Nature Events in West Central Indiana: Native Roots, September–December 2019

 

NEW PAGE 3 FOR THIS EDITION is a “Special Supplement” on Community Action.

Submissions for January-March issue need to reach Joan by December 20.

To receive Native Roots via email, contact Joan Mohr Samuels, Editor, at mohrsamuels@comcast.net. 

Copies of Native Roots & Wednesdays in the Wild will be available at Lilly Nature Center, Wah-ba-shik-a Nature Center (except in the winter months when WNC is closed), Morton Center, the local LAF-WL libraries, Sunspot Market, and the Wild Bird Shoppe.

Feel free to pass on to anyone you think is interested.

10/7/19 UPDATES FOR SEPT–DEC NATIVE ROOTS

Below are some new or corrected items received too late to put in the SEP-DEC issue of Native Roots. ~Joan 765-532-3245  

PLEASE NOTE:  If you received an early copy of the SEP-DEC issue, you may have the wrong date listed for the FRIENDS of the SANDS walk “Colors of Conrad Station Savanna” on page 2 toward the bottom of the left-hand column. It was originally scheduled for SAT NOV 9th, but changed to SUN NOV 10th.

                FRIENDS of the SANDS NATURE PROGRAM info with corrected date:

                SUN NOV 10th 1:00pm CST Colors of Conrad Station Savanna (CSS) Enjoy the changing fall colors of reddish sassafras amidst the majestic oaks.  Meet at CSS parking lot on CR 725 N, a half mile east of US 41. INFO/RSVP: Stephanie uschifrischie@gmail.com

 

TODAY: MON OCT 7th 6:30pm WL Council Meeting – Debate on Resolution No. 12-19 (actions to deal with Climate Change) takes place at Council Chambers in West Lafayette’s Temporary City Hall (1200 North Salisbury St, West Lafayette—former Happy Hollow Elementary School).  This resolution sponsored by Mayor John Dennis is “a resolution to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency and renewable energy use, and to create a climate change-resilient city of West Lafayette, Indiana to benefit the economy, promote public health, and protect the community’s children and grandchildren.”

                Annabel Prokopy (active member of the West Lafayette Climate Strike team) sent me the following:  “The City of West Lafayette will be voting on a resolution that will set a city wide goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040. The WL Climate Strike team (a team of high schoolers) has been helping to write and propose this resolution. It will be debated on Monday, October 7th at 6:30 at West Lafayette City Hall. We want to pack the room with community supporters to put pressure on our councilors and show that the community is passionate about this action and will put pressure on the city in the future to ensure that the resolution is followed through. This is a huge step for our city.”

 

SAT OCT 19th  9am-1pm DeTrash the Wabash Check in at Tapawingo Park (West Lafayette). 

Come Celebrate and DeTrash the Wabash! Gloves and garbage bags will be provided for this trash clean up.  Bring your reusable water bottle and a friend! A pizza party will happen at noon after trash collecting is done. SIGN UP on line at www.wabashriver.net/detrash

            ALSO, on the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation (WREC) website at www.wabashriver.net, you can sign up for their newsletter, the “WREC Wire” for information such as “Winterizing your Rain Barrels” and “Having a big impact on Wildlife and the Wabash River” (–by keeping your nutrient-rich leaves, twigs, and grass clippings out of the Wabash River).

 

FALL FOLIAGE HIKE – SAT OCT 19th 11:00am Jackson-Schnyder Nature Preserve in Terre Haute

The Ouabache Land Conservancy invites everyone to a fall foliage hike of the Jackson-Schnyder Nature Preserve on Saturday October 19 at 11:00 am. This hike is to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of its dedication as a State nature preserve. Dr. Robert Jean, Senior Entomologist, Environmental Solutions & Innovations, Inc., will lead hikers through the tallgrass prairie and approximately 25 species of trees found on the 15-acre Preserve.  The preserve is located at 1100 W. Concannon Ave., West Terre Haute, IN 47885. To get to the Jackson-Schnyder Nature Preserve, take Hwy 150 to St. Mary’s Ave and turn west, drive past the St. Mary-of-the-Woods College main entrance, continue west and turn left on Bloomtown Road, go under the railroad and turn right on Concannon Ave. Just past the bridge is the roadside entrance (on the right) to the Preserve. No reservations are required for this free program. Attendees are encouraged to wear long pants and either hiking boots or good tennis shoes. Questions? Contact Phil Cox: cox119@purdue.edu or 765-492-5330

 For more information about the Ouabache Land Conservancy visit their website at ouabachelandconservancy.org or their Facebook page.

 

WED OCT 23rd  1-4:30pm at Wright Forestry Ctr 1007 N 725 W, W. Laf.  TREE IDENTIFICATION BASICS & FIELD PRACTICE WORKSHOP  

Free program limited to 50 people, so register in advance at https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0xkawTGbIy1Knzv  (Copy & paste URL if clicking on link doesn’t take you to registration form.) MORE INFO: Extension Forester Lenny Farlee lfarlee@purdue.edu 765-494-2153

 

WED OCT 23rd  5:30-7:30pm  Identifying and Reporting Invasive Species – A free TICT Workshop 

at Tippecanoe County Public Library (627 South St, Lafayette).

                Join us for a free workshop from the Tippecanoe Invasive Cooperative Taskforce (TICT)! Lenny Farlee of Purdue Extension will share information on identifying and controlling common local invasive plants. Then, Nick Harby will train participants how they can collect and share data on invasive species locations. He’ll cover the use of both the GLEDN app and the EDDMaps Report IN website. ​

                QUESTIONS/MORE INFO: Angela.Garcia-Miller@in.nacdnet.net or TICT facebook page: 

                facebook.com/TippecanoeInvasiveCooperativeTaskforce.

 

INVASIVE PLANT WORKSHOP – SAT OCT 26th 9am-noon at the Rangeline Conservation Club in Clinton 

Vermillion County SWCD invites you to an Invasive Plant Workshop at the Rangeline Conservation Club (former Izzak Walton League at 16435 S Rangeline Rd, Clinton, IN 47842) on Saturday, October 26th, from 9 am to noon.  This workshop is free and open to the public.  Learn how to identify and control invasive plants on your property.  Lunch will be provided to registrants.  Registration is required by October 24th via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/invasive-plant-workshop-ticketss-72563498377  or email amber@sicim.info .

 

NICHES LAND TRUST activities that didn’t make it in time to be included in the SEP-DEC issue of Native Roots but appeared in their OCT e-newsletter (email Sam if you’d like to receive this e-newsletter):

 

Join us for a Volunteer Workday at our Moyer-Gould Preserve! Activities will include piling and burning brush, litter clean up, and woody plant removal. 
When: Thursday October 10th from 3:45 PM to 4:45 PM
Email: sam@nicheslandtrust.org to ask any questions or for more info.

 

Hoosier River Watch Sampling Training

Friday, October 11 Pine Village, IN – Pine Creek Camp, 2218 E. 700 N. (9 AM – 5 PM). Instructor will be Seth Harden. Contact Seth at seth.harden@tnc.org or 765-414-4861 to register.

 

A Hoosier Riverwatch Basic Training workshop introduces you to hands-on water quality monitoring methods; in addition to basics about water, streams and pollution. With regard to monitoring you will learn about aquatic habitat, chemical and biological assessment techniques. Sessions are held in- and out-of-doors. All interested persons, age 18 and over, are welcome to attend. Workshops are free, but you must contact the local host in advance to register.

 

Frogs’ Glory Frog Dedication

 

 

 

Join us at 10:30 AM on Saturday October 12th at our Frog’s Glory Preserve for the dedication of our Frogs’ Glory Frog! The giant fiberglass frog painted by local artist and friend of NICHES, Rena Brouwer, depicts the wildlife and natural scenery that can be found on and around the preserve. Signers of the frog have made donations to help support our stewardship endowment. Your contribution to the Stewardship Endowment provides long term stable income for the organization to do the many tasks needed to manage the natural area properly. Regular tasks include controlling the invasive honeysuckle and garlic mustard, maintaining trails, combating abusive use from people, implementing controlled burns, and working to bring back native species into the recovering woodland. 

 

Carroll County Poetry Project

 

Starting in October, Hoosier artist and writer Samuel Love will host a series of free poetry writing workshops that will celebrate the poetic heritage of Carroll County, Indiana. The Carroll County Poetry Project will use local history and literature to inspire the next generation of verse about the county by showing how it has inspired poets in the past. Participants will have the chance to sharpen their writing skills while learning about the works of James Whitcomb Riley and lesser known local poets. Participants can also contribute to a special community written poem that will combine individual lines of poetry collected from residents across the county.

 

Workshops will be held Tuesday, October 1 and 29 from 5-7pm
            at the Flora-Monroe Township Public Library. 
Workshops will be held Saturday, October 12 and 19 from 10:30am-12:30pm 
            at the Delphi Public Library. 

 

NOTE:  Native Roots editor was emailed this info on OCT 1st—already past the SEP 23 Registration deadline listed above, so if your 6th-12th-grade youth is interested, you might try registering now even though it is late.

 

Do you have a 6-12th grade youth interested in nature, natural resource research and careers? 

                Join Engage Nature at Clegg Memorial Garden on October 25 from 5-8pm and October 26th from 8am-4pm for their Advanced Nature Camp! $60 per participant, several full-ride scholarships available. Email info@engage-nature.org or call Becca at 815-919-1311 for more information or to register.
The tentative agenda includes:
                Team building exercises, Bird hikes,Tree and plant identification, Bat surveys, Animal tracking, Wild edibles,Telemetry tag, Mindfulness activities, Careers in natural resources, Highlighting local nature groups to get to know and volunteer with. 

 

Prophetstown State Park

OCTOBER 2019

5545 Swisher Road, West Lafayette, IN 47906. (765) 567-4919

Interpretive Naturalists: Jenna Parks Freeman, Brooke Stinson and Ryan O’Connell

DNR website: www.interpretiveservices.in.gov | Email:  jparks@dnr.in.gov

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ProphetstownSP

For all programs: 

Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

All programming free with park admission unless otherwise noted.

Campground programs are also open to the public—park at the campground gate and walk in.

Below are some Prophetstown State Park programs that I selected for Native Roots readers—contact Jenna for full schedule of programs jparks@dnr.in.gov (Thanks—Joan/NR Editor):

 

Friday, October 11 

6:30-8:30 p.m. Night Bike: 

Join a naturalist for an evening ride through Prophetstown. We’ll meet at the Prairie View Picnic Area and ride to the Tippecanoe River and back with several stops along the way. We’ll wrap up the evening with a fire in the campground. All are welcome to join us at the fire. The bike ride is approximately 4.5 miles in length and is best suited for ages 10 and up. Water bottles, helmets, and bike lights are strongly recommended.

Saturday, October 12 

8:30-10 a.m. Invasive Species Removal: Help eradicate invasive species at the park! We will provide all the tools and training necessary to remove plants such as honeysuckle, tree of heaven, and more. We’ll meet at the far east end parking lot. Wear long pants and bring water!

7-8:30 p.m. Arts in the Parks Singing the Earth’s Song: For those who love the outdoors and also enjoy singing, don’t miss the upcoming opportunity to gather for a community singing event. No experience is needed, all voices are welcome! Meet at Coneflower Recreation Building. Bring a chair or blanket.

Sunday, October 13 2:30-3:30 p.m. Fire at Prophetstown: Why do we manage the prairies at Prophetstown with fire? What is “prescribed” burning? Join a naturalist as we explore the science of fire and learn about its importance in the environment. You’ll even get the chance to try on some fire gear and sit in a UTV!  Meet at Bergamot shelter in the Prairie View Picnic Area.

Saturday, October 26: 10-11:30 a.m. Natural Dyes at the Village

Join us at the Native American Village where we’ll be using the bounty of fall to dye yarns, fabrics, and other items. Black walnut produces a beautiful chocolatey brown, and we might have some other fall colors too! We’ll have fabric scraps available for you to dye and take home your own bookmark. Park at the Visitor’s Center and safely cross the road.