At the Forest Preserve Foundation Board of Directors Seed Collecting Event on September 30th an energetic group of board members, staff and community members connected with nature and with each other, learned about restoration, and helped make sure native species thrive. Fall leaf color gets all the press, but down on the ground and up-close, native prairie plants also transform at this time of year, bursting with seeds, preparing for future generations.
“Getting out like this is an excellent way to experience the work of the Forest Preserves of Cook County firsthand. It reminds us why the Foundation supports our natural areas and restoration workforce programs like the Conservation Corps,” said Board Vice Chair Theresa Salus.
Theresa Salus, Board Vice Chair, Forest Preserve Foundation
Theresa, her wife, Erin Stafford, and their two kids came directly from a soccer game, yet were still brimming over with curious energy and engagement.
“Seed collecting is an activity I’ve done in the past, but this was the first time doing it with my family. It was amazing to see my kids’ excitement as they picked the seeds of grasses and coneflowers. They were more into the activity than I thought they would be. This day left me with a feeling of wanting to do more to support this work.”
In these days of virtual meetings, this in-person, hands-on day was a nice change for new board member, Kandace Lenti.
“It was a great day and a nice, casual way to meet some of the other board members. I enjoyed chatting with others while contributing to something productive. We all need to find ways to contribute to the greater good. “
Kandace Lenti’s daughter’s dog, Roscoe, delighted all with his cuteness.
Board member LeeAnn Thomas-Foster brought her husband, Bob Foster, and daughter, Halina, to share in this sunny Saturday of stewardship:
“This took me back in time to my years in college collecting seeds and now it’s bonding me with my fellow board members and to the Forest Preserves of Cook County mission to help nature along by collecting native seeds to replant in areas of invasive species. I enjoyed listening and learning from the Forest Preserve staff and feeling their innate passion for the work they do.
LeeAnn collected late figwort, her daughter, Halina, collected echinacea, and husband, Bob, collected milkweed and rattlesnake master (in between dad jokes)
Iza Redlinski, Deputy Director of Resource Management and Kris DaPra, Interim Manager of Volunteer Resources/Stewardship Program Coordinator, shared how native plants help us and why they also need our help.
Kris DaPra, Interim Manager of Volunteer Resources/Stewardship Program Coordinator, Forest Preserves of Cook County
“Their root systems underground are so robust, they’re actually better at storing carbon than trees are,” explained Kris, “So when we talk about the climate crisis, this is the thing that is going to save us -- these grasslands.”
Iza Redlinski, Deputy Director of Resource Management
Iza painted one especially lovely picture of restoration:
“We remove invasive species and if the area hasn’t been neglected terribly and for a really long time, a lot of times the result is beautiful – there’s a seed bank full of seeds and it responds and there’s lush vegetation – grasses, sedges, beautiful flowers. Once those come, the insects come – butterflies, bees. And once those come, the birds come and it’s great.”
Then she added this bit of reality:
“There are not that many areas that are this high quality that have been neglected just for a little while. There are a lot of areas that have been overgrown for 70, 80, 100 years and that seed bank doesn’t respond. So, what happens is we clear the invasive brush, but there aren’t the native grasses or native forbs or there are small amounts, or they’re low quality, weedy plants and nothing else is coming back. So, this is where we give mother nature another hand. We first give her a hand when we remove the invasives. And we give her a hand again to bring back the biodiversity. The best way to do it is to bring seeds to that area. This is not a new idea. The forest preserves established this seed nursery in the 90s.”
While pulling seeds off Indian grass and collecting yellow coneflower seed heads, Theresa and Erin asked their kids what they know about seeds.
“They get planted,” said the youngest.
“And then there are new seeds,” said the older.
“Got it,” said Erin.
“To pick up,” he continued. “And that’s the lifecycle.”
In addition to contributing to the health of our environment, this hands-on activity contributes to our own well-being. It provides a sensory connection to nature. Recent research has shown that spending time in nature is beneficial to physical and mental health. Seed collecting is calming and tactile. “It feels like kittens. It’s so soft,” said Iza Redlinski, discussing the silky inside of a milkweed pod during the process of removing seeds.
“It was incredibly rewarding to participate in this seed collecting effort and to better understand the work we support,” said LeeAnn Thomas-Foster, “At the same time, it reminded me why I am on the board and what we are working towards in our preserves. The end game is supporting nature through human intervention activities to revitalize the ecosystem for the next generation.
This day in the field helped Foundation staff connect more directly with the work we support. This tangible experience feeds everything from Development to Communications, telling stories to building relationships.
Forest Preserve Foundation staff and Forest Preserves of Cook County staff in selfie L to R: Susanne Fairfax. Forest Preserve Foundation Communications Manager; Kris DaPra, FPCC Interim Manager of Volunteer Resources/Stewardship Program Coordinator; Debra Walker Johnson, Forest Preserve Foundation President and Executive Director; Iza Redlinski, FPCC Deputy Director of Resource Management; Erika Soria, Forest Preserve Foundation Development Director; and Isabella DeLeo, Forest Preserve Foundation Development Associate
“We’re grateful to Forest Preserves staff, Iza Relinski and Kris DaPra, for sharing their wealth of knowledge and guiding the process. A special thank you to Commissioner Maggie Trevor for taking time out of her busy schedule to join us. We’ll be adding more Foundation events like this, for people who care about nature to connect, learn, and make a difference.”
Thank you! - Theresa Salus, Forest Preserve Foundation Board Vice-Chair
The Forest Preserve Foundation provides resources to restore these vital lands, eliminate barriers to equitable access, nourish cultural engagement and nurture the next generation of nature advocates. With your help we can have a bigger impact sooner. Let's partner together!
