Schools
Oak Forest High School Ecology Club Presents at Chicago ‘Wild Things Conference’
Students presented a habitat preference study for the Bobolink
Oak Forest High School Ecology Club members (top row, l to r): Emily Papiez, Danielle Murawski, Michelle Madej, Augustin Tilca, (bottom row, l to r) Nick Kyle, Ni’Gere Epps Yosra Abdulwahid, and Josh Bruno, present the results of a summertime OFHS Ecology Club Migration study of habitat preference of migratory songbirds, done in conjunction with the National Audubon Society, at the “Wild Things Conference” held at the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion.
Sophomore Josh Bruno described the project. “Basically, we were finding what grass Bobolinks preferred: burned or not burned. Prairies were naturally burned over time before humans settled (such as by a lightning strike). Sometimes burns are required to bring back natural plant life,” he said. Students counted the number of Bobolinks on burned or non-burned plots during a period of time.
Over the past several years, the OFHS Ecology Club has been a part of several controlled burns in the Bartel Grasslands, of which Oak Forest High School Ecology Club Sponsor Dawn Sasek is a Steward, in order to help the prairie regenerate.
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The study the students participated in was very exciting. According to Mrs. Sasek, “The Bobolink population was reduced by 90% since the 1970 due to loss of prairie habitat. The Bobolink population has experienced a rebound due to prairie restoration efforts and the students’ data will play an important role in monitoring this recovery.”
“It was interesting to talk to people from all walks of life who stopped by to talk to us about our project,” said Bruno.
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“It was so exciting to be invited to participated in this conference,” said Mrs. Sasek. This is the second time the Oak Forest High School Ecology Club has been invited to participate and the only high school that has ever been invited to participate.
Here is a link to the program in which the OF Ecology Club Project was highlighted: http://www.wildthingscommunity.org/wild-things-conference-2017/posters.
