2023 Wildflower Walkabout Series
Join Severson Dells and the Natural Land Institute staff and volunteers on an exploration of many of the local wildflower hotspots. Wildflower Walks showcase what is currently in bloom at various woodland and prairie preserves around Winnebago, Boone and Ogle Counties. All walks will begin at 6:00 p.m. No fee for the walks, but membership in Severson Dells and/or the Natural Land Institute is encouraged.
Registration for all of the walks will be required through EventBrite. Each walk has two leaders, and each group will allow reservations for 20 people. Please register for a maximum of five walks.
For more information, please call 815/335-2915 (SD) or 815/964-6666 (NLI).
Tuesday, April 25 – Howard D. Colman Dells Nature Preserve
Zach Grycan and Barbara Williams will lead this hike on property owned and managed by NLI. This 96-acre Nature Preserve is located along Hall Creek, southwest of Rockford. One of the attractive features of this preserve is a series of cliffs known as the dells. Many unique plants restricted to limestone and dolomite outcrops are found here, as well as some northern relict plants. Located near the intersection of East Severson Road and North Weldon Road. From Meridian and Montague Road, drive south and turn west onto McGregor Road, turn north onto Weldon Road. Moderate- difficult hiking.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Wednesday, May 3 – Anna Page Park
Joni Denker of the Rockford Park District and Daniel Pohl of the Illinois Natural History Survey will lead this walk at Rockford Park District’s Anna Page Park. We will travel through a variety of plant communities, from creek bottoms to maple forest to view marsh marigolds, trillium, blue-eyed marys and numerous other spring flowers. Moderate hiking, possibly with muddy areas. We will meet at the large parking lot at the westernmost point along the park loop road (not the parking area by the playground and bathrooms).
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Tuesday, May 9- Piscasaw Fen
Join Aaron Minson and Brian Hale on a hunt for spring wildflowers in the fen and oak savanna habitats of Piscasaw Fen. Guests will also see the habitat restoration at this Boone County Conservation District site. The Piscasaw Fen is located at 8605 Norris Ln., Capron. Easy hiking.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Wednesday, May 17 – Pecatonica River Forest Preserve
Connie McIntosh and Kathy Martinez will take us on a tour of the Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve, which includes river edge floodplain forest, oxbow pond marshes and upland forest along the Pecatonica River. The site has outstanding spring flora and birdlife. Please meet on Blair Road on the north side of the forest preserve. Hiking will be easy to moderate.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Tuesday, May 23 – Burr Oak Valley Nature Preserve
Zach Grycan and Tyler Pellegrini, Natural Land Institute staff, will lead us through this 99-acre property that is owned and managed by NLI. The natural communities we will visit include mesic upland forest, dolomite prairie, dolomite cliff and intermittent stream. Expect to see blue-eyed grass, Columbine, maidenhair fern, and the rare kittentails. Please park at the northern entrance of the preserve at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, 7404 Elevator Rd. in Roscoe. Moderate hiking.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Wednesday, May 31 – Searls Prairie Nature Preserve
Joni Denker of the Rockford Park District and Sandra Vaughn-Pottorff, will lead this hike through mesic and wet-mesic prairie where prairie dropseed, Indian grass, and big bluestem grow. This site is one of the highest quality wet prairies in the state. Meet at Searls Park on Central Avenue in Rockford across from the soccer fields. Easy hiking, but the area may be wet.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Wednesday, June 7 – Stephen and Deirdre Nardi Equine Prairie Preserve
Russell Brunner, Superintendent of Land Management, will lead this hike at the Byron Forest Preserve District’s largest preserve at more than 550 acres. We will explore sand prairie restorations and remnant dolomite hill prairies. There are acres of Wild Lupine that should be in bloom as well as Golden Alexanders, Ohio Spiderwort, Foxglove Beardtongue, Indigo, and Pale Purple Coneflower. This preserve has more than 10 miles of trails and is open to horseback riding as well. The gravel parking lot is located at 6651 N River Road, about two miles south of the Byron Forest Preserve District’s headquarters and Jarrett Prairie Preserve. Hiking will be easy.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Wednesday, June 14 – Sewell Conservation Area
Join Aaron Minson and Ben Davies of the Boone County Conservation District at Sewell Conservation Area, a recently restored 200-acre site that has been converted from conventional agriculture to high quality habitat. This is a unique opportunity to observe multiple phases of the three year process it has taken to convert this area to prairie.10683 Fruit Farm Rd., Garden Prairie. Easy hiking.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Tuesday, June 20 – Wilson Prairie Nature Preserve
Zach Grycan and Laura Helmich of the Natural Land Institute will lead a tour of this privately-owned 20-acre dry prairie which provides habitat for at least nine species of grasses and more than 75 species of native flowers. The northwest corner of the preserve borders Sumner Creek. Moderate hiking. Please park on the north side of Hwy 20, two miles west of the intersection of Pecatonica Road and Hwy 20 and just before the Stephenson County line.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.
Wednesday, June 28 – Harlem Hills Prairie Nature Preserve
Don Miller and Jerry Paulson will offer their expertise on this visit to Harlem Hills Prairie. If we hit it just right, the hills should be bright with the pink and purple of the pale purple coneflowers. The always-beautiful sunset will be a bonus on this favorite of walks. Please meet on Flora Drive in Loves Park. Easy hiking.
Click here to register for this walk via the Eventbrite website.