The Chicago Muslims Green Team and SUM went hiking to Wolf Road Woods on November 4.
During our hiking, we enjoyed being in nature and learning interesting things like invasive plants, why and how to control them.
An example of invasive plant we found in the forest is Honeysuckle. The plant has red fruit in the fall and white spring flowers along the stem.
Originally from Europe and Asia, it was recommended for ornamental plant and wildlife food source. Today, it is considered as one of the biggest threats to Illinois ecosystems because it covers the forest and reduce the ability of native plants to thrive.
In order to control the spread of invasive plants like Honeysuckle, the Forest Preserve has a volunteer program called Ecological Stewardship Days. Volunteers will be trained to use tools to remove invasive vegetation and plant native seedlings.
Another activity we did was observing wild plants and learning how to use the iNaturalist Seek App to identify them. Some of the plants we observed are turkey tail mushroom, wild onion, and wild carrot.
As we approached the Red Gate Woods, there is a sign of the history of the area as the burial site of the world’s first nuclear reactors.
The site is marked by a granite stone resembling gravestone that explains, quote,
“The World’s First Nuclear Reactor was rebuilt at this site in 1943 after initial operation at the University of Chicago. This reactor (CP-2) and the first heavy water moderated reactor (CP-3) were major facilities around which developed the Argonne National Laboratory. This site was released by the laboratory in 1965 and the US Atomic Energy Commission then buried the reactors here.”
We also discussed nuclear energy as the main source of electricity in Illinois. Recently, on November 9, Illinois lawmakers approved a proposal that would allow companies to develop new nuclear power generation in Illinois for the first time since 1987.
The Chicago Muslims Green Team supports the development of renewable energy like solar. We plan to organize trainings on Community Solar in 2024.
