July 01, 2024
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Bluegrass Prairie Park in Kendall County gets new oak trees thanks to conservation effort

By Shaw Local News Network
On April 8, local volunteers – representing 4-H, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, and the local Soil and Water Conservation District – teamed up to plant 25 fire-resistant, native oak species along the bike path at Bluegrass Prairie Park West in Oswego as part of the 4-H Green Communities Tree Program.

On April 8, local volunteers – representing 4-H, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, and the local Soil and Water Conservation District – teamed up to plant 25 fire-resistant, native oak species along the bike path at Bluegrass Prairie Park West in Oswego as part of the 4-H Green Communities Tree Program. (photo provided by University of Illinois Extension Office)

Bluegrass Prairie Park in Kendall County now is home to 25 new oak trees thanks to local youth, community members and organizations. The group of oak trees will help supplement oak-hickory forests currently under threat in Illinois.

In light of this, Illinois 4-H partnered with Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts to help turn the tide by planting more than 900 oak trees this spring in 38 counties.

“Oak savannas are being overtaken by invasive species, as well as more shade-tolerant trees, such as maples,” Curt Sinclair, University of Illinois Extension 4-H specialist said in a news release. “The natural world is talking to us, and Illinois 4-H is primed to listen, learn and act.”

The 4-H Green Communities Tree Program tackles global issues at a local level by combining the “learn by doing” philosophy of 4-H with guidance of the Illinois Forest Action Plan. When combined with the 2022 plantings, the effort brought a total of 1,725 new oak trees to our state.

On April 8, local volunteers representing 4-H, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists and the local SWCD teamed up to plant fire-resistant, native oak species along the bike path at Bluegrass Prairie Park West in Oswego. Staff from Oswegoland Park District, University of Illinois Extension and Soil and Water gave guidance and provided a demonstration.

“Everyone dug right in. We had an environmentally-minded group of families, teens, adults and even one dog, come out to help us with this effort,” Kim Eisnaugle, 4-H program coordinator in Kendall County said in the release. “The youth learned how to plant and mulch trees properly and clean up after, too. We look forward to watching these oak trees grow over time.”

To help support this project, visit go.illinois.edu/4hgreencommunity. Prairie Materials provided support for this program.