Volunteers Free Oak Trees in McHenry County
Restoration work continues at McHenry County Conservation District sites throughout the winter.
Naturalists say winter is the best time to work on habitat restoration. “You can actually see what you are doing without the leaves. You’re not dealing with the heat or the mosquitoes,” said Denice Beck, volunteer coordinator for the McHenry County Conservation District. “It gets people outside to really appreciate the winter weather. Some people get outside and realize it’s fun to be outside in winter.” Conservation district staff and volunteers braved temperatures in the mid-teens on a recent Saturday morning at Harrison Benwell Conservation Area in Wonder Lake. They came to cut down invasive species, mostly buckthorn and honeysuckle, giving the oak trees and other native species room to grow. Site steward Pat Heald often greets …
