By Pat Brady, DivvyBack Tired of talking about voting? You betcha. However, I’m talking about the powerful vote each of us has to make environmental change in the world. If you don’t like the Earth warming up or our waters polluted, you can “vote” for change through your purchasing behavior. The emotionless marketing engine of … Read more
By Gary Swick, President There is no ignoring that the recent election demonstrated that we are the (not so) United States of America. We are deeply divided, but on really just a few issues. Can we come together for a unified approach toward these common issues? Well the Fox River has a few lessons for … Read more
By Jack MacRae Witch Hazel might sound like a cousin of Samantha Stevens. But botanically, it is really an attractive understory shrub found in naturally wooded areas. Their attractive, rounded-oval form makes them popular around the globe. Illinois is home to the Virginia variety, Hamamelis virginiana. It can grow to 10-15 feet in our area and has roundish, toothed … Read more
By Pat Brady, DivvyBack Managing Partner We all know that nothing in life is perfect, except maybe Manny’s Reuben sandwich with chicken noodle soup. Outside of that, and particularly in the area of laundry detergent, there just isn’t anything that I can describe as perfect. Why Is That? Well, first, let’s define what a perfect … Read more
By Jack MacRae Ornithologists have learned a great deal about dark-eyed juncos, those cute, gray and white snowbirds that visit us from the north. We know their size, color, diet, and – most interesting – we know what they do. Their migration patterns, flocking activity, and feeding habits make them neighbors you should meet! It’s Warmer Here … Read more
By Gary Swick, President Infant Species As the COVID-19 pandemic infiltrates the human space on the planet, many things well known in nature are surprising us. We humans are relatively an infant species here on the 4-billion-year-old Earth. We are still just learning nature’s laws and the consequences that come from ignoring them. Like infants … Read more
By Black Jack MacRae When I think of black walnuts, I think of their abscission layer. Abscission is a botanical term used to describe the highly complex separation of leaves, flowers, and fruits from their respective plants at the end of the growing season. In a nutshell, our deciduous trees produce hormones to inhibit growth and … Read more
By Gary Swick, President We are very fortunate that in this watershed we are governed by a democratic system. The decisions that are made that influence the health of the Fox River and its tributaries come from research, discussion, and policy enacted by elected representatives. From the board members of the Friends of the Fox … Read more
By Gary Swick, President When COVID-19 came to town in March, countless routines got turned upside down. Friends of the Fox River (FOFR) considers Fox River protection an essential business, so we, like so many others, have to adapt our operations to continue to provide our services. Throughout our journey, we are keeping fun front … Read more
By Jack MacRae One of the great mysteries of American wildflower lore may have been solved. Joe Pye – the eponym for Joe Pye weed – appears to have been identified! This is according to a fascinating article from the 2017 issue of The Great Lakes Botanist (Volume 56, Issue 3-4, July), by veteran Canadian botanist … Read more
