Entries categorized as ‘Trail Days’
Well, it almost didn’t happen, but it turned out to be a great morning on the trail.
Hadn’t heard from anyone as of last night, but this morning I found an email from Brian Bassler. I scrambled to get a bucket of tools and head over. Brian, his son, and Larry Hodak were there, already scouting things out and picking up trash. Brian’s wife and daughters joined us soon after.
We all walked the trail together. Larry pointed out lots of different plants. Cathy and the girls gathered and scattered columbine seeds. We pulled some grape vines off some shrubs and tried to reroute them in new directions. The park crew had done a lot of trimming of grasses and other things overgrowing the trail and we opened a few spots that were missed or already regrown. In the middle of the trail, we found two huge (one 12″ and one bigger) branches fallen. Luckily landing just off the trail, cuz they’re too big to move without cutting into pieces. We cut some of the cow parsnip that was just ready for seed gathering and knocked a bunch of that seed around the area opened (to sun) by the falling.
We discovered at least two and perhaps as many as six areas where the park crew had sprayed herbicide to clear small patches, each not more than two square yards. When we scheduled this day, we thought we might have a chance to plant new patches of natives in these areas. Probably the crews will finish these up. If we can get some advanced notice, we might be able to get a few community members out there to do it. (see Trail Management Plan.)
We picked up what seemed like not too much trash along the way. Making a complete pass, south to north. Larry pointed out and named all kinds of flowers, shrubs, and trees along the way. On the walk back south we fixed as best we could a broken spot in the fence.
One woman stopped to say thanks. Turns out she lives in the condos nearby. Hoping to see her and her neighbors out at future trail days.
Total volunteers: 7. Total hours: 21.
Categories: Trail Days · Vols & Hours
In the recent rains, the river rose briefly but significantly, perhaps as much as ten feet. Much of the trail was underwater for some time. On Saturday, July 11th, we’ll do what we can to clean up after that. Some of the timbers that line the trail need attention, for instance.
The Park District is also initiating a new set of projects along the fenced west edge of the nature area. The plan is to clear a number of small (3′x3′) areas and plant them with interesting native species. On Saturday, we’ll help with the beginning of some of this planting work. More on the Park District plan in a future posting.
There will no doubt be weeding (invasives removal) and trash collecting to be done, as well.
We’ll gather at the south end of the trail about 9am and plan to be at it until about noon. Come for any or all of that.
Please mailto:info@ronanparktrail.com if you’re going to come, so that we can plan to have enough tools and gloves and suc but
Categories: Trail Days
Well, the huge team of Lukie Marriott and I gathered at the trail about 9am last Saturday. We started at the north end and scoured the full length south to Lawrence and then back the other side of the trail, picking up trash, pulling garlic mustard and thistle and bindweed, and noticing that there seems to be more wild parsnip popping up this year than last.
We only found garlic mustard in scattered spots, though there is a big chunk of the west side of the trail where all the garlic mustard was little shoots off of bigger roots. We didn’t have proper tools, so there we couldn’t get the bigger roots. Next time! …as they are sure to make themselves noticeable again. The tall, thick patch that the Lab School kids pulled a couple of weeks ago, on the far southwest edge of the park (just north of the trees and bushes) looked totally clear. No new flowering.
Lots of columbine blooming, some other teeny tiny white clustered flowers, and many things we couldn’t identify. And the weather was perfect. We were finished before it got too hot. I walked home through the park proper, catching last bits of trash. Hopefully a really clean park discouraged some would-be litterers over the long weekend.
Next trail day sometime later in June. Stay tuned here for details. OR… join our mailing list for email alerts.
Total volunteers: 2. Total hours: 6.
Categories: Plants · Trail Days · Vols & Hours
Last Trail Day was rained out. So I got to sleep in and listen to the rain. But now the Trail might disappear into the greenery again.
Becky Schillo at CPD has ordered us new tools, some shovels, gloves, trimming tools, for our very own. We will add more as we find more volunteers to use them.
We’re also working on setting up a Trail Day with a group of student volunteers, to install some (donated!) wood ties along edges of the Trail. Anybody else got a group that wants to do some light Trail maintenance work together?
Our next community trail (work/play) day is in August, TBA. Join our mailing list if you want to get that announcement and join us.
Still working on updates and corrections to the plants guide page, as well. Stay tuned.
Categories: Contact · Trail Care · Trail Days
A Trail Neighbor has donated 25 landscaping ties for lining the trail! She lives just a few blocks away, but probably too far to carry so many ties. We’d like to find a vehicle (w/driver) to deliver them to a trailhead on (or before) July 19th.
We want to install these things on our NEXT COMMUNITY TRAIL DAY – SATURDAY JULY 19TH.
Can you help?
Also on the 19th… we want to clear the edges of the trail (pulling weeds and cutting back overgrowth), pick-up any trash, and perhaps do some planting around some of the posts of the new fence (Lawrence all the way to Argyle) that’s been installed by the Park District in the last week or so. There’s a low hanging (somebody pulled it down) tree branch that needs cutting, too. Some fence post caps need to be re-glued.
Categories: Needed · Trail Days
Join us for the next trail day: Saturday, July 19th. Meet about 9AM at North End of Trail. We’ll be catching whatever burdock and thistle we might have missed today, cleaning up trash…
…and talking about the possibility of Ronan Friends doing a canoe day together.
mailto:info@ronanparktrail.com with any questions.
Categories: Trail Days
About a dozen folks showed up for our first Trail Day. We dug out burdock and thistle along the full length of the trail, both sides, and cleaned up some trash, and trimmed some along the edges of the Trail. We planted three spiderwort plants that Kevin Anderson brought, and brought some other offerings home to keep nursing a bit longer in their dixie cups. Thanks to all who came to help clear and trim, identify plants and birds, offer plants and seeds, and clean the place up.
Categories: Trail Days
The first Ronan Park Nature Trail community trail day is Saturday, June 28th. Meet at the north end of the Trail at 9AM or as early as you can make it. This new website will be expanding throughout the summer. Watch here for news about the Trail and what’s happening this summer (and winter) or call Michael Herman (volunteer park steward) at 312-280-7838. And then please join us on the Trail – for a walk or a run or a workday!
Ronan Park lies at the southern tip of a miles-long greenway that connects us by river, canal and bike trail to the Lake, Wilmette, and other points north. And nestled along the River there, from Lawrence north to Argyle, is Ronan Park Nature Trail. Wooded and shady, green and flowering, you might know it as the “scenic route” to River Park or the warm-up/cool-down section of your running workout.
Along the Trail, you’ll find native species that have been planted and tended over the last seven or eight years, columbine, sedge grasses, alexander, goldenrod, wild geraniums, and a variety of other spring wildflowers. Hazelnuts – I’d be curious if anybody’s ever harvested their fruit. Geese and other birds. Watch out for the moms with babies! You’ll also find non-native plants like garlic mustard, burdock, buckthorn thistle and a bunch of other invasives that are trying (through no fault of their own!) to overrun the place.
One way to learn what’s out there in our backyard is to come help take care of it. This summer we’re inviting friends and admirers of the Trail to get together, walk the trail, learn what’s there, cut back invasives, maintain the pathway, pick-up trash, meet others who enjoy being outside in our little patch of woods, and generally keep a bunch of caring eyes on the place.
Please Join Us!
Categories: Contact · Plants · Trail Days
