Master Naturalist to host program at Kickapoo Creek Park March 10th

[March 07, 2015]  LINCOLN - Logan County Master Naturalists volunteers Pam Moriearty and Jim Struebing are gearing up to host an upcoming educational meeting for Master Naturalists of the University of Illinois Extension Logan-Menard-Sangamon Unit. The meeting, to be held at Kickapoo Creek Park, 2000 N Jefferson St, Lincoln will also be open to the public.

“The Master Naturalist Program is growing steadily, and we have some exciting projects for this year,” noted Moriearty. “We’d also like to extend a special invitation to anyone who’d like to learn more about the Master Naturalist program.” The meeting will take place from 10 am to noon on Tuesday, March 10 in the Kickapoo Creek Park Office, adjacent to the maintenance building on the entrance road.

Moriearty will cover Citizen Scientist projects carried out with 4-H members, including Riverwatch, bird study afterschool programs, yardmap, and ebird. She will also describe bluebird monitoring and plein air painting collaborations with Creekside, the Lincoln College Outdoor Center for Environmental Education.
 

The majestic Mr. Sycamore, which stands by the bridge over the creek, is a familiar sight to Kickapoo Creek Park visitors.  The tree is easily recognizable as a sycamore even in winter because of its bright mottled bark.  Other trees which are less easy to identify, such as green ash and pin oak, are being tagged throughout the park by Master Naturalist Jim Struebing (Photo by Jim Struebing). 

Struebing will provide information on efforts at Kickapoo Creek Park, a Master Naturalist Partner. He will cover the new bird feeding station, tree identification, and prairie maintenance. A new project this year is the campaign against invasive species in which Master Naturalist Rick Hobler also participates. Struebing will then lead a tour of adjacent park areas to highlight points of interest and sites where Master Naturalist volunteer work is carried out.

To learn more about the U of I Extension Master Naturalist program visit http://web.extension .illinois.edu/mn/.  To learn more about the Master Naturalist program in Logan County contact [phone] or stop by the Lincoln Extension office, 980 N. Postville Drive, to pick up a brochure.

[Jennifer Fishburn, Horticulture Educator, University of Illinois Extension]