FREP programs are free, open to the public

Reservations are not required, unless so stated

Upcoming FREP Activities:

Wed., October 11, 2023   

FREP Noon Network

Noon-1:30 PM

Location:

Pingree Grove Forest Preserve

Forest Preserve District of Kane County

14N187 Route 20, Pingree Grove

Program:    Habitat & Hydrologic Restoration at Pingree Grove FP

Presenters:  Jeff Mengler, Dave Kraft (Hey and Associates, Inc), Bill Graser (KCFPD)

We were sorry to cancel our July picnic here due to severe weather.

We are looking forward to offering this program/tour on October 11th

Pingree Grove Forest Preserve contains a large marsh complex that is potential habitat for several state-listed species including the yellow-headed blackbird. The marsh currently lacks significant patches of open water due to dense growth by invasive species (e.g., narrowleaf cattail and common reed). Open water conditions within the marsh are critically important for migratory waterfowl, as well as the state endangered species historically present in the marsh. Water currently exits the marsh through a large culvert controlled by a railroad and therefore Forest Preserve District lacks the ability to manage water levels. In addition, the marsh is a known occurrence location for the state-listed Blanding’s turtle. The closed (vegetation) nature of the marsh is not providing ideal habitat for the turtles. 

Wed., November 8, 2023   

FREP Membership Meeting & Program

1-2:30 PM

Location:   Montgomery Village Hall, Lower Level, 200 N. River St.

Montgomery, IL 60538

Program:   Equity in Nature Access and Environmental Justice

Presenters:  Alison Paul and Kyla Muhammad, The Conservation Foundation

FREP Executive Committee will meet from 11 AM - 12:45 PM

While nature is for everyone, access to nature and its benefits are not experienced equally by all parts of society. And although we may strongly believe that every person, regardless of where they live or their social-economic status, deserves clean water, clean air, and safe access to nature as a way to be healthy and happy, barriers exist that can make experiencing and benefiting from nature exclusive for some.

Come listen, learn, and discuss how The Conservation Foundation is working to become more inclusive, impactful, and relevant to people and communities. This entails learning about and addressing hyper-local barriers to access to nature that will then inform the growth and adaption of conservation programs to local needs and partnering with local communities. The presentation will include lessons learned, important demographic trends happening along the Fox River Watershed, along with how centering equity in the development of new partnerships and programs can help expand conservation impacts into the future.

Alison Paul is The Conservation Foundation’s Vice President of Community Conservation. Alison has more than 15 years of experience working in formal and informal educational settings, from Colombia to Chicago, strengthening people’s connections to themselves, others, and the place where they live. Prior to joining TCF, Alison worked at the Field Museum of Natural History’s Keller Science Action Center as a Senior Program Manager for their Chicago Region, guiding and managing their community-based environmental work. In the ten plus years she was at the museum she honed her skills as an environmental educator, program manager, fundraiser, evaluator, facilitator, and leader. Alison is a National Environmental Leadership Program Fellow and has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Loyola University Chicago and a Masters degree in Social & Cultural Foundations in Education from DePaul University. Alison is an active mom of two kids, a certified yoga instructor and Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guide, and an overall outdoor fanatic.

Kyla Muhammad is a Community Engagement Coordinator at The Conservation Foundation. Kyla’s curiosity about living systems and passion to learn more about the ecosystem led her to become a Master Naturalist, through which she participates in community science, community education, rain monitoring, seed collecting, and native plant projects. She is also passionate about promoting sustainable and regenerative landscapes that nourish people, wildlife, and the soil. As part of these efforts, she studied wild edible plants, urban agriculture, lawn-free design, and converted her own turf-based yard into a Conservation@Home certified edible and medicinal landscape that’s become a wildlife and pollinator magnet. Kyla earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Roosevelt University. Kyla’s work is focused on ensuring that The Conservation Foundation’s events and programs engage local communities equitably. Kyla Muhammad is a Community Engagement Coordinator at The Conservation Foundation. Kyla’s work is focused on ensuring that The Conservation Foundation’s events and programs engage local communities equitably.

Carpentersville Dam, photo by Rob LInke

As I suspect you all know, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has released the results of its Fox River Connectivity & Habitat Study. This has been a very long time in coming. It is considered an ecosystem restoration project by the USACE, and hence is focused on restoring the Fox River ecosystem in Illinois. The USACE held a series of public meetings in St. Charles, Elgin, and Aurora to accept public comment on the study and its conclusions.

The study recommends removal of 9 dams on the Fox River in Carpentersville, Elgin, South Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, North Aurora, Aurora, and Montgomery. Since FREP’s founding in 1996, we have had dam removals to promote water quality, fish passage, mussel population recovery, and increased paddle craft opportunities as a central tenant of our vision. Our friends at the Fox River Study Group (FRSG) have been a partner with the USACE in getting this study completed after years of delay, and the FRSG has prepared “talking points” that were used by many in providing public comments at the USACE-hosted meetings. I offered a public statement on behalf of FREP, along with many of our partners.

The save-the-dams crowd gets very emotional and loud, and hence it is important for us to continue to get our message out. The USACE is accepting written comments through Monday, November 6, 2023. Comments or questions should be sent to Fox-River-Study@USACE.army.mil. The full study can be found at https://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/missions/Civil-Works-Projects/Public-Review-Documents/.  The FRSG talking points are posted on the FREP web page, as well as the FRSG web page. FREP strongly encourages all of you to submit comments.

On a different note, we are beginning to plan our programs for 2024. We would greatly appreciate all of your input on what is most valuable to you. It seems that we have more interest in our Noon Networks than the programs at our bimonthly partnership meetings. Please let me know what types of programs you are most interested in, and please suggest projects or topics for presentation. As you know, we have featured a mix of outdoor hands-on tours and indoor presentations. 

We are also looking for members to host our indoor programs, with audience seating and AV equipment available.

Any suggestions or comments can be sent directly to me at jmengler@heyassoc.com or to Becky Hoag at foxriverinfo@comcast.net. 

Get more information and updates on dam removal

 in the Fox Watershed at their website: foxriverstudygroup.org

Fox River Study Group's annual meeting is at

The Centre in Elgin, 100 Symphony Way, Elgin, on

Thursday, November 9, 2023 9 AM to Noon

Renewal Statements to current FREP members for 2023-24

were sent out in July.

We appreciate all of you who have responded, so far.

We are currently at 70% of last year's membership received

and are doing follow-up with those not yet in.

We hope you will respond and renew, or join.

Please help us make 100% or more!

Membership can be initiated or renewed online and dues paid via PayPal at: FREP Membership Form.

2023-24 Members are listed on our website's FREP Membership Roll (LINK)



Fox River Subwatershed News:

Indian Creek Watershed-based Plan

A final draft of the Indian Creek Watershed-based Plan and an executive summary were submitted to Illinois EPA in mid-August and are available for public review and comment. The documents are posted on FREP’s Indian Creek Watershed webpage (https://foxriverecosystem.org/fox/indian-creek) under the “Resources and Documents” section as well as on CMAP’s project engagement webpage (https://engage.cmap.illinois.gov/indian-creek-watershed-based-plan) under the “Project Documents” section. Comments can be submitted through the CMAP engagement website in the “Plan Review Forum” section or directly via email to Holly Hudson at CMAP (hhudson@cmap.illinois.gov). Comments are due by October 17, 2023.

The plan includes more than 100 site-specific best management practices (BMPs) identified by stakeholders, as well as a suite of watershed-wide BMP scenarios which account for common BMP types that could potentially be implemented throughout the Indian Creek watershed planning area but are not associated with a site-specific location at this time. BMP opportunities include a variety of urban, agricultural, and hydrologic practices such as permeable pavements, detention basin retrofits, infiltration trenches, rain gardens, vegetated swales, grassed waterways, streamside vegetated buffers, streambank stabilization, and wetland restoration. Additional watershed protection-related opportunities noted include education and outreach activities and products, local plan and ordinance updates, coordinated resource management planning, and water quality monitoring programs.

Many thanks are extended to all who participated in the planning process! Comments received from Illinois EPA and local stakeholders will be addressed, a complete front and back cover will be prepared, and a finalized plan and executive summary will be posted to both the FREP and CMAP websites. However, the process of putting all those great ideas identified in the plan into action can start away! 

If you have any questions about the project, comments on the final draft plan, or would like to discuss plan implementation ideas and opportunities, please contact Holly Hudson at CMAP: hhudson@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8700.

Photos by Holly Hudson. Above, sign at Tyler Creek Valley Subdivision in Elgin.

Below, sign at Fermilab in Batavia.

Curious about what you can do to help protect water quality and improve habitat around your own residence, property, or business? Think about native landscaping and rain gardens!

 The Conservation Foundation and the Greater Kane County Chapter of Wild Ones are two of the groups that can help get you started!

It's official -- The Fabulous Fox! Water Trail - is now a National Park Service Water Trail

After several years of dedication by the Core Development Team to make this possible, the Fabulous Fox! Water Trail has been designated a new recreational water trail by the National Park Service's National Trail System.

Please contact Karen Ann Miller for additional information, brochures and stickers.

If you would like more information or learn how to get involved, please contact

Karen Ann Miller at: millerkaren@co.kane.il.us.

The 11th Annual Fox River Summit was held

Thursday, March 16, 2023 at  

Veterans Terrace at Echo Park, Burlington, Wisconsin

The presentations are available on YouTube at THIS LINK

Mark your calendar for next year's Summit: Thursday, March 14, 2024

Powerpoint presentations from January 11, 2023

Updates from our Watershed Partners

 Presenters: Friends of the Fox River, Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, The Fabulous Fox! Water Trail, The Conservation Foundation, Fox River Study Group.

Understanding Coyotes 

Are you afraid of them? Do you wonder why they’re here? Are you worried about your small animals and children?

It’s time to put your fears to rest and learn about coyotes at

Schweitzer Environmental Center, 16N900 Sleepy Hollow Road in West Dundee Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 12:30 p.m.

Hear from an expert - Shane McKenzie has been the associate research scientist on the Urban Coyote Research Project for the past decade. He will be discussing research findings related to the coyotes of Chicagoland along with strategies for coexistence. In addition, Shane will share updates on new avenues of wildlife research related to urban river otters in Chicagoland.

The Urban Coyote Research Project was initiated in 2000 as a non-biased attempt to address shortcomings in urban coyote ecology information and management. Today it is the largest long-term study of urban coyotes in the world.

Register or call 815-356-6605 to save a spot, this will be a popular program and space is limited. https://friendsofthefoxriver.org/event/understanding-coyotes/



The mission of the Friends of the Fox River is to preserve, restore and protect the Fox River Watershed’s resources by connecting people with nature through education, research, restoration and advocacy.

You can be a Watershed Warrior

A newly released documentary called "Watershed Warriors," produced by RiversAreLife (RaL), offers an intimate look into the profound impact of FOTFR's mission of protecting, preserving, and restoring the Fox River watershed. Watershed Warriors embody the spirit of FOTFR. The film showcases the efforts of FOTFR President Gary Swick and FOTFR Education Operations Director Jenni Kempf, who both exemplify a commitment to the river's well-being.

The film highlights their journey as they tirelessly work to protect the Fox River and its watershed, making it a must-watch for all who share their passion. It's because of those who share their passion that participation in the event has grown every year. "It is exciting to see the growing and widespread support for It's Our Fox River Day," shared Gary Swick, President of Friends of the Fox River. "We extend an invitation to all who are passionate about the river to sign up and be a part of this extraordinary day of appreciation and stewardship."

FOTFR invites everyone to also experience RaL’s compelling Watershed Warriors film, which offers an illuminating perspective on the organization's mission. The film can be viewed at https://youtu.be/0GEAAvrEdzE.

Becky Hoag, Communications Manager

Fox River Ecosystem Partnership

630-482-9157 info@foxriverecosystem.org

Please email Becky if you have an email to add to our mailing list or content to add to the next monthly Downstream.