Wild Things Conference 2007

[Mike Clifford]

I just ran across this, and I'm giving some thought to attending.

Looks very interesting!

Wild Things 2007 Conference Schedule

Saturday, March 3rd, 2007

Northeastern Illinois University

 

For individual sessions, see the detailed schedule below.

 

Detailed Schedule

 

Featured Speakers are denoted by an asterisk (*) after the session code.

 

Click on the session code (e.g. D1, C2, M3) to view the abstract for that session.

8:00 am Registration Opens

9:00 – 10:00 am Welcome & Breakout Sessions 1

A1 Using the Clean Water Act to Protect Your Favorite Wet Habitat - Dr. Cindy Skrukrud

B1 Finding the History of your Preserve’s Landscape - Dave Lloyd

C1 Backyard Gardening for Birds and Butterflies - Marian Thill

D1 Chicago Bird Collision Monitors: Migratory Bird Rescue and Protection - Annette Prince

E1 Lichens of Northeast Illinois - Rich Hyerczyk

F1 Soarigami: Folding planes that look and fly like birds and bats - Sean Shaffer

G1 Butterflies - Doug Taron

H1 Absent Factors: Ecological Anachronisms - Greg Rajsky

I1 Biotic Indicators as a preferred calibration/validation method for Hydrologic and Hydro geologic Modeling - Dominic Kempson

J1 The Use of GIS/GPS in Natural Areas Land Management - Rebecca Grill and Jenny McBride

K1 Introduction to Permaculture - Bill Wilson

L1 Volunteer Retention and Target Audience Recruitment - Julia Borque and Renee Gauchat

M1 * How Plants Changed the World - Bill Burger

N1 Midewin—a 10-year report - Logan Lee

10:15 – 11:00 am Breakout Sessions 2

A2 How to grow an Environmental Neighborhood in Chicago - Julie Peterson

B2 Exploring Nature Through Photography - Walter L. Anderson

C2 The Home Landscape, Naturally! - Keith Nowakowski

D2 Raptor Migration Through Northeastern Illinois - Vic Berardi

E2 The Fragmented Landscape: Post-settlement Changes in the Natural Vegetation of the Chicago Region of Illinois - Marlin Bowles, Jenny McBride, and Michael Jones

F2 The Living Map – Teaching Natural History and Restoration to Elementary Aged Students – Kim Caldwell

G2 * Status and Distribution of Conservative Insects within the Outstanding Sand Prairies and Savannas of the Chicago Wilderness Region - Ron Panzer

H2 So You Want to Conduct a Population Viability Analysis (PVA)? - Michael J. Dreslik

I2 Walking Behind the Glaciers: the Geo-Ecology of the Chicago Region - Thomas Simpson

J2 Deer Overpopulation: Impacts on Natural and Human Communities - Bob Porter, Jennifer Filipiak

K2 Global Warming: The Choice is Ours - Richard Treptow

L2 Volunteers – How to Attract Them and Hang on to Them - Dick Riner, Benjamin Cox, Roger Keller and Suzanne Koglin

M2 Resources for Bird Habitat Restoration Advocates - Bob Fisher, Judy Pollock

11:15 – 12:00 pm Breakout Sessions 3

A3 “Buy Land. They aren’t making it anymore.”—Mark Twain - Jack Shouba, Ken Johnson, and Denise Morgan

B3 Planting Artful Seeds of Creativity: Tools for Centering - A Mixed Media Art Making Workshop – Sharon Hyson

C3 Why Rain Gardens are Important – Sue Cubberly

D3 * Bird Response to Grassland Restoration - Jim Herkert

E3 Carex in Woods and Woodland Gardens - Linda Curtis

F3 Telling Stories with Pictures; Painting Pictures with Words - Barbara Wilson

G3 The Purloined Bug: Finding the Exotic in Plain Sight in Hyde Park - Michael LaBarbera

H3 Monitoring Projects and Lessons we have Learned - Bob Fisher, Diane Huebner, Craig Stettner, Paul Bollinger, Doug Taron, Tom Peterson, Susanne Masi, Steve Kroiss, Emily Hudson, and Karen Glennemeier

I3 Documenting Hydrological Problems at the National Lakeshore by Using Plants - Jerry Wilhelm

J3 The Control of Invasives - Al Wilson

L3 Developing and Managing a Successful Volunteer Program: A Problem Solving Session - Carol Mayes

M3 Increasing Diversity in Prairie Restorations: Why and How - Chris Hauser and Stephen Packard

N3 A Walk Around Nelson Lake - Bob and Kathy Andrini

12:00 – 1:30 pm Lunch

 

Lunchtime will feature exhibits, posters, an art fair and a book signing by members of our community.

Book Signing

William Burger: "Flowers - How they Changed the World"

Victor Cassidy: "Henry Chandler Cowles: Pioneer Ecologist"

Linda Curtis: "Woodland Carex of the Upper Midwest"

Sheryl De Vore: "Birding Illinois"

Sheryl De Vore & Steve Bailey: "Birds of Illinois"

Susanne Masi: "The Sunflower Family of the Upper Midwest"

1:30 – 2:15 pm Breakout Sessions 4

 

In this session, you have the option of registering for any two 20-minute sessions or one 45-minute session.

A4i Our Great Lakes: Raising Awareness of the Value and Vulnerability - Dayna Decker

A4ii A Field Guide to the Freshwater Mussels of Chicago Wilderness - Laura Barghusen

B4i Henry Chandler Cowles: Pioneer Ecologist - Victor Cassidy

B4ii Representations of Urban Wilderness in Chicago - Michael Bryson

C4i The Calumet Stewardship Initiative: a community partnership for change - Kevin Murphy, Laurel Ross, Joanne Podkul, and Kirk Anne Taylor

C4ii Integrating Restoration Ecology into Educational Settings - Adolfo Sanchez

D4 Bird Colonization and Extinction Rates of Wetland Birds in Northeastern Illinois - Mike Ward

E4i Engaging Educators from Urban Communities in Nature Education - Debby F. Mir.

E4ii The Millennium Seed Bank Project: the Noah’s Ark of Native Seeds - Betsy Allen

F4 Mighty Acorns: Youth Stewardship Education - Betsy Quail

G4 Invasive Insect Pests, Current and Future: Their Impact on our Region - Tom Dilley, Bob Benjamin, Edith Makra

H4i Ecology of the Blanding's Turtle - Whitney Banning

H4ii Creating Native Eco-gardens in Sterile Green Residential Association Landscapes - Dennis Paige

I4i Stream Restoration Study - Jeff Mengler

I4ii Coir Logs and Cord Grass: Erosion Control the Natural Way - Frank Hassler presenter and co-authors Mark Micek and Doug Dewitt

J4i Prairie Functional Composition: Development of a Rapid Assessment Method for Measuring Vegetation Integrity - Valerie Sivicek

J4ii Stamping Out Invasives and Nurturing Natives: Tools for Community Outreach - Wendy W. Smith

K4 Successful restorations in Urban Settings - Jack Pizzo

L4 Invasive Plant Species and Control Methods - Scott Kobal and Dave Hodge

M4 * The Urban Game Park: Fox Squirrels and Gray Squirrels of Chicago - Dr. Joel S. Brown

N4i Ecological Land Management at Fermilab – Bob Lootens

N4ii Whitetail Deer Management at Fermilab – Rod Walton

2:30 – 3:00 pm Breakout Sessions 5

A5 Pure Politics: Supporting Candidates for Office—Lessons for All - Jennifer Hensley

B5 Practical Web Sites - Gary Davis

C5 Interdisciplinary Collaboration Connects Students to Nature - Virginia Pezalla and Beth Gainer

D5 From Plans to Action – Answering Priority Research Questions from the Chicago Wilderness Research Agenda - Liam Heneghan, Laurel Ross, and Jane Balaban

E5 Temporal and Spatial Vegetation Dynamics in a Remnant Oak Savanna: Middlefork Savanna - Pete Jackson

F5 Natural Collaboration - Emily Kenny and Michelle O’Connor

G5 Introduction to Singing Insects - Carl Strang

H5 Which Came First: the Chicken, the Egg, the Pollinator, the Host, or the Rare Species? - Cathy Pollack, Kristopher Lah, and Michael Redmer

I5 Return of Soil Moisture Following Removal of Invasive Woody Vegetation at Prairie Creek, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie - Geoffrey Parish, PG, PH

J5 How mycorrhizal fungi have been used in reclamation and restoration and what are their limits - Dr. Sarah C. Richardson

K5 Urban Habitat Creation and Use of Biomimic Design in High Stress Urban Environments - Domenico D'Alessandro

L5 Thematic Interpretation For Volunteers - John Elliot

M5 * A View From Springfield: State Government, Citizens and the Land - Senator Pamela Althoff

N5 Birds of Fermilab - Peter Kasper

3:15 – 3:45 pm Breakout Sessions 6

A6 Conservation Economics for the Chicago Region - Ken Bagstad

B6 Journalism for Nature and the Community - Don Parker

C6 Educating Our Way to Watershed Improvements - Joni Marin

D6 100 Years of Changing Bird Populations in Illinois - Jeffrey W. Walk

E6 Web-based Resources for Identification of Vascular Plants and Macro fungi in the Chicago Region - Bil Alverson, Gayle Tonkovich, Pat Leacock, Laurel Ross, and Greg Mueller

F6 The Chicago Wilderness Field Passport - Pat Hayes

G6 Chicago’s Reptiles and Amphibians and the People who Count Them - Mike Redmer

H6 The Chicago Wilderness Grassland Audit - Karen Glennemeier

I6 Deer Browse Impacts on Illinois Nature Preserves Managed by the Forest Preserve District of Will County - Scott Haulton

J6 The Importance of the Private Landowner in Protecting Critical Habitat - Kevin Dick

K6 Establishing Habitat For Critters in Your Yard - Cecilia Ungari

L6 Oh, Help Me! Getting the Help You Need - April Anderson

M6 Non-Profits and Lobbying—Yes You Can - Douglas Chien

N6 * Chicago’s Green Initiatives - Sadhu Johnston

4:00 – 4:45 pm Breakout Sessions 7

A7 Advocacy 101: How to be an Effective Advocate - Karen Orenstein

B7 The Art of Storytelling: Provoking your Audience with Compelling Stories - Sue Holt and Michele Mottlowitz

C7 Neighborhood Native Landscaping: How Citizens can Create and Sustain Native Gardens in Local Schoolyards, Parkways and Community Gardens - Pete Leki

D7 The Wide, Wide World of the Birds of Illinois: Things we knew and things we didn’t know about avian life in the prairie state - Sheryl De Vore & Steven Bailey

E7 New Invaders Watch Program-Learn to Identify and Report New Invasive Species in the Chicago Region - Karen Tharp

F7 Educational Web Resources and How to Search for Them - Nancy Pollard

G7 Naturalist’s Journal - Yvonne Woulfe

H7 * Heroes And Heroines From The Region’s Great Places - Steve Packard

I7 Prairie Wolf Slough: Water Quality Functions in an Urban Wetland Restoration - Jim Montgomery

J7 Clearing Brush with Big Machines - Bill Kleiman

K7 Softening the Edges of Nature and Culture: Integrating Restoration and Sustainability Concerns - Rael Bassan and Judy Speer

L7 Opportunities for the 20-30s Crowd - Rebecca Blazer

M7 Learning to Bird by Ear: Recognizing and Identifying Birds by their Vocalizations - Geoff Williamson

N7 Becoming the Rain—Using Brain-Compatible Movement Education to Help Children Re-Member the Earth is Us - Caroline Quinlan

 

"Wild Things" is co-sponsored by: Audubon Chicago Region, the Volunteer Stewardship Network, The Nature Conservancy, Chicago Wilderness Magazine, the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Northeastern Illinois University and other Chicago Wilderness organizations.

 

This project was funded through a grant program supported by the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area, State and Private Forestry, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service, in support of Chicago Wilderness. USFWS and USFS grants of federal monies are administered by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

http://www.habitatproject.org/WildThings/schedule.html