Crabtree Nature Center: Phantom Prairie Loop

This past weekend I was also able to get out for a hike at the Crabtree Nature Center, a 1182 acre preserve operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County located in Barrington, IL. It felt good to be back there, I hadn't been since I was a kid visiting with scouts in grade school. It's kind of funny how I'm rediscovering all of this outdoor stuff back home in Illinois after so many years of taking it for granted. I have Arizona to thank for it! I hiked the Phantom Prairie Loop, a 2 mile hike through woodland and prairie. Being winter I had the trail almost completely to myself and the addition of snow on the trees made everything look really pretty. Along the way I saw a coyote and a few white-tailed deer, as well as dozens of birds at the bird feeders outside of the nature center building. The preserve is home to 89 species that breed on-site and during spring migration over 260 can be seen. As beautiful as the snow was I can't wait to go back and enjoy this hike in the summer when the wildflowers are blooming.

Black Capped Chickadee

Northern Cardinal and House Finch

White Breasted Nuthatch

American Goldfinch (Female)

The Hike: 2 miles, hardly any elevation change
Check out Crabtree Nature Center here: http://fpdcc.com/nature-centers/crabtree-nature-center/

Leave No Trace!

Nachusa Grasslands: Bison Return to Illinois

 

Bison were extirpated from Illinois in the 1830s. The population once numbered more than 50 million, spanning across North America from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up to Alaska. At 6 ft. tall and 2000 lbs, Bison are the largest land animal in North America, a remnant of the mega fauna that once roamed the continent thousands of years ago. However, by the end of the 19th century, their numbers dropped to only 1000 individuals (less than 100 of them free roaming), isolated in a few places in western states. Through vigorous conservation efforts Bison have been brought back from the brink of extinction yet for many of the states where they once roamed, they remain absent with the exception of some captive bred populations for meat. This changed in Illinois in October 2014 with the reintroduction of a herd of wild Bison at Nachusa Grasslands, a Nature Conservancy owned property in Franklin Grove, IL, 90 miles west of Chicago. 

Originating on 400 acres of land purchased in 1986, Nachusa Grasslands is a unique site that today protects approximately 3500 acres of restored tallgrass prairie that once covered much of the midwest. Tallgrass prairie, like Bison, suffered greatly at the expense of land development for agriculture as European settlers arrived in North America. In Illinois more than 99% of the original prairie was lost and converted to farmland. The Nature Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit, owns and operates the land and has worked to restore the site with more than 700 species of native prairie plants and more than 200 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Thanks to the help of volunteers and staff, more than 100,000 hours of work have resulted in a beautiful nature preserve.

The idea for Bison reintroduction originated due to the many benefits that they provide to the prairie ecosystem. Bison grazing was a major force to promote growth and rejuvenation of the prairie, the impact of which was exceeded in magnitude only by wildfires and drought. Under their tremendous weight, depressions are carved out in the soil to create pools of water that provide breeding habitat for amphibians. Their hooves aerate and loosen topsoil while their coats transport and disperse seeds that stick to their dense fur.  Bison also help remove trees, which allows light to reach prairie grasses and shrubs that require full sun.

Beginning with 20 individuals transported from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota as well as other Nature Conservancy Sites (this isn't their first time reintroducing bison), the herd arrived in October 2014 and currently roam more than 1500 acres. The population is unique in that it is descended from pure strains of Bison. Many of the captive bison that we see today in the meat industry are actually descended from "beefalo" hybrids between Bison and cattle.The herd at Nachusa has grown to around 50 individuals thanks to the birth of several calves. April 6th, 2015 marked the first wild Bison born east of the Mississippi River in nearly 200 years.

While no hiking is permitted within the Bison units (which are fenced off to keep the bison in and people out), visitors are encouraged to stop by and view the herd from outside the enclosure. The bison roam freely all year without human intervention in feeding, breeding, or survival, with the exception of one day of veterinary examination. I spent Friday afternoon hiking near the Bison Unit observing the herd. They were pretty close to the outer boundaries of the unit so I was able to get some decent pictures with a zoom lens. While the rolling hills of the preserve obstructed my view of farmhouses and other signs of civilization I watched the bison wander across the prairie and I began to imagine what Illinois looked like hundreds of years ago. In the year since the reintroduction the project has appeared pretty successful and a second herd has been established in Illinois at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie near Joliet. It's exciting to see what will come of this incredible conservation project and I'm really happy to have Bison back in Illinois.

 

For more info on Nachusa Grasslands, the Bison, and volunteering check out:

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/illinois/explore/bison-return-to-nachusa-grasslands.xml

http://www.nachusagrasslands.org/

Backyard Nature Photography

Went out for a walk today through the neighborhood park. I saw alot of different species of birds (mostly American Robins, but a few Northern Cardinal, Chickadees, House Sparrows, and a White Breasted Nuthatch) and a few white-tailed deer. I'm still learning how to use the Canon EOS 10D so the pictures aren't perfect but I'm having alot of fun with nature photography! Here are a few pictures from today:

Cheers!

McDowell Sonoran Preserve: Marcus Landslide Trail

I wasn't able to get out for a hike last weekend because I spent the whole time cooped up inside preparing for my masters thesis defense on Monday. I passed (woohoo!) and have successfully earned my masters degree in environmental engineering which is super exciting but it's also pretty bittersweet because it means that my time in Arizona is coming to a close. While I will continue to explore around the Great Lakes, I will definitely miss all of the cool things I've gotten to do in my time out west. However, in the mean time I am going to try to revisit as many of my favorite trails as I can out here.

Wednesday afternoon I took the path less traveled at the Tom's Thumb Trailhead, the Marcus Landslide Trail, part of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale. The Marcus Landslide Trail is a 3 mile out and back that takes you along the eastern face of the McDowell Mountains to the Marcus Landslide, the second largest landslide in Arizona. The trail also features a cool little 0.7 mile loop through the field of boulders that fell off the top of the mountains. The trail is much less crowded than Tom's Thumb and much less strenuous, gaining only 300 ft. of elevation. However, the views are absolutely spectacular, providing a panorama of Four Peaks, the Tonto National Forest, the Superstitions, and Weaver's Needle. The trail also features several interpretive pull-offs that provide signage to inform you about the geology of the region.

The first section of the trail involves traveling from the trailhead around the northern tip of the McDowell Mountains. This section takes you through some open desert passing stands of Palo Verde, Chainfruit Cholla, and Prickly Pear. Along the way there are also several access points for rock climbers to reach bolted routes, which date back to the 1970s and 1980s before the preserve was established. 
 

Heading east along the Marcus Landslide Trail

The Trail also provides access to many bolted climbing routes in the McDowells

Once you reach the east side of the mountain range, the panoramic views open up. The flat valley makes for excellent visibility of the Superstitions and Weaver's Needle some 40 miles away.

Weaver's Needle and the Superstitions

Many of the boulders are covered by lichens, small symbiotic organisms composed of algae and fungi

Giant Saguaro

After about a mile of hiking you begin to be surrounded by boulders from the landslide. The Marcus Landslide is named after Dr. Melvin Marcus, a late geography professor at Arizona State University. Discovered in 2002 by two graduate students at ASU, the landslide occurred approximately 500,000 years ago. 194 million cubic feet of rock and soil fell from the top of the McDowell Mountains, releasing the energy of an atomic bomb and spewing debris across a 4,000 ft. long and 1,600 ft. wide field.

Approaching the Marcus Landslide

"The fallen mushroom" - this boulder gets its shape from erosion

An in tact "Mushroom" boulder

Looking north from the loop through the Marcus Landslide

The Marcus Landslide

The Marcus Landslide

Teddy Bear Cholla

The dried out fibers of a dead Teddy Bear Cholla

Heading back to the car at sunset

The trail also provides great opportunities to view wildlife, especially at less crowded times such as a weekday afternoon. I saw several Coyotes, Desert Cottontail, and several species of birds including Gambel's Quail and Greater Roadrunner.

Coyote

Coyote

Desert Cottontail

A Coyote crossing over the border of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The sunset was a really cool time to explore the trail because of how beautiful the surrounding mountains looked illuminated by the setting sun.

Four Peaks at sunset from the trail

Four Peaks at sunset from the trail

The Trail:
Marcus Landslide Trail, 3.7 miles, 300 ft. elevation gain

For more info check out the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy:
http://www.mcdowellsonoran.org/trailhead/displayHike/10#sthash.AU5AYnT6.dpbs

Leave No Trace!