Green Earth News

Volume 34, No. 1, Spring 2020

Green Earth, Inc. P. O. Box 441 Carbondale, IL 62903-0441

Preserving Carbondale’s Natural Areas

Board of Directors

Beth Fisher, President Nathan Speagle, Vice President

Keith Beyler, Treasurer Dorcy Prosser, Secretary

John Foster, David Gibson Judy Martinko, Grant Miller,

Ken Mayberry, Marisa Szubryt, Laurel Toussaint

Trail Adopters

Brush Hill Mike & Chris Long

Oakland NeuroRestorative

SIUC Evaluation & Development Center

Chautauqua Bottoms Bob & Janel Taylor

Dorcy Prosser & Jan Weiss Ken Mayberry

Fernlands Nathan Speagle

Pyles Fork River to River Runners

Green Earth, Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit

organization established in 1974.

Green Earth's mission is to acquire and preserve natural areas

in the vicinity of Carbondale, Illinois, and provide access for

public enjoyment and education.

We strive to preserve these areas for future generations, and encourage public input and

participation for these objectives.

Executive Director Stephanie Eichholz,

director@greenearthinc.org (618) 201-3774

www.GreenEarthinc.org

facebook.com/GreenEarthInc twitter.com/GreenEarth_Inc

Visiting SIUC International Students Pitch In Japanese students in SIUC’s ESL program toured—and pitched in—at local nonprofits as part of their coursework. GE hosted groups for both indoor work (making merchandise for our Christmas fundraiser) and outdoor work (building and maintaining trails). We really enjoyed getting to know these students during their time with us.

Our thanks to instructor Kathryn Mutchnick for this opportunity!

(above) GE volunteer Anne Krippen-staple poses with students on the trail crew. (right) students creating merchandise for the Alternative Gift Fair fundraiser

* Rain Day Sunday May 17, 1-3 pm.

Please check our website closer to May 16th to ensure that we will not have to postpone due to the developing situation with covid-19

President’s Corner Beth Fisher, beth.bfisher@verizon.net

During this unprecedented time, as we all are getting used to new routines, I hope you are staying well and healthy. Due to restrictions on gatherings, our Native Plant Sale scheduled for April 4 has been postponed. We are working to reschedule the sale, or find a creative way to get you your natives for spring planting. Please check our website and facebook page for updates in the coming weeks.

I also want to let you know that as of the writing of this newsletter, our preserves and trails are open and will remain so until we are directed

otherwise. We are taking the guidelines seriously, though, and ask that you maintain social distancing while using our sites. Spring is a great time to enjoy the preserves; the frogs and birds are singing, and the flowers are beginning to bloom. You also may see some of our volunteers out there tackling invasive species or conducting trail maintenance. Staying active and getting outdoors will be ever more important for our physical and mental well-being as we work through this modified way of life, and I hope you will take advantage of the nature in your neighborhood.

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$400 - $1,000 CVS Foundation via Becca Tally

Laurel Toussaint & Tom Bik Leslie & Stan Curtis

$100 - $250 Dorothy Speagle, Bob & Jan Weiss

Ken Mayberry, Ruth & Thomas Roy Don Monty & Anne Gaylord

Don & Dorcy Prosser Jim & Regina Glover

Nancy Garwood & Richard Thomas John & Mary Pohlmann

William C. Ashby, Patricia Justice Michael Rosen, Liz Gersbacher

Ken Mayberry, James McFadeen Debra Sarvela, Sharon & Robert Iltis

Evergreen Garden Club

Up to $99

Connie & Mike Shanahan Emma Jean & Michael Durr

Mary Schmid & Katherina Calhoon Mary O’Hara & Tom Redmond

Charles Howe, Regina & Roger Pfister Eileen Troutt-Ervin, Tony Goodin

Barbara & Stephen McKasson Fran & Dan Becque, Grant Justice

Lisa Thomas, Molly Maxwell Arnold and Dorothy Ulner

Michael McNerney, Rene Potter Benieta Powell, Mary Mantovani

eScrip Contributors

Curtis Clark, Barbara Eichholz Stephanie Eichholz

Beth Fisher, David Gibson Dan Joutras, Judy Lewis

Beth Malmquist, Roberta Ogletree Mary O'Hara, Moe Phemister

Katherine Poulos Tom Redmond, Ruth Roy

Suzanne Schmitz, Laurel Toussaint Wenona Whitfield

Monthly Contributors

S. Bennett Mercurio John & Sara Hinde

Thanks To Our Recent Contributors!

Donations to 03.15.20

Bush Honeysuckle removal workday Pyles Fork Preserve, January 2018

Welcome New Board Member: Dr. John Foster

John has been a professor in the SIUC Political Science Department since 1975, served as Department Chair from 1981-1995, and directed the Fulbright Summer Institutes on American Government and Politics. During his time with the Institute, John asked Green Earth to host visiting international students to learn about American nonprofits. Green Earth participated in the programs for several years and segued to hosting other SIUC international students in the years since. It was a great introduction to working with John and meeting his wife Terry, both longtime supporters of Green Earth. We are looking forward to the expertise in government, policy, and collaboration John brings to our board.

Would You Consider A Bequest?

We would like to acknowledge a bequest we recently received from Ann Knewitz. Ann was a longtime Carbondale resident and supporter of GE. If you knew Ann, you knew she supported a myriad of organizations, and we are honored she chose to include us in her will with so many other worthy causes.

Over the years we have received several bequests and donations in memory of loved ones who’ve passed. Planned giving is an important source of support for nonprofits. If you enjoy GE’s nature preserves and trails and feel we bring value to Carbondale, please consider including us in your estate planning.

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Another GE Addition - Our Work Truck! A truck is vital to the running of a nature preserve. Period. With our Executive Director’s personal truck on its last legs, we were honestly concerned about how we were going to continue to maintain our properties and trails. We regularly haul gravel, tools, and equipment to and from our sites. But a truck was simply not in our budget. And we hesitated looking for a grant to cover this cost because of the on-going expense of maintenance and repair.

But, we are thrilled to announce that with a grant from Carbondale Township and a sponsorship by Gator Automotive for ongoing maintenance, we were able to purchase a used low mileage pickup truck in excellent condition. Our heartfelt gratitude to both organizations for their support!

Landscape Plants Gone Bad: Star of Bethlehem by: Laurel Toussaint Ever wonder about the plants that resemble onions/chives growing in bunches in your lawn or landscape beds this time of year? Soon pretty, single 6-petal white flowers will appear on single stalks. This plant is the Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), a native of Eurasia, and one of the most common bulbs that have escaped into the landscape.

Star of Bethlehem resemble wild onions but lack the onion’s distinct odor, and also boast a whitish stripe down the center of their grass-like leaves. Crocuses share the leaf stripe, but Star of Bethlehem’s leaves are brighter green and somewhat succulent, with a distinctive 6 petal flower.

All parts of the Star of Bethlehem are poisonous, if ingested. The bulbs and flowers are the most toxic, containing glycosides that can impact heart and digestive functions. In the eastern U.S., fields invaded by Star of Bethlehem can no longer be used for pasture because of the lethal danger posed to livestock from ingesting this plant.

Controlling Star of Bethlehem is challenging. Roundup and other herbicides are ineffective for treating this plant. Land managers treat infestations on large agricultural plots by killing all plants using highly toxic herbicides that are rightly unavailable to homeowners.

The only form of control presently available is digging up all the bulbs (just one bulb left behind will return as a bunch next year). Remember to always wear gloves! It is best to dig deep, with a pitchfork or shovel, being careful not to leave any bulbs in the ground.

Bulbs and soil that might contain bulbs should not be composted. Disposal is a challenge since the bulbs can potentially contaminate composted, municipal landscape waste.

We are currently smashing bulbs with a brick and sledge hammer before composting the remains, but this is messy! We would welcome suggestions for a better disposal method.

As with all invasive plants, Star of Bethlehem spreads rapidly and the longer you delay eradication efforts, the bigger the job becomes. As the leaves die back in the summer it is easy to forget about Star of Bethlehem. Even with serious efforts to remove Star of Bethlehem bulbs, some will survive creating new plants that will need to be dug up.

Sadly, Star of Bethlehem is still sold and used for landscaping throughout the U.S. It is now available with showy flowers in a variety of new brilliant colors.

Photos and descriptions are available at many online sites. For example:

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/star-bethlehem

https://weedid.missouri.edu/weedinfo.cfm?weed_id=192

From Wild Ones https://stlwildones.org/how-to-reclaim-your-yard-from-star-of-bethlehem/

Photo: MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation

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Thanks for all you do for Green Earth, and for helping us . . .

Will you continue to give so we can preserve nature in our neighborhoods in 2020? Donate at greenearthinc.org, by scanning the QR code to the right, or by using the donation form above.

maintain trails and amenities, offer community events, keep our preserves healthy,

and provide educational opportunities for students and the public.