the participant to many of the animal species found in neighborhoods. We will also discuss the good and bad of having wildlife neighbors, and learn what to do to prevent conflicts. This is a classroom-based workshop, but we will spend some time outdoors so come prepared for the weather. Please bring a lunch and something to drink.