Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington announces Winter Lecture Series

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie recently announced its annual Winter Lecture Series schedule. Canal Corridor Association President and Chief Executive Officer Ana Koval will kick off the Winter Lecture Series on Jan. 9. Koval will talk about America’s first National Heritage Area, the Canal Corridor Heritage Area, which is celebrating 35 years.

Nine presentations will take place in the Midewin Welcome Center this winter between January and April. From spider and moth watching to bird monitoring and more, the 2020 Winter Lecture Series will provide free information to the public on topics with ties to Midewin and conservation. You will find something for everyone in the following schedule:

Thursday, Jan. 9

• Illinois & Michigan Canal: Celebrating 35 years of America's first National Heritage Area, presented by Ana Koval, president & CEO of the Canal Corridor Association

The Canal Corridor Heritage Area is celebrating 35 years as the first-ever National Heritage Area in the United States. Discover the history and importance of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to the Chicago area. Learn about the sites along the corridor and some of the reasons why the canal is one of America’s most essential national treasures.

Wednesday, Jan. 15

• Spider Watching at Midewin, presented by Frank Pascoe, D.A., professor of biology at University of St. Francis

Did you know that spiders are the dominant invertebrate predators on the prairie? Using the “Spider Watching at Midewin” brochure as a guide, Pascoe will present information about spider biology, courtship, ecology and more.

Wednesday, Jan. 29

• Desire Lines: Daring to Follow Trickster Coyotes and Rambling Bison, presented by Dr. Gavin Van Horn, author and director of Cultures of Conservation at the Center for Humans and Nature

Dr. Gavin Van Horn will share readings and reflections from his recent book, “The Way of Coyote: Shared Journeys in the Urban Wilds.” Van Horn will discuss how wildlife can further connect us to the importance of re-storying Chicagoland, from our backyards to the bioregion.

Thursday, Feb. 13

• Fantastic Moths and How to Find Them, presented by Trevor Edmonson, Midewin project manager of The Wetlands Initiative

How can you get involved in mothing at Midewin in 2020? Find out during this engaging presentation by someone who, as Midewin project manager with The Wetlands Initiative, has specialized insights about the moths of Midewin. Learn about the amazing diversity of moths as well as the equipment used to find and document them.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

• Bird Life of Midewin, presented by Greg DuBois, vice president and program director of the Will County Audubon Society

Why is Midewin being called “a haven for bird watchers”? Find out. Midewin’s size and diversity of habitats supports populations of bird species that are scarce or non-existent elsewhere in Illinois. This program will highlight birds that DuBois and others have encountered during bird monitoring and bird tours at Midewin. Some are life birds!

Tuesday, March 10

• Voices Out of the Past: Midewin Oral History, presented by Dr. Pam Hunte, anthropologist and vice president of the Midewin Heritage Association

The Midewin Heritage Association has conducted interviews with people who lived and worked on this land before it was Midewin. Come hear the memories of local farm families, arsenal workers and military staff as they recall the past.

Tuesday, March 24

• Uncovering the Unknown, Unique and (sometimes) Unclear Past: A Report on the Summer 2019 Archaeological Excavations at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, presented by Dr. Madeleine McLeester and Professor Mark Schurr of the University of Notre Dame and Dr. Terrance Martin of the Illinois State Museum

Learn about recent finds, archaeology of the region and artifact analyses currently underway from the 2019 Passport in Time explorations at Midewin. What are we learning about the people who lived here long before us? What were their lives like? What were some of their challenges and how did they overcome them?

Tuesday, April 7

• New Perspectives on Bison in Illinois Country, presened by Alan D. Harn, curator emeritus of anthropology at the Illinois State Museum

In the mid-1900s, bison bones were discovered at a site south of Peoria. These specimens have since triggered a decades-long exploration into the antiquity of bison in Illinois. Learn how this site has opened a unique and clear window into ancient life and bison in Illinois.

Thursday, April 23

• Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Effects on Snake Communities in Northern Illinois, presented by Grace Wu, master’s student at University of Illinois

Wu has spent the last two years studying snake populations at Midewin and the possible effects on them from the ongoing restoration activities. Come hear her findings and learn more about the abundance and diversity of the snake species within Midewin’s 3,000 acres of restoration.

Doors open for each lecture at 6:30 p.m., and lectures begin at 7 p.m. The Midewin Welcome Center is located at 30239 S. Route 53 in Wilmington. Lectures are free but registration is required. Call 815-423-6370 or email SM.FS.Midewin_RSVP@usda.gov to register.