For newcomers, the riverbank neighbor project, ecosystem, and community are often underestimated. This isn’t beginner stuff. We need to dive into this deep study to learn and practice stewardship of our local ecosystem. When Riverbank Neighbors started, there were not native gardens in the parks and parkways as there have started to be now. We have been doing this for over 20 years. Our gardening days include: Seed gathering, watering, planting, fence fixing, sign making, and yes, being support crew for our annual prescribed fires… Many regional experts visit our gardens and offer their support and advice, which we appreciate and rely upon. We are teaching, mentoring, and still learning too. We do our best to put special effort into learning and relearning how to be allies to our neighbors in environmental justice. We invite you to join us.
We may also be also experts at appreciating the beauty of nature and community. It’s a joy. It’s not always easy. There have been bumps in the road. Sometimes gardens we plant are ruined by thoughtless behavior. Sometimes community ties become strained. We made it through the pandemic, not without loss. But healing is always possible. Gardens can be watered and new seedlings will grow with new hope. We are grateful to all for their longtime efforts. Many many have contributed to this project. We remember you Jerry, Kevin, Julia, Bill, Michael, Laurene, Lisa W, and so so many more.. and we know this is not our land. We have passed a resolution called the Land Acknowledgement. Perhaps you haven’t read it or heard of Land Acknowledgements yet. If not, please search it up on our website or elsewhere. Its a beautiful step and an incomplete one.
We hope to see you at the riverbank. If you see anyone tending the riverbank, please say hello and thank them. They are your neighbors. One of the saddest thing is when people walk by without a hello or with disdain. It happens. I’ve had people ask me to take their trash instead of saying hello. I asked why. Because they thought I was “a worker.” huh. yes, I am a worker. We are all workers. and neighbors. Say hello. And we, once again, thank you for all the wonderful things you do to care for your families, this community, the greater family of humankind, and our whole living earth.
Happy Equinox everyone…
Jules
(one of the rbn stewards and co-leaders for 20+ yrs)
The Autumnal Equinox is coming. Around the 23rd of September. The exact moment doesn’t much matter to me. The amazing thing is that it is a world-recognized, unifying moment for every culture back through very ancient times. Something shifting, moving from one moment to the next. What does it matter to us? What will we notice? How will we be affected? It matters because, in a world ridden with religious, political, class, and racial divisions, the Equinox (and the Solstices) are moments of shared awe and recognition that we share One world, One reality, and that it is beautiful. When we started restoration of the riverbank and Waters school grounds, we sought events that we could be part of to bring our community together. The celestial Solstice and Equinox were laden with ancient ritual, with scientific revelation, with Universal appeal. So join us to celebrate this worldwide event. The official date and time aren’t that important. But the Equinox reminds people all around the world that a shift is beginning. What will you notice?? On September 23, the length of the day and the night will equalize. 12 hours dark, 12 hours light. Worldwide. On that day, the Sun will rise due east and set due west. This means, amongst other things, that there will be some awesome and unusual spectacles on Chicago’s east-west grid streets. The Sun will pour into the streets, painting them with color and blinding drivers. Another thing is that this day, this moment, marks the time of maximum reduction of the rate of daylight shortening. This has been going on since the Summer Solstice. Slowly, slowly at first, the days began to shorten after June 20, accelerating to maximum at the Autumn Equinox. (Did you notice? It’s 7:30 and dark?) After this day, from our perspective, the shortening of the days will slow down until the Winter Solstice. We will also witness this if we take note of the azimuth of the noontime Sun. The Sun dips, lower and lower onto the southern horizon until, at Winter Solstice, it stops, and reverses, heralding Spring. What a thing! Going on everyday, all around us and around the world. Celebrate! Light a fire. Sing a song. Share food. Tell a tale. This is one way to connect with the whole world, back through ancient times, and with the celestial. – Pete
Sunday, 8/13/23 noon-2 is a our weekly scheduled riverbank workday. Many neighborhood families and friends young and old join weekly to spend time with our precious beautiful gardens of Riverbank Neighbors. Meet on the east side of the river at Berteau.
Eco-fest is next weekend, Saturday, August 19th. We are looking for a group of Riverbank Neighbors or others who also care about the planet who would volunteer for the event. If you will, please email stewards@riverbankneighbors.org or sign up here for the big recycling effort that’s part of ecofest. Thank you. If you care about the planet, this is a way to help that really enables local groups to do something big.
Waters Garden invitations: Wed 5-sunset, Saturday 10-12, music on the last Sat. of each month.
Sunday, 7/30/23 noon-2 is a our weekly scheduled riverbank workday. Many neighborhood families and friends young and old join weekly to spend time with our precious beautiful gardens of Riverbank Neighbors. Meet on the east side of the river at Berteau.
Waters Garden invitations: Wed 5-sunset, Saturday 10-12, music on the last Sat. of each month.
Today noon-2 is a riverbank workday. Many neighborhood families and friends young and old join weekly to spend time with our precious beautiful gardens of Riverbank Neighbors. Meet on the east side of the river at Berteau.
Family bike ride this morning, many neighborhood families gather at Waters.. read more here..
Waters Garden invitations: Wed 5-sunset, Saturday 10-12, music on the last Sat. of each month.
Throughout the summer, our Riverbank Neighbor Stewardship Days are Sundays 12-2.
Today, July 16th, the air pollution is quite bad. Some of our community and organizers are quite
affected by it. But we’ll be at the riverbank at noon for a flower walk, light weeding, gathering seeds.
Thanks to all.
reminder that you can make donations to our fiscal agent, following the directions on our website.
We use the donations to pay for hoses, tools, fence material, and sometimes pizza to feed our volunteer community work crew (children included!)
be well, everyone.
———-
a message from Jules:
This fall, The Green Council of the 47th Ward will be hosting an event that’s about talking to your children about the Climate Emergency.
I want to invite you to write back to this email now, or in the future, to share some of your feelings about it. At a recent Green Council meeting, three people had tears in their eyes about thinking about climate change and the effect on their children and the world. I know many of you feel the same. As a community, we have attended climate change marches, promoted local sustainable community lifestyle, yet many act as if climate change isn’t real. Please write to us about your feelings, let us know if you want it kept private or shared with the community anonymously only. Thank you.
The organizers of Riverbank Neighbors and the Green Council have passed the Climate Emergency Resolution, which is on our website.
Many years ago, we took a pledge to be part of the solution to the problems of Climate Change.
We’ve done alot. Lets do more and find ways to help show our children that we do care and prioritize their future, with joy, with community.
7/18 – Sierra Club’s Transportation Group is having a hybrid meeting. It will be at their office at 70 E Lake St, Chicago, IL 60601 from 6-7:30. It will also be via Zoom RSVP
7/22 – How to Compost in Chicago – 10AM-12PM at Sulzer Library, 4555 N Lincoln. Come learn about the importance of composting in achieving waste reduction goals, hear about policies and programs the city is considering, and learn about ways to compost in your backyard or with private services. More details to come.
7/29 – Ravenswood Neighbors Garden Crawl. More details to come.
August
8/19 – 47th Ward Eco-Fest, 10AM-2PM at Welles Park. More details to come.
September
How to Talk to Your Children About Change -details tba
1- Please forward this to your neighbors! When people do this, new neighbors come to our workdays telling us that’s how they learned of our community events. Join our newsletter email list here so you stay connected. Our list has hundreds of people.
2-Sunday, June 25th, -Riverbank Neighbors hosts our weekly event, with a twist: – Lincoln Square Kidical Mass at Waters Elementary, 4540 N Campbell | Facebook event Start at Waters, visit Montrose Metra Garden, land at Riverbank Neighbors by Berteau and shoot some hoops, explore the river path, adjourn to the patio at Burning Bush Brewery for root beer, beer, and pizza! – so Riverbank Neighbors will join the ride, host a tour of the riverbank, and join in the fun! a different stewardship day for welcoming new families to the riverbank and enjoying the beauty of nature and bikes!
3- Join the 47th and 49th Ward Green Councils for a Townhall Event with Alder Hadden, Chair of Chicago City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy. Tues, June 27th More details and RSVP
Share our news with your neighbors. mention it. forward it. invite them on a walk by the river…
Thank the people who are tending the river. They are your neighbors.
Please send a quick reply of support if thats how you feel. Yesterday a man walking the riverpath doubled back to do so. That news was shared with others. That was lovely. It happens often, but really the silence from some people is difficult. It’s the city, we know, but mostly we know our neighbors here and saying hello is how a community starts.
Donate through our website and our fiscal agent/partner org Friends of the Chicago River. Join them and thank them for their work too.
Dear neighbors, we wish you all a Good Father’s Day.
Whether you are one or you had one or if you didn’t…
and since gender is a construct, lets thank everyone who cares for, protects, and nurtures.
It’s not only children who benefit from the support/nurturing of Fathers/Parents.
So, today, we share our hope that you all are cared for, are encouraged,
that you all have people close to you whose love for you goes deep and is patient,
and that healing and joy comes to you today.
Our gratitude to all of you who give your heart to fatherhood and parenthood,
especially for those of you struggling. Lets take a moment to reach out to thank each other,
to show our gratitude, and to consider those around us who we could show up for.
Our gratitude to you. We hope you have a peaceful and joyful day.
and.. today we’ll be along the river path, seed gathering, gooseberry picking (and eating!)
red currants too!.. and some work, of course. Kids play while neighbors chat and welcome newcomers. 12-2 somewhere between Berteau and Pensacola.. and sometimes we share food.. perhaps make pizza.. or falafel share a watermelon.. or .. today we may ride bikes to the lake later in the afternoon and jump in!
Happy Solstice! Happy Fathers Day! if you are free, we hope you might take a stroll by the riverbank and say hello!
photo by Jeremy Atherton. Blue-eyed grass, a precious illinois native species.
this is what was there before the asphalt came to Chicago.
2 Friend and community in need, 2 flat for sale, potential displacement of another longtime neighbor
———
1 This weekend, Sunday 12-2 we’ll meet at Berteau, as usual, on the east side of the riverbank. If you don’t see us, just walk the path and you’ll find us. We’ll be weeding, planting, watering, and probably some other fun stuff too that we didn’t figure out quite yet. There’s usually quite a few kids and families and more are welcome. The kids have great fun. (so do the rest of us) So this is a beautiful lovely invitation.
Bring a friend and spend time in nature. You can swing by and say hello, join in a little or just watch, we are gentle folk and welcoming. You don’t need to be strong or know what to do. Just come say hello and opt in to meeting some nice people who love nature and care about environmental and social justice and enjoy learning and stewarding this very high quality and rare garden of fantastic Chicago Native flowers.
2 Friend and community in need, 2 flat for sale, potential displacement of another longtime neighbor
There’s a particular situation right now in the neighborhood where a building is for sale that’s likely to cause yet more loss of rental housing, losing a longtime dear friend and riverbank neighbor. If you might be able to help and would like to learn more, please email back. There already is enough resources available for half the cost. Email for more details. Thank you.
Please join us for a Riverbank Stewardship Day Sunday, May 21, from noon until….
We have a mountain of wood chips to spread, weeds to pull and fences to mend, flowers to admire and we will keep our eyes open for migrating birds and turtles and butterflies. Please Join Us!
Snapping turtle on Chicago River Day by Hutchinson bank. Photo by J Atherton
This Saturday is Chicago River Day, our community group, Riverbank Neighbors, will join dozens of other sites around the city to give some loving care and attention to our river and bank. We start at 9:00 and end at 12:00 sharing food at Berteau and the River. This is a great day for neighbors new and old to join together to enjoy the beauty of nature and learn how to care for our earth. (meet at Berteau and the east side of the river…)
We will be woodchipping the paths; weeding; and going for a wildflower walk.
Please bring: a waterbottle for yourself or food or healthy drinks to share after the workday or a little optional donation for the pizza money. thanks! Riverbank Stewards
PS. Seeking Riverbank Waterers: At Waters Garden, there are the Waters Waterers who, for many years, each keep the garden watered one day of the week. These are peaceful folk, some of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet. They keep the garden alive through dry times. We also have Riverbank Waterers, but need to get a bit more organized and need more good people to join in the watering. We installed a whole number of new plants this Spring, hoping for cool weather and rain to get them started. We got the cool weather, but not the rain. Is anyone available to “adopt” a section of the riverbank, to monitor and water as needed? Please let us know so that no one person has to do too much, and that we don’t lose these plants. Replies to this email go to multiple stewards who maintain the email list, or, alternatively, come to the riverbank and find us Saturday or other times and we can show you how to water. Waterers tell us that watering is a mediation in nature, that people thank them, that they meet the nicest people while watering. Thank you! and please thank them!
PSS To that end, a reminder that if you can afford to support Riverbank Neighbors with a donation to our work. Here’s the info about how to donate. Our gratitude to all who’ve donated over the years and to those who organized fundraisers and, of course, to our neighbors who support the work, protect the rare native ecosystem that we restored, who walk the path, keeping it tidy and protected, the community of Riverbank Neighbors, and the network of individuals in partner organizations, NeighborSpace, Friends of the Chicago River, Openlands, The Green Council, The North Branch Restoration Project, and Waters Garden/Ecology and many many kind neighbors far and wide.
Join us for a riverbank stewardship day Sunday, 4-23. We are wondering if someone would like to experience being site captain for Chicago River Day? Check out the flowers emerging on the bank. Introducing and welcoming the new steward of the River Park / Legion Park Riverbank. A request for participation and donations. And a new book recommendation section!
Riverbank Stewardship Day
Sunday, April 23, 2023, 12 noon, until 2:00, RBN will be taking care of business at the riverbank. We will be burning brush (it will be chilly, dress appropriately), building twig fences, transplanting native flowers, picking up litter, etc, etc. We will end with some food to share over the camp fire. Bring your stories and songs, your energy and ideas to share.
We would like to invite everyone who can to join us to learn and work and build our community and restoration culture. Come when you can, do what you are able. We also encourage and ask our community to support the work. We don’t receive any outside funding. Our community sustains us. You can donate cash, pay for plants, tools and supplies, or make a tax exempt donation through Friends of the Chicago River / Riverbank neighbors.
Spring has Sprung
The riverbank is springing to life, just compare the prairie a month ago and now:
Take time to watch out for the spring flowers blooming everywhere, including:
Anemone quinquefolia (wood anemone)
Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)
Ranunculus hisbidus nitidus (swamp buttercup)
Viola pubescens (downy yellow violet)
Asarum canadense (wild ginger)
New River Park Stewardship Group
It is so exciting and good to know that new stewardship groups are taking on the care of “new” natural areas. Below are links to invitations to participate in the restoration and management of the River and Legion Park Natural Areas. Like us, they have stewardship days, sharing of food and knowledge, and the making of new friends. Perhaps in the future we can organize to attend as a group to support their good work. Happy Earth Month All!
My name is Raed Mansour and I’m the new River Park Natural Area Community Steward. I live in Albany Park and have been volunteering at River and Ronan Parks so it’s a privilege to now serve as the lead volunteer steward for the natural areas here.
River Park Update As you may have already heard, the Ronan Park Stewards have moved on but I plan to work with everyone to cover both natural areas. There are some immediate needs in River Park since the Army Corps of Engineers completed the River Riparian Connectivity and Habitat Restoration project last year. In October 2022, we took advantage of an opportunity to begin planting and mulching right after the Army Corps project completed, with the amazing help of the Chicago Audubon Society, Openlands, River PAC, and volunteers like you. You can read about the planting day here. We’re still raising money through the Chicago Audubon Society for this year’s planting so feel free to share this link here with your family, friends and neighbors. Block Club also wrote a story about our efforts, Lincoln Square Neighbors Raising Money To Add Trees For Migratory Birds At River Park. I’ll provide more updates to some of the plans in future messages.
2023 Workday Schedule Attached is a flier for this year’s workday dates and please share with anyone else interested in volunteering. I will email everyone in advance before each scheduled workday. No experience is necessary. We’ll always go over the plan for the day. And we will always meet outside the River Park Fieldhouse. The workdays planned for this year are as follows:
Saturday, May 13, Chicago River Day, 9a – 12p
Friends of the Chicago River sponsored cleanups at River Park East, River Park West, River Park on the Water, and Ronan Park spots are all filled to capacity, almost as fast as the event was made public, sorry.
FYI, Friends of the Chicago River created a cool free Natural Solutions Tool with The Trust for Public Land, check it out!
Saturday, June 3, Chicago Parks Foundation Sponsored It’s Your Park Day, 10a – 12p
Link to sign up will be provided
Wednesday, July 5, River PAC Sponsored Fireworks Cleanup, 9a- 12p
Link to sign up will be provided
Saturday, August 19, Bird Walk, 8a – 10a
Link to sign up will be provided
Saturday, September 16, General Workday and Nature Walk, 9a – 12p
Link to sign up will be provided
Saturday, October 28, Chicago Audubon Society Planting & Mulching Day, 10a – 12p
Link to sign up will be provided
Advice for Workdays Follow these tips to make your time more enjoyable:
All participants must sign a Chicago Park District liability waiver before beginning work. Copies of the forms will be available on site, but to save time, I attached them for you to print and sign in advance.
Wear closed-toe shoes, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty.
A water bottle and hat are recommended.
Work gloves will be available to borrow, but feel free to bring your own.
Avoid wearing perfume as it may attract insects.
Bathrooms are sometimes open, but please plan accordingly in case they are not.
Take time to enjoy nature. No harm in taking a break.
I also created a Facebook Group for stewardship at River and Ronan Parks to share workdays, updates, and pics, recruit more volunteers, and build community interest on the importance of these natural areas. I’ll always ask permission to take a photo and post on Facebook. And feel free to share your work on your own social channels. If you know of anyone interested in volunteering, share this message with them or send them my email address. You’re on this email because you either have volunteered in the past or expressed interest in volunteering. If you want to be removed from future mailings, please email me back to unsubscribe. No questions asked.
Thank you to everyone who has lended their time in the past and to those who are interested in building community and helping maintain, improve and restore the natural areas at River and Ronan and River Parks for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to working with you!
All the best, Raed
Raed Mansour
River Park Natural Area Community Steward Volunteer
“The Death and Life of the Great Lakes” by Dan Egan.
I often told my students that we seem able to recognize the Lake’s vastness, its wild energy, and raw beauty. But, what is happening under the surface is a mystery to most of us. Dan Egan’s book reveals much of that mystery. Some of it we may know, but this historical documentation of the “breaching” of the Great Lakes isolation by the building of the Erie and Welland Canals, the subsequent introduction of scores (unknown hundreds) of invasive species as ships traversed the globe to Port Chicago, and the ramifications on lake ecology are made painfully real. New threats! Everyday.
We live on the shores of a treasure. Let us learn how to protect it.
dear neighbors, Hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather!
sorry to share this but… here’s the street sweeping schedule for our neighborhood… Those of you who have garages, if you could park in them at these times, if possible, it would help. I remember when I was caretaking for my mom or when my daughter was little, moving the car was a real source of stress and often there were no spots within many blocks the night before. Thanks all for doing what you can to think of each others needs, we have many elderly or disabled neighbors who need our help with this.
But the biggest thanks goes to those who get by without cars. Thank you for walking, biking, taking the train or bus, thank you for choosing to sacrafice what you did, and of course benefit from the financial boost of letting go of car insurange, gas, payments. Thank you for taking care of your health by walking and biking. Thank you for making our streets safer for kids who walk to school and for all of us to walk or bike or even drive. Thank you for caring to save the planet. May we all drive less or not at all every chance we get. I’m guilty as the rest of you, but I aim to do better. but meanwhile.. I made us a google calendar to avoid street sweeping ticket. It has alarms to help us move our cars ahead of time. your welcome! -j
May 3/4 July 30/July 3 August 28/29 October 25/26
Here’s the link that was shared in Alder Martin’s newsletter
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.
Riverbank Neighbors, Waters Ecology, and the North Branch Restoration Project, would like to invite you to:
a winter restoration workday at Sauganash Prairie Grove (the traditional site for Waters School Mighty Acorns)
Sunday, March 5, 2023, 10-1:00 for community volunteers including families of Waters Students who missed out on the Waters Ecology program with Mr. Leki this past fall.
With good luck we will have beautiful wintery weather. Afterwards, we’ll share some food around a campfire. All are welcomed to participate, and to learn from and with the longtime experienced and skilled restoration stewards supervising the event. Children need to be accompanied by their responsible adults.
This nature stewardship opportunity is co-led by Pete Leki and Larry Hodak and co-hosted by other leaders from Riverbank Neighbors and the North Branch Restoration Project.
Please let us know if you can join us by filling out this form for the Sauganash/LaBagh Woods Volunteer Workday. Please ignore the other date listed and the part about certifications, which doesn’t apply.
Your RSVP will help us plan and make the most out of our workday. Regrets are not necessary. Feel free to pass along this email along to others who might be interested in joining.
Generations of Waters ecology students and families have participated in the stewardship of the rare and precious ecosystem of Sauganash and LaBagh with the Waters Garden and Riverbank Neighbor community and co-leaders. Expertise and skills exist in our community. Many children have been raised by parents who make stewardship of the native ecosystem part of their family and community culture. It’s a joy. We invite you to join us. Gratitude to all who’ve kept their determination to protect these special havens for rare Illinois native flowers and birds, who’ve protected the land and the stewards of the land. We hope to see you at this special stewardship event. Spring is around the corner!
Riverbank Neighbors brushing up on our prescribed burn skills and certifications.Riverbank Neighbors attended the Wild Things conferenceRBN visits the herbarium2 friends, the current and past president of Friends of the Chicago River Margaret Frisbie and Laurene von Klan. 2 treasures!Riverbank Neighbors at Sauganashcommunity and waters school kids at work!new skills!nature’s beauty
Join Riverbank Neighbors and the 47th Ward Green Council in celebrating and thanking the stewards of the natural land in our area, who have created rich, beautiful, and healthy ecosystems, and the communities that tend and formed around these gardens. There will be films, and photos, children’s performances, songs, and coffee, heartfelt testimonials, and invitations to join the organizations working to protect our planet and all living creatures.
We hope Riverbank Neighbors, past and present will join us Saturday morning. rsvp here.
remember when we gathered rain and filtered and bottled it for celebrations? remember when we put our worries and hurts in a little boat and let it float away down the river?
do you remember when we burned the prairie to make way for spring? or we redirected the toxic spray trucks or loved the sky?
people gather to the ancient trees people gather to the river people find friendship in the work not donations, but actual toil on the land with their children people form community
healing. vision. perspective. hope. gather if you can. Saturday at the library. open space for community. piano. song. old and new friends. people of the land.
Many of you know that, in recent years, many organizations have started adopting the Land Acknowledgement. Riverbank Neighbors and other stewardship groups have done this. Join us to speak the Land Acknowledgement and invite all to integrate it into their lives, join us to witness the pledge to care for (steward) the planet for our children.
Join us to recognize many individuals who have given of themselves, working to rebuild soils, nurture native seeds, and steward the land and community.
Hello Mid winter friends, Looks like “mild” weather Sunday, and a perfect time to cut brush that is encroaching on our plant communities. We will be at Berteau Street, with a fire going to burn the twigs, and roast hot dogs and those sweet white things, in case you have little ones in tow. Also a chance to chat and check in on each other. Below is the latest version of the “pre-invite” for the event we hope to hold on the 28th. Let us know if you can come on Sunday.
Hope you are well and keeping warm, that your spirits are up and your soul is whole.. I am writing you with a “pre-invitation” and asking you to pencil in the date: Saturday, January 28, 10:00 – 1:00. On this date Riverbank Neighbors , Waterscology, and the 47th Ward Green Council plan on hosting a symposium? celebration? (we’ve not yet exactly decided what to call it) at Sulzer Regional Library. The theme will be “Looking back, Looking Forwards” at 30 years of Community and Natural Area Restoration. We will be honoring key people and organizations who have made powerful and beautiful restored places possible with their energy, knowledge and creativity., including you. Your contributions have been immense and little recognized. We would love for you to attend this gathering, and publicly accept our heartfelt thanks and appreciation. There will be a gallery of photos, news articles, flyers, and memorabilia. Videos will be playing. There will be songs and a performance of the Legend of Snake and Turtle by our young children. The formal program will be from 11:00 until noon. During the other times people will visit the galleries and displays, visit with each other, and enjoy coffee and tea. If you can visit at anytime from 10-1:00, we will take a few minutes to introduce you and honor you. Please let us know if you can make it. We’ll be sending out evites, soon. Pete (for the Planning Committee)
1 Words from the Riverbank 2 End of Year Contribution to RBN? 3 Reminder about January 28, 2023 Restoration Gathering
Dear River Neighbors, During a recent Riverbank work day, we asked people to write down a few words about their experience. Here are some of those thoughts. The bank offered a COVID respite. Now it renews my spirit. A piece of wild off Western Ave. Ken C The riverbank helped nourish us when we retreated into our COVID cocoon. Dave W The playful ducks provide entertainment for the little explorers. Brad A Pulling nightshade, the soil seemed ready to give it up. P. B The aster blooms mixed with seeds and milkweed pods bursting bring beauty and joy. I love the wildness of this place. Megan H It feels like many things I care about have burned up. I hope everything beautiful rises from the ashes. Robin It felt nice to return some of the care needed to maintain paths that have been peaceful to walk with my kids. Kristin The riverbank often gets described as not feeling like the city. I think it feels like what the city could feel like if it was built around the health of people and nature instead of cars and business. Sten Riverbank is a good place for our children. They play together, enjoy the weather, learn about plants and insects, and observe the adult activities. This is a great natural place where we all share and learn together. Riverbank es el perfecto lugar para nuestros ninos. Ellos pueden jugar juntos, disfruten del invierno, aprendiendo sobre plantas e insectos, observando a los adultos trabajan. Este es una hermosa area natural en donde todos compartimos y aprendemos juntos. Ana L
Contribute? If you are able, please consider making a contribution to Riverbank Neighbors work, by writing a tax deductible check to :
Friends of the Chicago River / Riverbank Neighbors 411 S. Wells St. #800 Chicago, IL 60607 Attn: Amy Comstock
January 28, 2023, Save the Date Please remember to mark the date : Saturday, January 28, 10:00 -1:00 at Sulzer Library for our symposium & celebration. We want to uplift the 30 years of organizing and restoration by Riverbank Neighbors and Waters Ecology. We also want to honor and recognize others who have restored other parcels of land, to create a haven for birds and insects and animals, including humans. The idea of connecting isolated fragmented restorations may be the main theme of this gathering. If you are interested in helping to plan this event please drop us a note. RBN Stewards
22 brave souls warmed themselves around our rolling fire pit as the Sun dipped below the horizon. Rank rank after rank of Canada Geese and Sandhill Cranes called out greetings. The actual Solstice is this Wednesday, but it was amazing to see the sun set at 4:15, and to experience the drop in temperature as the Sun disappeared.. We shared hot beverages, honey cakes and smoked salmon, and we shared songs, marking the days with mandolin and drum. We shared our news, and hopes for the future. We made new friends and refreshed older friendships.
Winter Solstice ~ Bring a Friends, Light a Fire of Hope
Riverbank Neighbors will celebrate the Winter Solstice next Sunday, December 18, 2022, from 4:00 until 6:00 at Berteau and the River We will gather together to share food and drinks, songs and stories, news and poetry as the sun sets on the shortest day, and longest night, of the year. We will have a fire burning to acknowledge the Sol, the Sun, and its life-giving energy, and to take heart that from that day forward the days will lengthen, finally delivering us into Spring at the Vernal Equinox on March 20, 2023. Please bring Friends and Food and Drink to share. Let us know if you can come early or stay late to help with set up and clean up.
Contribute? If you are able, please consider making a contribution to Riverbank Neighbors work, by writing a tax deductible check to :
Friends of the Chicago River / Riverbank Neighbors 411 S. Wells St. #800 Chicago, IL 60607 Attn: Amy Comstock
Neighborhood Natural Areas Symposium and Celebration Save the date On Saturday, January 28, 10:00 – 1:00 Riverbank Neighbors and Waters Ecology will host a symposium and celebration to recognize and honor the transformation of land in our neighborhood from barren wastelands to rich diverse and beautifully restored ecosystems. We will also be honoring others hard at work to connect our neighborhoods and natural sanctuaries to give us hope, and to create life-saving habitats for animals, insects, birds and… people. It is also a call for us to step up our work for a planet that is livable, and beautiful for our children; for our government, and schools, and churches, mosques, synagogues, and businesses to step up our work, to drop into a higher and more serious gear in addressing climate change, environmental and social justice, NOW, where we live. We will display 30 years of photos, video, artifacts, news clippings and music and theater, all home grown, that document this amazing work. Please mark your calendar and spread the word.
Burn Workshop in February Also, in mid February we will be presenting a Burn Workshop for neighbors and friends to gain knowledge and understanding about prescribed burns of natural areas, and to gain beginning qualification to assist. Stay tuned for time and date.
Hello Dear Riverbank Friends, We did it! A high powered crew of 16 spread the small mountain of smoking wood chips Sunday, laying a lovely soft layer of new chips over the paths from (south of) Berteau all the way north of Hutchinson. We had a cheerful fire going all the time, weeded and seeded, talked to folks and ended with pizza, pumpkin pie, and …. cole slaw. Delicious.
Who Ate that Log?? A couple weeks ago, old friend Jeff S, the well known birder, emailed me a photo of a big willow branch that came down, blocking the lower path by Cullom. I went over with the chainsaw and took it apart. I ended up with two bigger logs, too big for me to lift. So I nestled them next to the split rail fence. At the next workday, I asked David and Stenn to haul them up to use as path borders on the upper path. They hauled the first and said they didn’t see another. I figured someone else had taken it for some reason. We walked down, and I spotted it. It had been dragged some 20 yards towards the river, and rested there. It was all chewed up like a pretzel, big chunks chewed out of it. The beaver had apparently hauled it away for some construction purpose, or to ease a toothache. Willow’s genus name is Salix, and its cambium is rich in salicylic acid, the working ingredient of aspirin. The funny thing is that it looked as though the log didn’t fit under the lower rail of the split rail fence, so the beaver cut the fence! Such industriousness. We left it there for her.
Take a Break and Donate! We have been working every week for the past few months and we are in good shape for the Winter. I suggest we take a break until the Winter Solstice, when we meet at Berteau with fires to celebrate the “beginning of the end” of Winter, with food, beverage, songs, orations, and donations to support our work! We have been fueled by pizza for the past few months. You can pitch in, in cash, at the event, or send a tax deductible donation to Friends of the Chicago River / Riverbank Neighbors. https://www.riverbankneighbors.org/donations/
5th Wave Collective: Leonarda Remix This from Rebecca:
I’m writing to invite you (I discussed it with Pete, but all are welcome!) to an upcoming concert that I’m part of. I am a member of an ensemble called 5th Wave Collective, who performs music by women and gender-nonconforming people from throughout history. On Saturday, November 19, at Heaven Gallery, we will share our latest program, titled Leonarda Remix. We’ll be presenting brand new arrangements of Isabella Leonarda’s Twelve Sonatas (composed in 1683), arranged by one of our members. The piece was originally written for violin, cello, and harpsichord; our new arrangements will be for many different instruments, and one arrangement will be chosen by the audience! I think it’s going to be a really fun show.
More information is in the newsletter below, and at this link:https://www.5thwavecollective.com/event-details/leonarda-remix RSVP is encouraged $10 suggested donations at the door will benefit both 5th Wave and our host, Heaven Gallery. We would love to see you there! Take care and thanks for considering, Rebecca McDaniel
Prescribed Burn Training : If you’ve never been involved, check it out. It is an amazing learning experience, and a spiritual journey, helping to sustain the native plant community. This will happen early in 2023.
Dear Neighborhood Friends, Just a reminder that we have a mountain of wood chips to move tomorrow. Bundle up, gloves and shovel, any food or music surprises. We start at 9:00, and just see hoe things go. At mid-day we can order some pizzas and put together a table with food and drinks. We will do what we can. Anyone that can come a few minutes early to help bring wheel barrows and tools….. See you in the morning, RBN
Dear River Friends, We scored a big pile of woodchips through the help of our friends at NeighborSpace, and Juvi, our tree trimming friend. This is our chance to get the paths newly covered with fresh chips, to make traverse better and safer all through the winter. We will be working this Sunday, November 13, 2022, starting at Berteau and the River. Bring wheel barrows, gloves, shovels and rakes. (We will supply all these things as well). At mid-day we will share food, and then get back to it. Arrive when you can, and stay as long as you like. It is a good family activity. Join us in the joyous opportunity to work, laugh, meet, talk, eat, and deepen our friendships. Riverbank Neighbor Stewards
Hold on to your hat!. The winds are a-blowin’ in a most blustery fall way. See Robert Frost’s poem at the bottom. We will meet tomorrow, at the river. We don’t exactly what to do. We are waiting for a delivery of wood chips to refresh the paths before winter. When they come we will need ALL HANDS ON WHEELBARROWS. Tomorrow we can decide what to do. Trail maintenance, sowing se3eds, repairing fencing. Join us at 10, at Berteau and the river, Happy Birthday to Jules, long time river steward, and my pa, Janusz, born on Nov. 5, 1918, long time ago. Hope to see you all tomorrow,
Dear Riverbank Neighbors, Please join us tomorrow, October 30, 2022 10:00 until Noon (note later start time) We will be trimming trees and shooting the breeze. Below are the links to 2 stories of the season written by Pete Leki as an alternative to the gory Halloween fare offered up by commercial culture. We will share food after the workday and share stories as well. We hope to see you there. Riverbank Neighbor Stewards
This Sunday, Oct 9th from 9-11 AM, riverbank invitation to rejoice in the beauty of this heaven-on-earth nature that we steward. Join us.
We meet at Berteau at 9 and then progress along the riverbank north. Seed gathering, trimming weeds, fence fixing, and more. This is a lovely opportunity to spend some time learning how to take care of our ancient ecosystem. This is as close to learning to be an elf as it gets.
and..
please consider listening this podcast. (below) It’s fantastically important. and interesting.
(play episode: Justice for all on spotify or whereever you listen…)
