Melissa Cauble from the Montgomery County Soil & Water Conservation District reports on Hands on Habitat Day, held May 10 on a highly-visible site along I-55, hosted by Montgomery SWCD’s Natural Area Guardians.
Hands on Habitat Day was conducted by Montgomery County Pheasants Forever at Route 66 Prairie at Litchfield. State and local Pheasants Forever leaders and volunteers and FFA students participated.
Agriculture students from Raymond High School, supervised by Mason Fesser, learned to identify invasive species, how to mechanically remove teasel, marked suspected invasive species, and scattered seed collected by Henry Eilers near Molly the Monarch. Pheasant Forever volunteers Glenn Bishop and Brad Ozee moved dirt for the prairie under the watchful eye of Henry Eilers. Lunch was provided by Farm Credit of Taylorville.
Natural Area Guardians have nurtured Route 66 Monarch Park at Litchfield for the Illinois Department of Transportation with guidance from Site Superintendent Henry Eilers for more than 16 years.
Route 66 Monarch Park Nokomis Class volunteers Jeff Berardini, Atticus Bertolino, Walker Stewart, Garrett Engelman, Grace King, Summer Spencer, Dylan Yeske, Ella Huelson, Rem Tester, Kinley Stolte, and Nokomis Agriculture Teacher Mason Fesser with Glenn Bishop (Pheasants Forever Founder).
Route 66 Monarch Park Pheasant Forever volunteers Emilee Hale (PF Farm Bill Biologist), Chance Webb (PF Regional Rep.) Tim Langen (Taylorville Farm Credit), Henry Eilers (IDOT Site Steward), Ashley Langen (PF President), Grant Langen (PF Life Member), and Glenn Bishop (Pheasants Forever Founder).
