For Immediate Release: April 18, 2007

Calling all stream enthusiasts! “Meet the Macros” Workshop for stream monitors, teachers, fishermen & anyone curious about what’s living in their local stream.

McHenry County Conservation District and Friends of the Fox River’s Monitoring Network are co-sponsoring a free introduction to benthic (stream bottom) macroinvertebrates workshop on Saturday, April 28 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Glacial Park, Conference Center (The Lodge), in Ringwood.

This workshop is a whole lot of getting up close to benthic macroinvertebrates. Learn how these small stream critters tell the big story about what’s going on in our local streams. The workshop will begin indoors with a detailed macroinvertebrate slideshow presented by McHenry County Conservation District Restoration Ecologist John Aavang. John will share interesting facts about stream critter adaptations and help participants sharpen their identification skills. We’ll then spend time in a local stream collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates. Lots of resources and identification practice will be packed into this afternoon workshop for adults.

Participants are asked to bring waterproof boots.

To register and more info: Contact Mary Kozub, McHenry County Conservation District at 815-479-5779 or mkozub@mccdistrict.org.

For more information about this press release, please contact:

• Jennifer Howard
• 630-892-5249
• jhoward@friendsofthefoxriver.org