Dear Riverbank Neighbors,

Sunday, March 19, we invite you to celebrate the Spring Equinox with a noon-2:00 stewardship get together. and then 4:30-sunset campfire gathering. details below…

For the workday: We will do some prep for the prescribed burn. Recently our leaders renewed their certifications and we hosted a training for the Prescription Burn Support crew. All are welcome to help us prep the site. Families are welcome. Kids can help rake and other tasks with their parents.

There is a chance that we will manage a very small prescribed burn of the west facing slope at Berteau and some other areas during tomorrow’s work day. If so, the area we might burn Sunday is a small part of the total burn area and will be of very short duration burns taking advantage of the western winds.  and if we do a small burn, it will be small and short and we can have an observation station that’s well back for parents with children who would like to observe.

Later, from 4:30 until sundown, we will gather to celebrate with a fire, food, friendship, song, recitations…and historically this was the time when neighbors shared news of new neighbors, children off to college, passings, new babies, new jobs, need for housing, or other news. This is how we got to know new neighbors or how new neighbors were welcomed. This is part of how our community cared for one another. We hope you will come. It’s not the warmest day, but it’s a celebration of the end of winter and we’ve been putting out all the energy we can to keep the Riverbank Neighbors going through the hard times of the pandemic and other difficulties. We hope you will join us. We have common foes, and we have a common allie, the earth. Let us join together as best we can, though not perfect. We are neighbors, after all… if anyone would like to rsvp and let us know if they might be available to help set up or bring the hot chocolate or reusable cups or food to share, please let us know. Thanks.

Leeks are sprouting on the riverbank. A beautiful bird was spotted at Waters Gardens, this bird with the sweetest spirit and the name which is funny and awkward for humans, is called the woodcock, those of us who often visit natural areas have many personal stories to share of this bird. Check out this beautiful videos. and please, support the people of Riverbank Neighbors and the longtime protectors and stewardship community of Waters Garden who maintain the habitat for this wonderful Illinois bird!

The Riverbank Neighbor stewards