North Branch Roots & Shoots

Based on the Northwest side of Chicago

We plan to spend our first season uncovering opportunities for making a positive difference in our community in some of the following areas:

  • Green spaces & natural habitats
  • Gardening, food and hunger
  • Animals, domestic & wild
  • Waste, recycling & clean-up
  • Waterways
  • Transportation

During the first year, we plan to explore these ideas primarily through field trips, with a few volunteer projects mixed in, so that we can, as a group, decide which areas are especially relevant to us, and where we would like to focus our efforts. Most of our trips will be local, however, occasionally we plan to take a longer day trip. We are also hoping that a couple of times a year we can have a more social gathering, such as a picnic, or perhaps even an overnight camping trip.

We will be meeting approximately every other Wednesday. We plan to keep the activities low-cost or no-cost.  However, some field trips may require an admission or registration fee.

Fall 2009 Schedule:

October 7, 10am-noon (cost: FREE)

“What’s Wrong and What’s Right” hike at LaBagh Woods Forest Preserve.

We will have a guided tour through the preserve and discover a hidden pond, a brief chat with a forest steward about restoration, we will pick up trash in the woods, and discuss what’s right and what’s wrong with this urban forest preserve.

October 21 — Day Trip (cost: $16/per person)

Angelic Organics Farm in Caledonia IL

November 4 (cost: FREE)

TBA

November 18 — Day Trip (cost: FREE)

Sandhill crane migration site in Jasper/Pulaski, Indiana

December 9 (cost: FREE)

End of season get together and recap. Details TBA

The group is currently full. For more information, or to be put on the waiting list, please contact Justyna Frank.