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Join the WCFPD Volunteer Strike Force

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Help renew the vitality of our prairies and woodlands! The Winnebago County Forest Preserve Strike Force, a volunteer group, has been implementing ecological restoration work in various forest preserves each Tuesday morning since March of 2012. Under the leadership of Greg Keilback, WCFPD Biologist/Educator, the group’s work has been focused in Forest Preserves that contain Nature Preserves: Colored Sands, Sugar River Alder, Hartley Memorial, Pecatonica River, Severson Dells, Laona Heights. Keilback focuses efforts within the Nature Preserves found on WCFPD lands that tend to hold high quality diversity and are fragile, and therefore unsuitable for management with heavy machinery.

 

The size of the volunteer group ranges from 5 – 11 workers depending on weather and schedules. The crew is small but mighty and the connection to colleges is growing and kids are coming out to do volunteer work that they get extra credit for.  A total of 388 hours of work have been accomplished at six sites.

 

The crew has been an incredible asset to the mission of the Forest Preserve in preserving our natural resources.  Its priorities have been:

  • developing plant lists for the different preserves
  • wildlife monitoring
  •  invasive species control and education

 

Anyone is welcome to join the effort, even if you can’t attend regularly. No experience necessary! Please join us Tuesday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Call Severson Dells at (815) 335-2915 for the schedule of work days and further instructions.