RBD featured on The Nature Conservancy’s blog!

Rainbow Beach Dunes skyline. Photo © Jason Steger

Connect With Nature: Seeing Another Side of Stewardship

By Noël Rozny | Favorite Nature | April 20, 2016

Each year, during Earth Month, hundreds of Conservancy volunteers lend their hand at Connect With Nature events across the country – each with their own unique projects.

This year, Connect With Nature events at Chicago’s Rainbow Beach have a brand new feel. That’s because successful efforts to restore this vital natural area now require a different set of skills and efforts.

“Rainbow Beach is a small site, but it’s very high quality because of the careful stewardship that’s been going on there for years,” explained Forrest Cortes, community stewardship program manager.

“As a result, a lot of the activities this season are focused on monitoring and assessing the results of stewardship work.”

– See more at TNC blog including quotes from RBD stewards!

Advertisements

April 23: Community Stewardship Workday for Earth Day!

Come out to Rainbow Beach Dunes this Saturday April 23 for Earth Day workday 2016!

Our earliest flowers (Arabidopsis lyrata [sand cress] and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [arctic bearberry]) are in full bloom out on the dunes. You might also see some mallards, mergansers, or great blue herons, all sighted from the dunes earlier this month!  At the workday, we’ll look for other early blooms and do more cleanup throughout the nature area.  Join us Saturday April 23 from 10am-12pm.

Remember to prepare for the weather and terrain: it could be cold, wet, or windy! Sturdy shoes, long pants and water are recommended. Tools, equipment, and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP here, and contact co-stewards Alison Anastasio (alison.anastasio@gmail.com) or Jen Raber (jennifer.raber@gmail.com) with questions.

….

Directions and a map can be found here.

Rainbow Beach Park runs parallel to South Shore Drive from 75th-79th Streets.
By foot, walk east from South Shore Dr. on 77th St.
By car, you can only access the park at the southern end.
From the north/west, follow Hwy 41 east as it splits from South Shore Drive at 79th St. Turn left into the park at Farragut.
From the south, follow Hwy 41 north and turn right on Farragut, just before the intersection of 79th/South Shore.
Once in the park, go past the stop sign and water filtration plant and turn right at the next opportunity, into the parking lot before the Field House. Go to the southeast end of this lot and park. Meet at the entrance to the Nature Area, which is located at the southern end of the beach (look for the banner!).