Tag: McHenry County

Blogging about a Blog?

Written on October 2, 2012.

The latest news is that I now have a blog about nature on the NW Herald’s website: http://www.nwherald.com/2012/10/02/new-blogger-advocates-for-land-nature/bm7taug/ It is called “Speaking of Nature,” and the...

Reading the Land

Written on September 26, 2012.

As the crops are harvested in the fall, the land’s forms become more clear. Gentle swells and swales that were obscured by corn are suddenly prominent. If one takes the time to learn the language of the land forms, the land...

A Drought of Words About Drought

Written on July 22, 2012.

Drought. It’s a serious problem this year, but I have been reluctant to write about it. Frankly, the images that come to my mind are not pretty. I think of famine and pictures of small children with distended bellies...

Green Infrastructure: the Living Backbone of our Communities

Written on May 5, 2012.

The word infrastructure brings to mind roads, power lines, sewers and other built systems that support the human population. But there is also a natural, living infrastructure that is often overlooked: “green infrastructure.” One...

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge

Written on March 22, 2012.

The proposed Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge just took one step closer to becoming a reality when the US Fish & Wildlife Service released an assessment that recommends a location, configuration and habitat focus for...

How old is that oak?

Written on February 13, 2012.

When we say that we found an oak that is at least 400 years old, what do we base that conclusion on? Obviously, we would have to cut the tree down to count the rings, and unless it is already dead, we aren’t going to do that! The...