Butterfly, Dragonfly and Fungus Monitoring Opportunities. Though DBC is “all about the birds,” DBC member Kathy Lech of DuPage Forest Preserve is looking for volunteers to monitor for Dragonfly and Butterfly Monitoring plus Fungus Monitoring. Required training classes will prepare you for the field work. Contact Kathy at klech@dupageforest.org.
Health Status of Local Aquatic Species Now Available. The Urban Stream Research Center (USRC), the only one of its kind in Illinois, gave a well-received presentation at a recent DuPage Forest Preserve Board meeting on the status of aquatic wildlife in the county. Six different species of mussels totaling nearly 29,000 have been released in our streams and rivers, and recent field surveys show the presence of the rare Mapleleaf Mussel, which has probably migrated upstream after dam removal. The USRC also reported on their propagation of native fish species and their rearing program for endangered Blandings Turtles. To view the presentation, go to minute 22:30 in the timeline here: https://www.dupageforest.org/about-us/our-board/board-meetings
Improvements at Willowbrook Wildlife Haven. In other news, Willowbrook Wildlife Haven will restore five redevelopment zones in the “Back 40,” including wetlands, prairie, savannah, woodlands and the creek. Interpretive signs will assist visitors in traveling along nodes, accessible to all, where signage and seating will be available for educational presentations and signage for each habitat. Explanation of the impact of effective restoration vs. invasive plant communities will be a feature.
Willowbrook is also planning new exhibits in the Visitor Center to feature building energy efficiency, staff work behind the scenes, patient release process for the wildlife that is rehabilitated, and the actual rehabilitation process. An example of the featured information will be migratory patterns and bird species passing through DuPage County. The exhibits should be installed in the fall of 2024.