Before I celebrate the exciting spring fire season with a dramatic, educational slideshow with all the action, you should know that the first great bloom of 2019 is still about a week away. However, on this Easter weekend, if you want to fill your heart with the hope that springtime brings, here are some scouted preserves that are lush, green, and about to explode:
To signal the arrival of spring, Mother Nature sends up spathes of thermogenetic skunk cabbage. In stark contrast, restoration workers send up smoke signals from inside our nature preserves. Perhaps, in late March on your way home from work, you deciphered one of their billowing white missives in the sky. Or maybe you simply read the orange diamond-shaped sign along the road imploring you to not dial 911. No matter how you were informed, the message was clear, “The burn season is aflame, and the blooming is just around the corner.”
During early spring and late autumn, land managers and restoration volunteers throughout the Chicago region employ the healing benefits of fire to invigorate our native landscapes by stimulating the growth of our indigenous plants and hindering the advance of invaders.
Between the dates of March 18 and March 29, I photographed five prescribed fires inside the Forest Preserves of Cook County. These particular jobs were led by staff from the Forest Preserves and assisted by workers from Friends of the Forest Preserves (one of my favorite organizations). Trained volunteers from the site also participated.
To follow is a slideshow of my photographs that celebrates the healing work performed at five Cook County Forest Preserves sites: Theodore Stone Preserve (Hodgkins), Bemis Woods South (Western Springs), Somme Prairie Grove (Northbrook), Black Partridge Woods (Lemont), and Orland Grassland (Orland Park).
In this oak savanna known as Somme Prairie Grove, mature oak trees are immune to the flames due to their fire-resistant bark. On this day, workers scoured the preserve to protect the younger oaks and the more vulnerable shrubs, such as filberts.
In this oak savanna known as Somme Prairie Grove, mature oak trees are immune to the flames due to their fire-resistant bark. On this day, workers scoured the preserve to protect the younger oaks and the more vulnerable shrubs, such as filberts.
In this oak savanna known as Somme Prairie Grove, mature oak trees are immune to the flames due to their fire-resistant bark. On this day, workers scoured the preserve to protect the younger oaks and the more vulnerable shrubs, such as filberts.
At Black Partridge Woods, Rob Abrham with Friends of the Forest Preserves uses a leaf blower to clear away fallen foliage as the first step in creating a fire break between the woodland and private property.
At Black Partridge Woods, Rob Abrham with Friends of the Forest Preserves uses a leaf blower to clear away fallen foliage as the first step in creating a fire break between the woodland and private property.
At Black Partridge Woods, Rob Abrham with Friends of the Forest Preserves uses a leaf blower to clear away fallen foliage as the first step in creating a fire break between the woodland and private property.
At Black Partridge Woods, Graciela Olmeda with Friends of the Forest Preserves douses a log that might have burn harmlessly throughout the night, but with a glow that could have caused worry in the surrounding neighborhood.
At Black Partridge Woods, Graciela Olmeda with Friends of the Forest Preserves douses a log that might have burn harmlessly throughout the night, but with a glow that could have caused worry in the surrounding neighborhood.
At Black Partridge Woods, Graciela Olmeda with Friends of the Forest Preserves douses a log that might have burn harmlessly throughout the night, but with a glow that could have caused worry in the surrounding neighborhood.
At Black Partridge Woods, Amber Kunz with Friends of the Forest Preserves uses a fire rake (affectionately called a "frake") to clear away combustible material from vulnerable trees.
At Black Partridge Woods, Amber Kunz with Friends of the Forest Preserves uses a fire rake (affectionately called a "frake") to clear away combustible material from vulnerable trees.
At Black Partridge Woods, Amber Kunz with Friends of the Forest Preserves uses a fire rake (affectionately called a "frake") to clear away combustible material from vulnerable trees.
At the end of a long day at Orland Grassland, Cinnamon Hoskins with Friends of the Forest Preserve takes in the fruits of her labor as she reaches the culmination of the RX fire season.
At the end of a long day at Orland Grassland, Cinnamon Hoskins with Friends of the Forest Preserve takes in the fruits of her labor as she reaches the culmination of the RX fire season.
At the end of a long day at Orland Grassland, Cinnamon Hoskins with Friends of the Forest Preserve takes in the fruits of her labor as she reaches the culmination of the RX fire season.
For those who are featured in the slideshow, I’m happy to send you a digital image (big enough for printing) when you click here to fill out a model release. If you’re not pictured here, I still may have a great shot of you. Just let me know.
Thanks to all the workers for welcoming me and for indulging me as I followed them around with my camera and donned in my orange flame-retardant jumpsuit and blue helmet! With some self-awareness, I jokingly expressed to one of the workers that I always remove my orange jumpsuit before I enter the real world because I worry that I might be mistaken for an escaped convict. That’s when he told me that he used to wear an orange jumpsuit at his previous restoration job. And my fear came true for him when the police arrived after receiving an emergency call from a concerned citizen. So, like they say, “Many a truth is said in jest.”
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