Community Corner
Nature Program Series Wraps Up With 'Gardening For Monarchs'
The gardening program, part of a collaboration between the Forest Preserve and Homer Glen, will take place Sept. 29 at Village Hall.
'Gardening for Monarchs,' the final program in a 6-month collaboration between the Forest Preserve District of Will County and the Village of Homer Glen, will be offered Wednesday, Sept. 29.
The program will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. at Homer Glen Village Hall, 14240 W. 151st Street. Attendees must be 18 or older and, while the program is free, donations will be accepted on behalf of The Nature Foundation of Will County, which supports Forest Preserve programming through grants.
Registration is required. To sign up for the program, call 815.727.8700.
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Illinois Certified Master Gardener Phyllis Schulte, a longtime Forest Preserve volunteer, will lead the program. During her presentation, Schulte will talk about the importance of native plants in providing nectar and habitat for pollinators, in particular monarch butterflies, and the challenges faced by bees and butterflies. The session comes at the perfect time, because late summer is a great time to assess your flower garden and plan for next year.
Schulte has been a Forest Preserve site steward for 30 years; she received her Master Gardener Certification in 1995, and she is actively involved with Illinois butterfly monitoring and the Field Museum citizen science projects. She presents programs throughout the region on the importance of native plants and monarch butterflies.
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The "Gardening for Monarchs" program is the final offering in the Forest Preserve/Homer Glen series, which began in April. The partnership with Homer Glen was designed to encourage area residents to enjoy nature and outdoor activities at both forest preserve and village locations. Program participants do not need to be residents of Homer Glen.
The programs covered a wide variety of topics including wildflower viewing, gardening, bicycling and nature exploration.
Lynn Kurczewski, the Forest Preserve's director of visitor services, said the partnership helped increase awareness of the District and encouraged visitation to local forest preserves including Messenger Marsh, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve and Hadley Valley.
Amy Blank, the village's communications and recreation coordinator, said the nature series came during the municipality's 20th anniversary year, which was fitting because Homer Glen has championed the goal of community and nature in harmony since its inception.
