Forest Glen Preserve with Kermit

A few weeks ago I went for a day hike at the Forest Glen Preserve, in east-central Illinois. It is one of the nicest natural areas in that region, with beech-maple and oak-hickory forests. Beech occurs here, on the western edge of its range. It was great getting to see beech trees again, it reminds me of the northeast. Beech-bark-disease (BBD) does not occur out there yet, so there are some very beautiful, large and healthy trees. 

One of my favorite sights in northeastern forests-- sunlight streaming through beech leaves

Kermit liked laying in the creek. 

Kermit was afraid of walking all the way to the top of the Fire Tower, so some Boy Scouts at the bottom watched him for me while I quickly checked out the view. 

This photo is very grainy, because I took it with my cell phone. This was taken from the top of the fire tower in Forest Glen. 

Wetland field work in Southern Illinois

Here are some photos from field work this summer in Illinois, with the Matthews Lab, at the University of Illinois. 

Mitigation bank in Franklin County, Illinois. 

Dusk at a mitigation bank in Franklin County Illinois

One of the several box turtles I found this spring and summer

Juvenile spring peeper at a wetland mitigation site in Saline County

Really impressive-looking spider protecting its egg sac, climbing on a silver maple. At a wetland mitigation site in Saline County (Illinois).

Heading out at dusk, just before a storm rolled in. 

Planting trees in Southern Illinois

In May, me and Ada planted ~418 trees at a wetland mitigation bank in Franklin County Illinois. Ada (grad student in the Matthews Lab) is studying the survival and growth of planted trees in the mitigation bank.

Ada surveying the study site

Me planting tree seedlings along the transect

Ada using the dibble to set the hole for the seedling