Chapter Events

Pollinators, especially bees, provide us with valuable services by pollinating plants that contribute to food production and beautify our landscape. Sadly, there is increasing evidence that many of these important pollinator species are in decline. This is especially true in urban and suburban areas where natural habitats have been replaced by subdivisions, roads and parking lots. The dense, green carpet of lawns that may be aesthetically pleasing to some are actually food deserts to our pollinators and other beneficials.
This program will provide information on the many sustainable and wildlife friendly alternatives to turf grass such as bee lawns, shade gardens and mini prairies, plus plant suggestions and how to get started. 
Speaker: Bob Dahm, founder and owner of Organic Bob, LLC, an organic lawn and garden service located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.
 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link 
https://fremont.libnet.info/event/4690460
You will receive an email confirmation with program link when you register. 
Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library.
 

This new invasive species was first identified in Illinois in 2015 and has since been found across the state. Jumping worms, native to East Asia, are voracious consumers of organic material, which can affect soil quality. They breed quickly and eggs survive Illinois winters. There are concerns about the effects these worms will have on forests and other natural spaces as well as agricultural and landscaped areas. Populations of jumping worms have the potential to change the soil structure, deplete available nutrients, damage plant roots, and alter water holding capacity of the soil.
 
This presentation will review what we know about jumping worms, their potential impacts to natural ecosystems and managed landscapes, and what can and should be done about them. 
 
Speaker: Chris Evans, Extension Forestry and Research Specialist with the University of Illinois.
 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link 
https://fremont.libnet.info/event/4662923
You will receive an email confirmation with program link when you register.
 Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library.                        
 

 
 

Green landscapes nurture wildlife, reduce air, soil, and water pollution and make healthy recreation spaces. By working with nature, you can have a great-looking yard that’s easier to care for, cheaper to maintain and healthier for your family, your pets, wildlife and the environment. Adding native plants and incorporating some simple earth-friendly practices can make a big difference toward helping the planet and the wildlife around you survive and thrive. 
 
Join us for this special program Celebrating Citizens For Conservation’s 50th anniversary. Peggy Simonsen will share important ways to use native shrubs, trees, and forbs in all seasons, plus water resources and earth-friendly practices to improve habitat for birds, pollinators and other wildlife.
 
Peggy Simonsen is the Chair of Citizens for Conservation’s Community Education Committee and former president of CFC.
 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link
https://fremont.libnet.info/event/4795167
 
Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library.      
 
 

Throughout the year, homeowners across the country plant a wide variety of non-native and invasive species to improve their yards and gardens. However, many  are not aware of how landscaping with native plants can really benefit and beautify their landscapes while nurturing local ecosystems. 
This one hour presentation introduces and explains the many benefits of landscaping using native plants. Not only are native species beautiful and versatile, they are great for our environment because they support pollinators, native birds, butterflies and other wildlife, reduce erosion and so much more. 
 
Speaker: Sandy Washburn
 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link 
https://fremont.libnet.info/event/4795209
Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library

Your yard is key to supporting local ecosystems! Find out which woody plants in your landscape are causing trouble, and how and what to replace them with to enhance the health of your yard and make it more enjoyable for you. 
Speaker:  Chicago Region Trees Initiative Specialist, Melissa Custic
 
 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link 
https://fremont.libnet.info/event/5035613
Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library

Illinois is large and biologically diverse with many pristine natural areas located across the state. Join botanist Chris Benda for a tour of the unique natural areas and rare plants that can be found in the 14 different natural divisions in Illinois.  This presentation will highlight places you never knew existed, with emphasis on the plants and animals of Illinois.
 

 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link 
https://www.fremontlibrary.org/event/5380837
You will receive an email confirmation with program link when you register. 
 Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library  
 
 

Did you know that Illinois is home to over 50 species of native orchids? Almost half of them grow (or have grown) up in Lake County! Kathleen Garness will take us on a virtual tour of our lovely native orchids, talk about their habitats, and how we can be partners in their care and preservation.
 
 
Kathleen Garness is a scientific illustrator in Illinois whose botanical illustrations are being used to encourage an interest in native plants in the Chicago area. She has been studying and illustrating orchids for decades.  Kathleen is also a monitor for Plants of Concern, the Chicago Botanic Garden’s rare plant program. She brings both an artist’s and a natural areas steward’s perspective to native orchid conservation.
 
This is an online program. Registration Is Required 
To register please click this link 
https://www.fremontlibrary.org/event/5405158
Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library

Volo Bog is perhaps one of the best kept secrets in northeastern Illinois. This Illinois Nature Preserve features the state’s only open-water quaking bog where the trees shake with your steps, carnivorous plants await unsuspecting prey, and poison sumac grows ready to enforce the “Stay on the Trail” rule. Naturalist Stacy Iwanicki will “Zoom in” to share a wealth of insights into this fascinating world that features a dozens of endangered plants and an array of wildlife that finds home in Volo Bog and the other habitats in the State Natural Area. 
 

Stacy Iwanicki is a Natural Resource Coordinator working for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at Volo Bog State Natural Area, Moraine Hills State Park & McHenry Dam. 
 
This will be an in-person program at Fremont Public Library
Zoom viewing will be available for those who are not able to attend this presentation in-person but registration is required. To register please click this link.
https://www.fremontlibrary.org/event/5405159
Presented in partnership with Fremont Public Library