Brian with Agnes Wojnarski and Dana Sievertson from the Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission
 
Our speakers today were Agnes Wojnarski and Dana Sievertson from the Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission.  
 
The Commission is a citizen volunteer group formed in 2014 to manage and preserve the natural resources of Prospect Heights.  The six commissioners are appointed by the City Council.  There are also thirteen regular volunteers and dozens more who help out periodically on their cleanup days  
 
Their major general goal is to connect the green corridors in Prospect Heights to attract migrating wildlife and improve their environments.  Their efforts have been a success so far as evidenced by the return of several rare bird and insect species including a massive influx of butterflies in 2015 and 8 pairs of wood ducks.  
 
In 2014, the Commission earned a ComEd grant to restore five acres along the slew area.  Last year, a private donation allowed the commission to create a paid intern position to help plan and coordinate activities.  
 
The project has focused on the removal of invasive plant species - specifically buckthorn and has included several proscribed burns.  Volunteers also gather seeds for packets that are distributed in other green areas and to residents.  It is preferable to have genetically local plants propagate than to bring in the same species from other areas.  (It's also less expensive!)  The Commission is also propagating seeds in trays to grow and hopefully replant throughout the area.  So far, 80 species have been collected and grown into 1,000's of plants.  
 
The Commission is doing great things in Prospect Heights and we were very glad to have them give us an update on all they do.