Month: October 2017

Cruising for Visions

By Gary Mechanic, Executive Director Following the recent solar eclipse, Friends of the Fox River’s President Gary Swick drew a parallel in his monthly newsletter article between the ancient anxiety caused by the temporary darkness of an eclipse, and the depressing darkness that many of us feel about the temporary (we hope) rollback of federal … Read more

Strategic Planning – Retreat to Advance

Strategic Planning Retreat – A Unifying Spirit By Gary Swick We all seem to have different methods of charting our courses. Some of us planetary creatures live our lives by being blown by the winds of fate from one place to another. This may work fine for milkweed seeds, but is risky business for some … Read more

Meet Antoinette White

Meet Antoinette White Aurora Outreach Educator Recent Monmouth College graduate Antoinette White is a welcome addition to our Fox River Monitoring Network. With a double major in environmental science and biology, and the recommendation of our veteran educator and Aurora Watershed Watchdog program leader Emily Dombrowski, we know her work with the students will be … Read more

Meet Your Neighbors: “Eat Your Neighbors!”

Eat Your Neighbors! By Jack MacRae Homer Simpson once commented that turkeys are the only animals smarter than man (season 13, episode 3). He was wrong, of course, as there are no doubt others. But people and turkeys do share a special bond, if not an elevated IQ. The wild turkey is a highly recognizable, … Read more

Students Volunteering

New Education Team

New Education Team for the Fall Season By Gary Swick For many years, Friends of the Fox River’s streams outreach education program was a one-man show, run by retired Johnsburg teacher David Rigby. In 2009, the project was funded by a federal grant for 3 years. The program quickly grew beyond Dave’s capacity. Just in … Read more

rainbow darter

2017 Fox River Basin Survey

The 2017 IDNR Fox River Basin Survey By Steve Pescitelli, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries During the summer of 2017, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources conducted fish surveys in the Fox River basin as part of a statewide program to monitor the health of Illinois stream resources. This is the fifth … Read more

2018 Calendar Cover photo

Winners of the 2017 Photo Contest

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Bradford Vineyard- Foggy Morning on the Fox River near Saw Wee Kee Park-  $100 Cabela’s Gift Certificate The panel selected this panoramic photo of a gaggle of geese as they lounge on melting ice near the bank of the Fox River. Thick, foggy air mists across the scene and hints at change … Read more

Meet Your Neighbors: “Squirrels, Chucks and Chips”

Squirrels, Chucks and Chips by Jack MacRae Squirrels are the Fox Valley’s original “preppers.” Every autumn, both tree and ground squirrels spend considerable time gathering and stashing their nuts for the months to come. Acorns, nuts, seeds, and corn provide the critical calories necessary for winter survival. Where Did I Leave My Stash? Both fox squirrels … Read more