Assembled by Bill Kleiman

If you have suggestions for this list please simply add them in comments or email me.

Let the Sun Shine In is a program that is helping inspire the recovery of oak ecosystems  https://www.letthesunshinein.life/oak-forest-system/

Oak Savannas.org has numerous links to good information.  https://oaksavannas.org/index.html

Lake County Forest Preserves on why we thin an oak woods canopy.  Short video link there too. https://www.lcfpd.org/woodlands/

Article on Somme Woods w Packard, et al.  Nice images: https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/973552802

Companion to article on Somme Woods above is the science publication in PLOS ONE. This well written article is by the steward of Somme Woods, Stephen Packard, and long-time researchers Karen Glennemeier and Greg Spyreas.    https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0241061

And a short summary of the Somme Woods project is nicely done by Yale Environment 360:https://e360.yale.edu/digest/researchers-build-a-roadmap-to-restore-an-ancient-woodland

Another Lake County Forest Preserve project update about woody invasive species clearing projects. https://www.lcfpd.org/what-we-do/projects/woody-invasive-species-clearing-project/

Chicago Wilderness Oak Ecosystems Recovery Plan by Lake County Forest Preserve District and The Morton Arboretum.  Easy to read with references at end. See page 21 for a survey summary of land managers which supports brush and tree thinning. “Respondents…considered removal of woody invasive and canopy thinning as the most important strategies to promote oak regeneration.” https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/IWAP/Documents/Chicago%20Wilderness%20Oak%20Ecosystem%20Recovery%20Plan.pdf

Forest Preserves of Cook County: What is Restoration?  See the techniques page.https://fpdcc.com/nature/restoration/

Chicago Wilderness Alliance: Excellence in Ecological Restoration Program.  If you look at projects recognized you will see land management techniques used. https://www.chicagowilderness.org/page/EERPProgram

Managing Change in an Illinois Oak Woodland.  Henry Eilers has been managing an oak woods for a long time.  He was an early adopter of using prescribed fire.   https://www.internationaloaksociety.org/sites/default/files/files/IO/IOS%20Journal%20%2322/International%20Oaks%20No.%2022%20-%20Managing%20Change%20in%20an%20Illinois%20Oak%20Woodland%20-%20Henry%20Eilers.pdf

High-Diversity seed additions promote herb-layer recovery during restoration of degraded oak woodland.  Matthew A Albrecht, et. al. Ecological Solutions and Evidence.  “We found that adding high-diversity seed mixes in conjunction with non-native shrub removal, canopy thinning and burning, can accelerate recovery of herbaceous communities in a high degraded woodland”  https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/B39AW2FXYMJRF7XGPNTA?target=10.1002/2688-8319.12202

Blogpost by prairie restoration leader Stephen Packard on use of fire: https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2023/04/good-questions-about-how-to-burn.html?fbclid=IwAR2dzfc983EtN69rG9yryjb7_OV6lV5Lel5HiLkNpjviKPvZRf035ywTK2A&m=1&mibextid=l066kq

Thank you to Pati Vitt of Lake County Forest Preserve District for additions to the list.

End.