March 2024 photos of the Florida Orchard Prairie have been added to the box folder.

October 2023 photos of the Florida Orchard Prairie have been added to the box folder.

Jun 2023 photos of the Florida Orchard Prairie have been added to the box folder.

From: Alice Berkson

To: John Marlin; James Ellis; White, Morgan

Recipients: jcmarlin@sbcglobal.net; james.ellis72@gmail.com; mbwhite at illinois.edu 

Hello -- Now that the Florida/Orchard Prairie Zone has had a spring haircut, would traversing the area to pick up trash be a

good idea

irrelevant

harmful to plants

Just let me know, I can get to it possibly before the weekend, definitely early next week.

Also at least one of the Prairie Zone signs (on a single metal pole) are listing to one side. I straightened out the one adjoining the driveway so I think they are not set in concrete? Should I drop a few stones next to it in an effort to keep it straight? -- Alice

--

Alice Berkson
904 Mayfair Rd.     
Champaign, IL  61821-4437
voice 217.356.4829
SpectroClick, Inc:
www.SpectroClick.com 
https://www.facebook.com/spectroclick/    
Public Service Archaeology & Architecture Program, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
https://psaap.anthro.illinois.edu/
Illinois Assn. for Advancement of Archaeology:
www.museum.state.il.us/iaaa
East Central IL Master Naturalist Program:
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/champaign/mn/index.html

The following email from John Marlin describes how to remove goldenrod at the Florida & Orchard Prairie and some motivation for doing so.

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From: John Marlin
Date: Sun, Jul 25, 2021 at 1:51 PM
Subject: Perfect time to remove goldenrod at Florida Orchard
To: Illinois Master Naturalists

The big rain Saturday evening has left the soil in perfect condition for easily pulling tall goldenrod (see photo) at the Florida-Orchard prairie next to the UI president's house.  This is a great time for some independent action to get some hours.  Grasp the stem rather low (or several stems if you wish) and slowly pull straight up.  You may get lucky and also get 3 feet of rhizome.  Pulling the plants now just before they bloom weakens them greatly and prevents seed development.  You will often notice several stems in a circular pattern, get them all.  If you cannot carry plants away, toss them into the prairie individually.  If you cannot pull or bend over, just clip the stem 2 or 3 feet above ground level to weaken the plant and spur competitors.

During he past several years we have pulled many plants along the South and east edges and the first third of the center path, Concentrate on these areas and the first third of the central path.  (WE also worked on the North side -- including putting a drop of herbicide on cut stems).  This has paid off as the species diversity has improved in these areas.  We concentrate on pulling the tall goldenrod near more desirable species like Butterfly milkweed, Bee balm, Culver's root and others.  If you walk down the central path, notice how goldenrod dominates about a third of the way down.

There is parking in the UI lots at the Archives (Hort lab) off Orchard at the top of the Hill and at various times on Orchard street North of Florida.

This site along with others including Meadow Brook, Pollinatarium, Arboretum, Lincoln Ave. Residence, Red Oak rain garden, AND homeowner plantings allow bee and other pollinator populations a chance to expand and exchange genetic material.  Attached are a recent photo of the south side and an historical poster of FLOR in 2013.

MN's can get credit for this as part of the campus native plant projects. 

I sent this BCC to some people who helped in the past and may have some current interest.

John C. Marlin

John Marlin (from Illinois Sustainable Technology Center) reported that the planting projects using SSC and ISEE grants are progressing well.

The majority of the large honeysuckle was removed from the South Arboretum Woods, mostly by the fecon machine at a cost of $20,000. Student workers (mainly NRES and ESE) are taking out the remainder with hand tools and chainsaws and finishing the resprouts and seedlings with limited applications of herbicide. The woods was actually a former research plot where many species of trees were planted in blocks very close together. A number of trees will have to be removed in order to allow for the others to grow well and to let light penetrate to the ground.

They also spent some time planting and weeding at plots at the Natural Resources Building, Burrill Hall, the Florida Orchard prairie and Lincoln Ave Residence (LAR) Hall. LAR contributed some funds toward planting.

A Boy Scout Eagle Project was conducted at the woods.  They worked on three occasions removing garlic mustard and honeysuckle.   The Master Naturalists have also put in quite a few hours.