McHenry Co. Event Offers 'Mini-Vacation' At Forest Preserve

From McHenry County Conservation District: Experience the meaning of Restoration in all its definitions. Connect to nature, to community. Enjoy a night hike, morning tours, campfires, songs, a bit of history and science, a bit of reflection, restore nature and yourself. This award-winning program is a mini vacation that makes a difference! Join McHenry County Conservation District for a “Weekend of Restoration” event – A Hunters Camp on May 19–20 from 8:00 a.m., Saturday–Noon Sunday at Lost Valley Visitor Center in Glacial Park, Rt. 31 and Harts Rd., Ringwood.

Hunting is an ancient practice that goes back as far as we have any records of human life. Today, it is a form of recreation for many and for some a form of communion with nature. It is also part of our management of wildlife populations. For tens of thousands of years, hunting was part of a sacred relationship with nature and spirit among indigenous peoples, relating it to the broader sphere of religious beliefs. It was and is part of eating, perhaps our most intimate relation with other living things.

Hunting is a very good place to start a life in conservation. Over the weekend, we will participate in a breeding bird survey, become familiar with the plants and trees of McHenry County, and learn about the Conservation District’s efforts to restore and manage wildlife populations.

To leave the land better than we found it, we will plant trees and construct wire cages to protect young oaks from deer browse. Our conversations will take us from the scientific principles of wildlife management, to hunting ethics, to the role of steward in our relationship with land.

For those who would like to participate in the Saturday evening campfire and avoid the late-night drive home, camping at Glacial Park is free, exclusively as part of this event.*

Group size limited to 30, Registration deadline May 11; Register online: MCCDistrict.org, use Code: 5623. Open to ages 16 and up. Cost: $55/ Seniors (60+) $40/ Students $30/ Register with a friend get $20 off 2nd registration. (Fee includes meals). *Indoor restrooms and showers available; bring your own camping equipment. For additional information, contact Tom Simpson at (815) 678-4532 x8218 or tsimpson@mccdistrict.org.

Witness the activities and results of prior Weekends of Restoration on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/WkndofRstor. SAVE the DATES for additional Weekends of Restoration — XV: Canoe Camp: The Life of the Nippersink, June 9–10; XVI: Camp Hackmatack: Building a New Wildlife Refuge, October 12–14.

Image via Shutterstock / vovan