Possibly and probably the most important single act of being a better Friend to the Fox River, is to introduce an Oak tree to the watershed.
No, that is not an April Fool’s joke. Nor is it a joke that Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is offering you an oak tree (or a couple) to help rebuild our watershed.
Why an Oak tree?
Two reasons; one global and one local.
The Earth is a system composed of the hydrosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Each of those are comprised of ecosystems. The Fox River’s ecosystem’s components include many plants and animals that have synchronized relationships. Oak trees are vital to this stability. This valley has had a staggering loss of the original oak population. Oaks support more life forms than any other species of plant.Help us restore that balance by planting and caring for native oaks in your yard.
Oaks are the keystone to
this local ecosystem that we call our yards.
Living on the leaves on the ground right now, are the eggs of a vast array of insects. Soon, caterpillars (oaks support 897 species) will emerge from those eggs and seek food to grow into adults like beautiful butterflies. Those caterpillars are crucial food for another diverse group of birds. This is difficult to believe, but it is documented that a mom bird must capture and feed her fledglings 1000 caterpillars each year. The acorns that are produced are yet another significant food source.
Our watershed needs more Oaks!
Look at your yard or an area that you visit like a church or school ground. Do you see an abundance of native vegetation to support our ecosystem?
Get out and plant oak trees this month. For free oak saplings, call 815-356-6605 to arrange a pickup or delivery, or attend one of our Earth Day events. Special thanks to Living Lands and Waters who grew from acorns and distributed over 100,000 oak saplings this year to FOTFR and other organizations.
FOTFR contact: Info@friendsofthefoxriver.org
To learn more about Oaks:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/realestate/oak-trees-why-you-should-plant.html
https://wildones.org/oaktober-update-2021/
