Category Archives: Uncategorized

Pest shields for ticks, chiggers and such

Posted on July 6, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Bill Kleiman The black flies of the Simuliidea emerged this week and congregate in the woods, especially areas with low wind. They will be a nuisance for a few weeks. And ticks are occasional. Mosquitos will be here soon. … Continue reading →

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Carpet Roller Wick to attempt to control brush

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Bill Kleiman, Nachusa Grasslands Director w The Nature Conservancy Above, 17 days after a carpet roller herbicide wick drove over cottonwood saplings. This is a Grassworks 22 foot wide carpet wick. A carpet on a long spool is soaked … Continue reading →

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Shrub encroachment and fire

Posted on June 18, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Bill Kleiman We recently heard from Emily Wedel who worked on her doctorate at Konza Biological Station, looking at shrub encroachment in seldom and frequently burned units. Konza has been studying and pondering the shrubs which have established on … Continue reading →

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A list of weeds and strategies

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Bill Kleiman This is a list of most of the weeds we manage against at Nachusa Grasslands. I give brief descriptions of our management strategies. This blogsite has a search bar where you can quickly find other posts with … Continue reading →

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Annual Workshop Success – Shaw Nature Reserve

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

Mike Saxton – Executive Director – Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Since its inception in 2003, the Grassland Restoration Network has focused on sharing lessons learned, connecting practitioners from across the region, and supporting a community of doers who believe in … Continue reading →

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Testing shows confounding results. Late spring applications of clethodim on Reed Canary Grass.

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Bill Kleiman This is a continuing update on an original post. At the end I post several links to related articles on controlling reed canary. It is good to do simple monitoring or testing to see if a weed … Continue reading →

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Nachusa Grasslands Prescribed Fire Summary Report April 2026

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Bill Kleiman April 9 IL DNR Franklin Creek Natural Area, 21-acres. These very modest flames do some good if they can just keep going. March 27: Yellow House Prairie burn 140– acres The bottom line: March 30: Kaleb Baker … Continue reading →

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Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) control

Posted on April 16, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Don Osmond, volunteer steward Wild parsnip is a monocarpic perennial, usually taking 2-3 years to flower.  I chose a 4 acre area in southwestern Wisconsin to evaluate my control efforts over time.  Habitats ranged from dry degraded prairie to … Continue reading →

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Effects of Brush Pile Burning in the Chicago region

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

Antonio Del Vallé, Emma Leavens, Meghan Midgley This is a shortened version of a longer post from the Strategies for Stewards blog. You can find the full-length version at this link: https://woodsandprairie.blogspot.com/2025/12/effects-of-brush-pile-burning-in.html Research project summary: Over the past three years, … Continue reading →

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A fifteen-year revisit of a prairie planting

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Grassland Restoration Network blog

By Mary Vieregg, Nachusa Grasslands Volunteer Steward, with photo and captions by Bill Kleiman In 2008, the conversion of 6.25 acres of cornfield into reconstructed prairie began in the Clear Creek Knolls East Unit of Nachusa Grasslands. The acreage offered … Continue reading →

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