DVDs of the documentary film "Everglades of the North"

are available for purchase

The DVDs of the documentary "Everglades of the North are for sale through Lakeshore Public Television and you can place an order now by calling (219) 756-5656.  The cost of the DVD is $24.95, which includes shipping and handling.   They are still being processed and will not be shipped out until mid-December.

The Grand Kankakee Marsh

"Never in all my world travels, have I found a more perfect spot, not a more tantalizing river."

-- General Lew Wallace

Author, "Ben Hur"

Once known as the Northern Everglades, the Grand Kankakee Marsh was one of the largest wetlands in North America.  This riparian Garden of Eden covered much of present-day Northern Indiana and Illinois, and was home to some of the highest concentrations of wildlife on the planet.

Native Americans considered the Grand Marsh's waters to be nature's womb.  Louis XIV would claim the land as "New France."  Sportsman and market hunters called it "paradise". Industrialists made their fortunes from its seemingly endless natural resources.  For centuries the marsh gave and man took.

Links for more information on the Grand Kankakee Marsh:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife goals for reviving the grandeur of the Grand Kankakee Marsh:

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/GrandKankakee/

Waterfowl U.S.A., Northwest Indiana Chapter:

http://www.nwiwusa.com/eon.html

The Documentary "Everglades of the North" on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Everglades-of-the-North/221153981267302

The Indiana Grand Kankakee Marsh Restoration Project:

http://www.igkmrp.org/

Green Drinks Kankakee

http://www.greendrinks.org/IL/Kankakee

Unless noted (*), all events will be held at River North Restaurant, (formerly Sully's Restaurant)

555 S. West Avenue, Kankakee, IL 60901

6:00 Networking; 6:30 - 8:00 Program

Menu and drinks will be available for purchase

 

 Sustainability Education in Area Schools

 

               Presented by Mr. Christopher Shoup, science teacher with Kankakee School District 111

 

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

 

The program is free and open to the public.

 

 

Christopher Shoup, educator and citizen scientist explains the importance of infusing sustainability concepts into the classroom. Shoup is one of 40 educators nationwide selected for a $10,000 National Audubon Society and Toyota fellowship grant, and will share how he applied the grant to enhance sustainability activities in his classes and throughout the school district.

 

The event is sponsored by the Council for Community Sustainability, a public outreach group

created as part of Kankakee Community College’s sustainability initiative.

 

Scheduled 2013 Programs

June 25 – Lettuce Fish Aquaponics / Melanie Boehm

July 23 – Main Street Momence / Janine Loftus

August 27 – Kankakee River Data / Kevin Culver

September 24 – still open

October 22 – still open

November 26 – still open

 *All events will be planned from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and will be held at

   Kankakee River North Restaurant located at 555 S. West Avenue, Kankakee, IL 60901

 *Any location changes will be made clear in advance.

 *Presentations should begin about 6:30 and be completed by around 7:30 pm to allow for

    networking before and Q & A afterwards

*Please advise in advance if any special equipment may be needed for the presentation.

WKCC Radio, at 91.1 FM, has these programs that focus on sustainability related topics:

 

Outside with Chicago Sun Times outdoor columnist Dale Bowman, is a locally produced, half hour program featuring Bowman’s discussions about birding, fishing, hunting and hiking adventures along the rivers and in the woods and prairies of Illinois.

This program is aired each Monday at 4:30 p.m. and rebroadcast Sundays at 12:30 p.m.

Bioneers is another series of programs with a sustainability focus which can be heard Thursdays at 4:30 p.m.

The Green Minute messages feature KCC faculty, staff, and students providing tips about how to live a more sustainable lifestyle, conserve energy and resources and even save money. These are aired on weekdays.

Learn more at www.wkccradio.org or call the station at 815-802-8230.

Volunteer Opportunities

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/midewin/workingtogether/volunteering/

Hi everyone!  We have some really special volunteer days and tours planned at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.  Bring your family and friends and come join us!  Click here for a full Event Calendar.  Below are some featured activities.

Tuesday, May 21, 9am-2:30pm.   Meet at the horticulture building.  

*Planting host plants and nectar plants for regal fritillaries*

This is the start of getting host plants and nectar plants established for possible reintroduction of regal fritillary (photo below), whose population is in major decline due to habitat loss.  Regal fritillary caterpillars eat only violets, especially bird’s foot violet and prairie violet. The adults like the nectar of coneflower, milkweed, ironweed, blazing star, thistle, among a few others.  

Wear layered clothing and sturdy shoes or boots.  Midewin will provide tools, safety gear, water and cookies.  Please bring your own lunches.   

Saturday, May 25, 9am-2:30pm.  Meet at the horticulture building. 

*Planting at the River Road seedbeds*

Midewin manages dozens of acres of native seed production beds in order to keep up with prairie restoration needs.  Some native seed can cost hundreds of dollars per ounce at nurseries, so we save gobs of money by producing some of our own!  Volunteers help with weeding, planting, mulching and seed harvest every year.  Planting is a fun family activity and your efforts will last forever at Midewin.  The seed that is harvested from these plants will be spread on the land to restore thousands of acres of native Illinois prairie.  Join us!

Wear layered clothing and sturdy shoes or boots.  Midewin will provide tools, safety gear, water and cookies.  Please bring your own lunches.   

To RSVP for Volunteer Days: Please contact Gemma Guenther, Assistant Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at  815-423-2148 , email gguenther@fs.fed.us or use the Volgistics system.

 

Volunteer with The Nature Conservancy:

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/illinois/volunteer/index.htm

Birding in Kankakee County

How to Enter the Hidden World of the Birds

Free video with Jon Young ....

Birds are the sentinels of the forest - they alert other animals to our presence, often long before we even know they are there.

The birds also tell us a lot about our own state of being, as we move on the landscape.

How can we see the more elusive animals of the forest?

Or get a deeper window into the lives of the birds right outside our door?

In this video, Jon Young takes you on a "virtual walk."  Learn how to see more of the hidden world of nature right in your own backyard.

Happy Bird watching!

You can view the videos here:

http://www.yourbackyardbirds.com/fe/34644-can-you-understand-bird-language

http://www.yourbackyardbirds.com/fe/34645-entering-the-hidden-world-of-the-birds

In the following video, Jon Young takes us further into the world of bird language.  We can get back to "baseline" ... which is the first key to understanding the deeper language of nature.  Find out how here:

http://www.yourbackyardbirds.com/fe/34646-the-key-to-learning-bird-language

More Events and Activities:

Sustainability Office  at Kankakee Community College

http://www.kcc.edu/Community/sustainability/

Midwest Permaculture

 www.midwestpermaculture.com  for upcoming events

Center for Sustainable Community

www.centerforsustainablecommunity.org  for upcoming events