In 2004 former Lt. Governor, and later Governor, Pat Quinn started It’s Our River Day and the Illinois River Coordinating Council to create awareness and appreciation of our waterways. The Fox River was of course part of this initiative. Some communities such as Algonquin have sponsored an It’s Our River Day event ever since. Early on these were river clean up days. Some communities chose different dates to have their river cleanups each year. In Algonquin, among other places, the It’s Our River Day became much more than a cleanup – it also became a celebration of the river. I was the keynote speaker at one a few years back.
It's Our River Day was generally held the third Saturday in September of each year. In discussing this event and it’s possibilities with Friends of the Fox River, we would love it if every community up and down the Fox River held some kind of cleanup and celebration event on that date – this year it’s Saturday,September 19, 2020.
Friends of the Fox River have started calling it It’s Our Fox River Day to highlight our own river and watershed. They have produced a Resolution proclaiming the 3rd Saturday in September It’s Our Fox River Day and have distributed it to the Mayors and Presidents of the thirty-nine cities and villages along the river from Waukesha to Ottawa, and the nine counties in both states.
FREP shares this vision of getting every community in the Fox River to participate in this event. FREP and Friends can assist you if you need help in putting together such an event. Friends has put together a tool kit and web page to help coordinate this, and FREP will also work to help promote any events.
We encourage individuals, groups, and organizations to conduct safe, socially distant, cleanups along the river. We still can’t do it in large group gatherings, but be creative and stay safe. Share your plans and any photos or videos.
If you do participate in a river cleanup, you will undoubtedly come across many different kinds of plastic trash. Please plan to attend our virtual Membership Meeting and Program on September 9 to learn more about plastics and recycling (see details in this Downstream), the challenges, and what you can do to help.
Jeff Mengler
FREP President
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FREP Membership Meeting & Program
Wednesday, September 9, 2020 1 PM Via Zoom
Program: Plastics in our Watershed - including excerpts from a number of related videos from National Geographic & PBS
Presented by: Jennifer Jarland, Kane County Recycling Coordinator
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What do you know about plastic? What happens to the plastic you put in your curbside recycling bin? What can we do about plastic pollution and single-use plastics?
We’ll begin this program with a primer on what plastics are by watching the short Plastics 101 video by National Geographic. Then we’ll delve into part of a PBS video The Plastic Problem to get a global perspective and understand the challenge.
With that as background, we’ll hear from Jennifer Jarland, Kane County Recycling Coordinator, on what we should be doing locally. We’ll also have some time for your questions and discussion on other recycling items beyond plastics. Invite your friends and plan to attend. We all need to be better informed and take action.
FREP Executive Committee will be meeting by Zoom 11 AM - 12:45 PM
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We had a great FREP Noon Network presentation on Wednesday, August 12 about The Natural Areas Assurance Program at Winchester Glen in Carpentersville, IL.
The program protects and manages 122 acres of natural areas and naturalized stormwater detention through a combination of conservation easement and Homeowners Association-funded ecological management.
Dan Lobbes and Jennifer Hammer from The Conservation Foundation shared their experiences with getting the program set up through the ACOE permitting process, and lessons learned over the last 13 years.
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Upcoming:
October 14, 2020 FREP Noon Network
Noon to 1:30 PM
Program: Hackmatack NWF – A National Wildlife Refuge in our Watershed
Presenters: Nancy Williamson and Steve Byers
Location:Via Zoom
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Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is our local, urban refuge. It was first established by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2012. The Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge boundary employs a Cores and Corridors concept for wildlife preservation with a focus on migratory and grassland birds. Four core areas will be protected alongside existing conservation lands held by other partners including the McHenry County Conservation District and Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. Nippersink Creek and its tributaries will serve as wildlife corridors to connect most of the core areas.
Join our program to learn what a Hackmatack is, how you can visit this refuge, what you can expect to see, and more about the vision for this amazing refuge in our watershed.
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FREP Membership & Annual Dues
Current members should have received their annual dues statements by mail.
We truly appreciate your support and are grateful to all who have sent in their dues.
We are listing our latest
2020-21 paid members here, and also have them posted
on the:
Membership can be initiated or renewed online and dues paid via PayPal at:
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2020-21 Dues Paid for these members
(Since those posted in our August 3rd Downstream):
Batavia Park District
City of Batavia
City of Elgin
Forest Preserve District of Kane County
Crystal Lake Park District
DeKalb County Forest Preserve District
Deuchler Engineering Corporation
Engineering Enterprises Inc. - EEI
Environmental Defenders of McHenry County
Fox Metro Water Reclamation District, Oswego
Fox River Water Reclamation District, Elgin
Friends of the Fox River
Hey and Associates
Kane-DuPage Soil & Water Conservation District
Kane County Farm Bureau
Lake County Stormwater Management Commission
Living Waters Consultants
McHenry County
McHenry County Conservation District
North Cook Co. Soil & Water Conservation Dist.
RES, LLC
St. Charles Park District
Tyler Creek Watershed Coalition
Village of Oakwood Hills
Friends:
Michael Ander
Linda Cole
Ed & Sue Harney
Jeff Hedrich
Gloria Klimek
Gary Mechanic
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Indian Creek Watershed-based Planning |
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August 2020 Update
Preparation of the watershed resource inventory (WRI) is ongoing. CMAP is documenting existing conditions in the watershed including local governments and districts, population and demographics, physical and natural resources, land use and land cover, water quality, pollutant sources, and land and water management practices. To provide the pollutant load modeling requirement of the WRI, thanks to support from the Fox River Study Group (FRSG), CMAP subcontracted with Geosyntec to update and apply the FRSG’s Fox River Watershed HSPF (Hydrological Simulation Program – Fortran) model to the Indian Creek watershed. Geosyntec is currently updating the model with the latest land use, topography, soils, and storm water drainage data for the planning area. A draft WRI is due to Illinois EPA at the end of August, with a final WRI due at the end of November.
Public engagement activities will be planned following the completion of the draft WRI to gain additional insights into watershed conditions and learn about opportunities for water quality and habitat protection and restoration in the watershed.
For project updates, documents, maps, photos, and announcements, please visit https://foxriverecosystem.org/fox/indian-creek. If you would like to be added to the contact list for Indian Creek Watershed-based Planning news and events, or have any questions about the project, please contact Holly Hudson at CMAP:
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Other Subwatersheds News:
Lots of great information in the Flint Creek/Spring Creek newsletter sent out 7/30/20:
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FREP has joined with the Southeast Wisconsin Fox River Partnership and the Village of Waterford, Wisconsin, to pursue the designation of all or portions of the Fox River in Wisconsin and Illinois as a National Water Trail through the National Park Services' National Water Trail System. Technical assistance from the NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program has been awarded and planning is now proceeding.
The Core Development Team (CDT) of the Fabulous Fox! Water Trail has not met recently, but work continues! Karen Miller, Illinois co-chair, has been working with Kane County staff from the Development Department, Department of Transportation and the Forest Preserve District on a series of five articles in Kane County Connects to encourage recreation on the Fabulous Fox! Water Trail and the land- based trails as well as patronizing local businesses. Portions of these articles were also published in the
You can find the articles by following these links:
Karen is also developing a series of itineraries for the Illinois portion of the Fox River. Itineraries for Wisconsin can be found at: Itineraries
Sigrid Pilgrim is updating the list of entities that rent canoes and/or kayaks.
The Coronavirus pandemic has eliminated, hopefully temporarily, tourism funding to pay for the printing and distribution of FF!WT brochures this paddling season. Karen does have some brochures. If you would like brochures please contact her at millerkaren@co.kane.il.us.
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Other Watershed News & Activities |
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Urban and Community Forestry Grant - Information Webinars
September 1, 2, 8, 15 or 16
Presented by Chicago Region Trees Initiative and Morton Arboretum
Information and Link to Register HERE
Community Solar with Trajectory Energy Partners
Thursday, September 17th, 12-1pm
Presented by Seven Generations Ahead
Information and Link to Register HERE
2020 Virtual Deicing Workshops
October 1, 8, 14
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Becky Hoag, Communications Manager
Fox River Ecosystem Partnership
Please email Becky if you have an email to add to our mailing list or content to add to the next monthly Downstream.
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