Volunteer Opportunities Tom Talks! Once you've signed up, a Zoom meeting invitation will be emailed with instructions on how to join the webinar 1-2 days before. Free and Open to the public. View the complete Tom Talks Series on our YouTube channel: DISCOVERMCCD/TOMTALKS. A History of Climate and What Nature’s Engineers: Tiny Tom Talks - 15 min Ages 16+ to Expect Ages 16+ The Ecology of Beaver Ages 16+ 2:30 p.m. Fee: Free Code: 8917 Friday, December 15 - Webinar Wednesday, January 17 - Webinar Research Ecologist Tom Simpson will give 10 a.m. – Noon Fee: Free Code: 8915 10 a.m. – Noon Fee: Free Code: 8916 you his perspectives on various topics. Climate is in the news. Every day we Beaver didn’t simply live in the water, they February 1 - The 0.01%-Remnant Prairies hear about another climate-related made the water. They made the pond, February 8 - What's in a Weed? What to event—a wild 昀椀re, a 昀氀ood, a drought. Yet, the marsh, the meadow. They made the do if phragmites is here to stay? how could anyone be sure it’s climate places where hundreds of species and change? In this webinar, we will give you millions of creatures lived. And then one February 15 - Bugs, Birds, & Bison in some background concerning climate day they were gone—gone by the time Conservation Farming in general, how it has changed in earth European-Americans settled the area in February 22 - Blades of Glory: Tips to history, why it changes, why ice ages the early 1800s. This is the tale of their identify plants that look like grass, but happened in the past (and will happen former abundance and in昀氀uence, their aren't! again!), how we can be pretty sure of disappearance, and the promise of their February 29 - Oak Reproduction in a certain things but not absolutely sure, recovery. Nutshell and how a few billion puny little human March 7 - Hitchhikers & Ballistics: How do beings could actually change a planet’s seeds move? climate. Phenology Orientation Ages 18+ Chicago Wilderness Thursday, February 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Prescribed Burn Crew Training Ages 18+ Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park, Ringwood Feb 23 & 24, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Fee: Free Code: 8905 Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park, Ringwood Fee: $75 Code: 8509 If you like to watch our natural areas come alive in the spring Each fall and spring, volunteers join prescribed burn crews led and summer, consider joining our phenology program. by District sta昀昀. Though prescribed burning only happens a few Volunteers visit the site of their choice every other week to days per season, it remains one of the most e昀昀ective tools for record which plants are blooming May through September. restoration, and volunteer involvement allows us to cover larger This data is used for an on-going research study. A moderate areas. knowledge of plant ID is necessary, but more important is an Burn crew volunteers are required to complete the Chicago enthusiasm for being in the 昀椀eld on a regular basis and the Wilderness Alliance (CWA) Prescribed Burn Crew Member Training willingness to learn. The phenology program is in its ninth year Course. Registered McHenry County Conservation District and more than 30 volunteers have been part of the fun! volunteers receive a discount. Contact [email protected]. s o m Volunteer at a a R n i h Festival of the Sugar Maples! a n Z h o J Volunteer Training Workshop Saturday, March 2, 9 a.m. – Noon Volunteer Positions Needed for: Saturday, Sunday and Monday March 9, 10 & 11 and March 16 & 17 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No experience necessary. During this workshop, event volunteers learn the history and techniques of maple sugaring and tree-tapping. An introductory tour of the Coral Woods trail follows with an explanation of the di昀昀erent stations. Volunteers then choose their preferred dates and station assignments. Contact the Volunteer Coordinator (815) 338-6223 or email [email protected]. 7