CLIP PROGRAM DETAILS: Field Trips

CLIP PROGRAM DETAILS: Field Trips

CLIPterns will receive a professional contact from each field trip location and may apply for summer positions at these locations (in future years) to further develop their career. 

Nachusa Grasslands (The Nature Conservancy)

 

 

 

 

 

• CLIP participants will learn Plant Identification techniques through seed collection and invasive species control activities. 
• CLIP participants will get a tour of Nachusa’s Seed processing program and learn seed processing techniques (collection, drying, milling, storage, mixing, planting). 
• CLIP participants will receive a site tour with explanation of varying management techniques utilized at Nachusa (i.e. Bison Grazing, Prescribed Fire, Over-seeding with forb dominant mixes, boom spraying, combine seed collection/processing, stewardship etc). 

Indiana Dunes National Park (The National Park Service)

 

 

 

 

 

• CLIP participants will tour the Fire Program at INDU (i.e. fire cache, equipment, explanation of the role of fire at INDU, how to plan for prescribed fire etc.)
• CLIP participants will  become familiar with vegetation monitoring protocols for the Fire Effects program ( such as several or more of following:  point intercept method, DBH, Pole/Seedling/Over-story Tree ID, crown position of trees, snag ID, damage, percent cover, duff, species diversity quadrats and woody species categories with tallies)

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (United States Forest Service) 

 

 

 

 

• CLIP participants will learn vegetation monitoring protocols for the Vegetation GIS Data System (VGS) developed by the University of Arizona. 
  • Students will aid in collecting plant species data, using quadrats on long term transects set up at Midewin (this may include data entry on tablet using VGS). 
• CLIP participants will receive a site tour with an explanation of land management and restoration techniques utilized by Midewin. 
  • Students will visit the dolomite prairie, wetlands and go on a bison tour. 

Glacial Park (McHenry County Conservation District)

• CLIP participants will lead an environmental education program (i.e. an educational hike, game and/or lesson). 
• CLIP participants will receive a site tour and brief explanation of the history of MCCD and Glacial Park. 

McHenry County College (MCC) 

 

 

 

 

 

• CLIP participants will tour campus facilities relevant to the CLIP program, including but not limited to:
  • Greenhouses 
  • On site farming facilities
• CLIP participants will visit local farms that employ conservative farming practices such as:
  • Conservation Grazing
  • Cover Cropping
  • Regenerative Agriculture
• CLIP participants will view a demonstration of how to take soil samples and how to analyze key soil properties such as:
  • Organic Matter
  • Aggregate structure