FT8 - Ferns of Northeastern Illinois

Day: Sunday 7/8
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Trip Leader: Carl Taylor
Email Address: wtaylor@nsf.gov

Trip Limit: 30

Due to public and private conservation efforts, a diversity of ferns and lycopods persists around the sprawling metropolis of Chicago. Throughout the day, we will visit some of the best places around Chicago to see ferns. One stop will be at Water Fall Glen Forest Preserve in southeastern DuPage County. Here, upland, bottomland and swamp forests, marsh, sedge meadow, wet to dry prairies, ravines, and dolomite cliffs provide habitats that contain familiar favorites such as Athyrium filix-femina, Botrychium virginianum, Cystopteris bulbifera, and Dryopteris carthusiana, and others, not so common. Other possible stops include Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve, Sand Ridge Nature Preserve, Iroquois County Conservation Area, and Camp Sagawau. It is possible we will see the signature quillwort of northeastern Illinois, Isoetes butleri. Where, for only a few days about this time each year, its yellow, senescing leaves light up the prairie.Participants should come prepared for sunshine or rain. Bug repellant might be needed. Walking is moderate to easy with possibly some wet spots. The areas visited are of conservation concern and collecting of specimens is not permitted.Trip is sponsored in part by the American Fern Society.