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
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
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
By Gary Swick Picture yourself standing on the banks of the Fox River 1,000 years ago. Imagine experiencing a total solar eclipse without any knowledge of what is actually occurring, or why it’s happening. It is more likely that it would be regarded as frightening than interesting or exciting. After it passed, you probably would … Read more
“The Lives of Grass” by Jack MacRae There are many grasses in the Fox River Valley; tall types, short types, native and introduced. Here are three short biographies. Grama Grass Through the lens of a magnifier, sideoats grama, Bouteloua curtipendula has some of the prettiest reproductive organs you can find in nature; feathery white stigmas … Read more
By Gary Swick Doug Williamson grew up in Indiana, and finished his high school career in Chicago. From there he headed to DeKalb where he earned two degrees from NIU. Doug’s professional career was mainly within Carpentersville’s Community School District 300 (D300). A teacher there myself, I saw that he wore many hats from social … Read more
by Gary Swick Rivers and their tributaries usually have seasonal cycles of spring and fall flooding, with a “low flow” condition in summer. Flooding has benefits to the natural river system through nutrient distribution and scouring of sediment. The land areas that absorb the flood conditions are referred to as flood plains. Land use planners … Read more
Rainbow Pride By Jack MacRae In the early 1840s the Fox River was the site of an important icthyological discovery of which we should all be proud. A Mr. S.C. Clark collected a small, nondescript female fish from the river and preserved it for scientific study. The fish was unfamiliar to the Illinois State Biologists … Read more
by Gary Swick, FOFR President For a non-profit organization, finding financial support for their important work is always a challenge. Friends of the Fox River (FOFR) has a long and strong reputation for incredible achievements from volunteer efforts. FOFR is now at a point where we are expanding our services, programming, geographic influence, membership capacity, … Read more
By Pat Okonek, Board Member, FOFR One of my favorite hobbies is fishing, especially fly-fishing. I took it up as a youngster and had the good fortune of growing up next to a river. Besides lots of actual fishing, I learned how to “read” rivers and learn how fish behave and relate to their environment through … Read more