Newsletter from Tuesday, July 11th, 2023
Dear NCH2 Community,
We have all heard about the 5 Rs: Reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose and refuse (no thank you I don’t need a plastic bag or straw). Seeing people experience climate-related loss as well as our own experience of climate change challenges, we encourage you to think of other Rs—it is essential for our health and well-being to “Renew, Refresh, Restore, and Resist" (the impulse to pick up your phone, pop open your computer, or ruminate about the unknown future). One way is to join Unplug Illinois events this Saturday. Alternatively, try other ways to enjoy time outside with friends and/or family, unplugged from electronics, social media, emails, and the ever present to-do list.
As you take time for yourself to Unplug, we encourage you to think about the concept of reciprocity and our gratitude for nature and our ecosystem. It is a concept that Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass, discusses most frequently in her talks and is described here. Last week exposed Chicagoland residents to the risks of climate change—swollen waterways and flooding, dangerous air quality, and temperatures. How can we offer our talents, stewardship, and care to a land that is very much at risk? Some ways to take action are highlighted here. Make sure to check out our In the News section which reports on new research studies about ways Green Spaces support our health!
The City of Chicago continues to look for Volunteers for its Heat Island Assessment where on a day that the City determines is idea for mapping heat in the city, volunteers will measure temperatures at specific points in the city . See more here.
We have all heard about the 5 Rs: Reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose and refuse (no thank you I don’t need a plastic bag or straw). Seeing people experience climate-related loss as well as our own experience of climate change challenges, we encourage you to think of other Rs—it is essential for our health and well-being to “Renew, Refresh, Restore, and Resist" (the impulse to pick up your phone, pop open your computer, or ruminate about the unknown future). One way is to join Unplug Illinois events this Saturday. Alternatively, try other ways to enjoy time outside with friends and/or family, unplugged from electronics, social media, emails, and the ever present to-do list.
As you take time for yourself to Unplug, we encourage you to think about the concept of reciprocity and our gratitude for nature and our ecosystem. It is a concept that Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass, discusses most frequently in her talks and is described here. Last week exposed Chicagoland residents to the risks of climate change—swollen waterways and flooding, dangerous air quality, and temperatures. How can we offer our talents, stewardship, and care to a land that is very much at risk? Some ways to take action are highlighted here. Make sure to check out our In the News section which reports on new research studies about ways Green Spaces support our health!
The City of Chicago continues to look for Volunteers for its Heat Island Assessment where on a day that the City determines is idea for mapping heat in the city, volunteers will measure temperatures at specific points in the city . See more here.
Index
Community spotlight
Upcoming Events
Future Events and Ongoing
Job Opportunities
In the News
Connect with Us
Community spotlight
Upcoming Events
Future Events and Ongoing
Job Opportunities
In the News
Connect with Us
Saying Yes! to Plugging into Nature
This Saturday, Evanston kicks off its Unplug Illinois Day from 10:00 - 4:00 p.m. where "Participants will receive a map of natural areas to visit in Evanston. Each natural site will have fun, free nature activities led by Ecology Center staff and natural area stewards. Guided activities will include fishing, birding, mindfulness walks, scavenger hunts, and more." Unplug Illinois is an ongoing, state-wide initiative to get communities to plug into play, plug into creativity and plug into activity, and unplug from screens on the second Saturday of July. Evanston requests registration here but it is not required.
Upcoming Events
Double Dutch Festival, 2022 Big Marsh Park
Faith in Place Hosts Double Dutch Festival
So many activities for this event, it is a must attend! Beach clean-up, breakdances, double dutch jump rope workshops, Food Trucks, and Migration and Me education (about monarchs), and face painting. All welcome. No registration necessary but they would like to know you are coming here.
When: July 15, 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Where: Rainbow Beach, Chicago 3111 E. 77th St.
So many activities for this event, it is a must attend! Beach clean-up, breakdances, double dutch jump rope workshops, Food Trucks, and Migration and Me education (about monarchs), and face painting. All welcome. No registration necessary but they would like to know you are coming here.
When: July 15, 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Where: Rainbow Beach, Chicago 3111 E. 77th St.
Image, Grow Greater Englewood
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Local Farmers' Markets--Buy Locally Grown
Many farmers' markets are in full swing all over the region -- it is so important to support our local food sources, as it not only keeps economic resources locally, but our investment in these food sources has a much lower carbon footprint, as the food travels locally (and not from other spots in the world). Chicago Lake County Will County Dupage County |
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Outdoor Block Party: Mindful Movement Dance Party, Tapping, Joy and Yoga
Light of Lovingkindness will host this activity-filled event this Saturday with Kimberly Mhoon Mindful Movement. When: July 15th, 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. Where: Camp Shabbona Woods 15810 Torrence Ave South Holland . Register Here. |
Light of Lovingkindness
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Photo, courtesy of CRR19
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5th Annual Commemorative Race Riot of 1919 Community Bike Ride
Bicycle in community; tour historic sites in Bronzeville, and learn about the history of Eugene Williams who unjustly died in the summer of 1919 due to racist beliefs. CRR19, a broad coalition of organizations in Bronzeville and beyond, have organized this event to bring awareness to this once-erased event, which sparked over twenty-five such incidents across the nation that came to be known as the Red Summer. After the ride, you will enjoy a free lunch, music, and opportunity to engage with local organizations and resources tables. For more information and to register go here. |
Milkweed, Butterflyweed, and Gray Coneflower
Birds, Bees and Butterflies Native Gardens and Landscapes in Berwyn and Riverside
Join West Cook Wild Ones on its annual native garden and landscaping tour to understand how easy it is to convert your local greenspace into a pollinator paradise! Discover the beauty, versatility and dependability of native plants in Berwyn and Riverside. Fee ranges $10-15 per registration.
When: July 22, 2023 from 1 to 5 p.m.
Register Here
Join West Cook Wild Ones on its annual native garden and landscaping tour to understand how easy it is to convert your local greenspace into a pollinator paradise! Discover the beauty, versatility and dependability of native plants in Berwyn and Riverside. Fee ranges $10-15 per registration.
When: July 22, 2023 from 1 to 5 p.m.
Register Here
Future Events
Photo, Laura Derks
Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Equitable Tree Planting: a Chicago Regional Trees Initiative Seminar
This workshop will offer strategies to work with diverse audiences to increase tree equity in the Chicago region. It will present the results from two recent surveys: one from residents and one from regional greening organizations and municipal foresters.
Attendees will learn more about the motivations that residents have to plant or not plant trees, and about how collaboration across organizations may better serve residents of the Chicago region.
When: July 20 1:00- 3:00 p.m.
Where: Morton Arboretum, Register Here
This workshop will offer strategies to work with diverse audiences to increase tree equity in the Chicago region. It will present the results from two recent surveys: one from residents and one from regional greening organizations and municipal foresters.
Attendees will learn more about the motivations that residents have to plant or not plant trees, and about how collaboration across organizations may better serve residents of the Chicago region.
When: July 20 1:00- 3:00 p.m.
Where: Morton Arboretum, Register Here
Photo, Courtesy of OOFD
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"Flock off the Block" with Bicycling and Overnight Camping
Join Out Our Front Door on its biggest camping trip with your friends and/or family. This trip is full of fun, support and facilitation--all are welcome for all speeds and overnight accommodations. For more details go here. Meals provided. When: August 12-13 |
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Arboricultural Career Fair
The Chicago Regional Trees Initiative is hosting its second annual Trees and Tacos Arboricultural Career Fair. The fair provides demonstrations of tree care work, booths for employers in the industry, and a great chance to network with a broad mix of Tree Industry Professionals. Free Tacos for the first 100 participants! When: August 25th; 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Where: Thatcher Woods Pavilion |
Openlands tree planting, 2023
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Job Opportunities
Black Oaks Farm is looking to hire for its current 2023 growing season. See listings Here.
Dupage Forest Preserves has two full-time openings, including a Natural Resources Restoration Supervisor here
The Experimental Station has two new positions Deputy Director of Finance / Human Resources. For more information, go Here.
Friends of the Parks is looking to fill the Director of Policy and Advocacy. Applicants should send their resume and cover letter to [email protected]. The position will be posted on their website soon.
Elevate is looking to fill many positions. Look through their career opportunities here.
Equiticity has multiple positions open including Senior Director of Development and Director of Finance. Learn more here.
Faith in Place Eco-Ambassador applications for area high school students are open! Learn more here.
The Friends of the Forest Preserves is looking to fill several positions. Learn more here.
Imani Green Health Advocates Is looking for applicants for its Paid Trainee and Mentor positions. Learn more here.
Openlands is looking to fill two positions, including Chief Executive Officer! Learn more here.
Star Farm is looking to fill two positions. Learn more here.
Please send us your job openings to be featured!
In the News
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July 4th, 2023--Earth’s Hottest Day--On Record
Reported in the Washington Post extreme heat tracker, 57 million Americans were exposed to dangerous heat last Tuesday and at the same time China was also experiencing a heat wave and temperatures in the North of Africa reached 122F. The global average temperature reaching 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit. Tuesday’s global average temperature was calculated by a model that uses data from weather stations, ships, ocean buoys and satellites. Paulo Ceppi, a climate scientist at London’s Grantham Institute, explained that this modeling system has been used to estimate daily average temperatures starting in 1979. Instrument-based global temperature records date to the mid-19th century, but for temperatures before that, scientists are dependent on proxy data captured through evidence left in tree rings and ice cores. “These data tell us that it hasn’t been this warm since at least 125,000 years ago, which was the previous interglacial,” Ceppi said, referring to a period of unusual warmth between two ice ages. |
Photo, Laura Derks
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Photo, Laura Derks
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"Dopamine Hits" from Nature Can Help With Depression
“Nature’s antidepressants” is what Dan Go (@FitFounder on Twitter and a performance coach) calls such things as meditation, exercise, exposure to nature and social engagement. While these may not cure severe depression, wrote L’Oreal Thompson Payton last month in Fortune Well, they can support positive mental health and help reduce the risk of developing depressive symptoms. Sheehan Fisher, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said “Dopamine is important, but it’s not necessarily always enough to resolve a full depression...[these habits and behaviors] can impact the mood to reduce depressive symptoms for many individuals … and down the road they could help sustain a person’s well-being.” She describes Dan Go's recommendations as ‘nature’s dopamine hits,’ releasing the ‘feel-good hormones’ in your brain and body." Read more, including depressive symptoms that might require professional help. |
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Green Spaces Linked to Slower Biological Aging
Northwestern University scientists have conducted the first study investigating the effect of long-term exposure to urban green space on biological aging, specifically using DNA methylation-based epigenetic age. An article by Marla Paul of Northwestern described the report in an article in Northwestern News on June 29th. While the study found that people “who lived near more green spaces were biologically 2.5 years younger, on average, than those who live near less greenness,” it also found variations in race, gender and socioeconomic status--important observations that can help shape urban policies for green infrastructure. The paper was published June 28th in Science Advances. Restoring Grasslands Yields Biodiversity
In an experimental plot of land in the southeastern United States where trees have been cut down, many long-dormant native grasses are resurfacing from the soil. In a guest essay in the New York Times, Robert Langellier described how he and botanist Neal Humke are creating this ecological restoration, a “landscape in progress” in the Missouri Ozarks. Five years ago, they cut down nearly all the trees with the goal of restoring “one of the Ozarks’ rarest ecosystems, a type of dry, rocky grassland known as a glade.” Seeds of the grasses that appeared had been resting in the soil for decades. Recent studies have shown that the area, once thought to be covered by forests, was in fact mostly grassland – and “grasslands are surprisingly good at pulling carbon out of the atmosphere. A single sunflower might not be the carbon hog that an oak tree is, but grass’s deep root systems store the element deep underground, where it can take hundreds or thousands of years to return to the atmosphere,” he wrote. Read More here. |
Englewood Nature Trail Photo, Laura Derks
Photo, Laura Derks
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Connect with Us!
We are taking requests for any upcoming events to be added to future newsletters and our events calendar--You can also submit materials for the next newsletter by emailing [email protected]. Make sure you have accepted our newsletter email so it doesn't wind up in your junk folder!
FOLLOW US on our social media by clicking the icons below!
CREATE your own stories on Instagram and tag @NCH2Network so we can share how you engage with nature; we would love to see them!
EMAIL US and keep us updated on local events, exciting opportunities in the area, or send photos of local nature to be featured on the website.
CONTACT US at [email protected].
We are taking requests for any upcoming events to be added to future newsletters and our events calendar--You can also submit materials for the next newsletter by emailing [email protected]. Make sure you have accepted our newsletter email so it doesn't wind up in your junk folder!
FOLLOW US on our social media by clicking the icons below!
CREATE your own stories on Instagram and tag @NCH2Network so we can share how you engage with nature; we would love to see them!
EMAIL US and keep us updated on local events, exciting opportunities in the area, or send photos of local nature to be featured on the website.
CONTACT US at [email protected].