May 2007 Newsletter

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Last month’s successful passage of five open space referenda in the Fox River watershed gives us 10,000 reasons to celebrate — one reason per acre of additional land that will be preserved in McHenry, Kane and Kendall Counties! Let’s keep up the momentum. Stay informed, get involved and be active in conservation efforts in your Fox River watershed. Here’s how:

  • Volunteer to help clean up the Fox River and its tributaries on May 19. Sign up for a Fox River Rescue event near you.
  • Spread the word about Illinois EPA’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collections Program. Tell your neighbors, friends, and city officials about the program. Help keep toxic waste out of our waterways.
  • Bring Mom to the river on Mother’s Day. Join FOFR’s Monitoring Network at its Eighth Annual ‘Monitor With Your Mother’ event in Carpentersville.
  • May 4 (Fri.) – Fox River Watershed Monitoring Network Student Conference (for middle & high school teachers & their students). – This one-day conference will feature a fish census (electroshocking) demonstration and hands-on water quality monitoring and GPS tracking/GIS mapping activities. Time: 8:00AM-1:00PM; Location: LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, St. Charles; Fee: $20/school. For more info and to sign up, call Gary Swick at 847-426-1322 or gary.swick@d300.org .
  • May 9 (Wed.) – Stream Monitoring Training – Learn how to monitor the water quality of the Fox River or one of its tributaries. Join Friends of the Fox River’s Monitoring Network and help Friends of the Fox River keep a watchful eye on water quality within our watershed. Time: 4:00-7:00PM; Location: Red Oak Nature Center, North Aurora; Fee: None.
  • May 13 (Sun.) – Fox River Watershed Monitoring Network ‘Monitor With Your Mother’ Event – Family event on Mother’s Day features conservation-focused educational activities & demonstrations, canoe & kayak paddling, food & music – all free. Time: 10:00AM-2:00PM; Location: Fox River Shores Forest Preserve, Carpentersville; Fee: None. For more info, contact Gary Swick at 847-426-1322 or swick@mc.net .
  • May 16 (Wed.) – Birding by Boat – Join world traveler and bird watcher Jack Pomatto on a bird watching trip on the Fox River. Board the paddle boat at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles and cruise for waterfowl, shorebirds and spring migrants. Bring binoculars. Time: 5:30-8:00PM; Location: Pottawatomie Park, St. Charles; Fee: $15. Program #595. For more info, call 630-584-1885. For registration info, call 630-513-6200.
  • May 19 (Sat.) – Friends of the Fox River’s Spring Fox River Rescue – To date, cleanup events have been set up in Aurora, Algonquin, Batavia, Carpentersville, Elgin, Geneva, Montgomery and Oswego.
  • May 19 (Sat.) – IEPA Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Time: 8:00AM-3:00PM; Location: Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles; Fee: None. (Sponsored by IEPA, Co-sponsored by Kane County Department of Environmental Health.)  Other Dates/LocationsRecyclable Items
  • May 24 (Thurs.) – Stream Monitoring Training – Learn how to monitor the water quality of the Fox River or one of its tributaries. Join Friends of the Fox River’s Monitoring Network and help Friends of the Fox River keep a watchful eye on water quality within our watershed. Time: 4:00-7:00PM; Location: Old Kendall County Courthouse, Yorkville; Fee: None.

Sue Bennett, Communications Committee Chair
815-356-6605 – sbennett@friendsofthefoxriver.org