Silver & Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition

05/21/2026

Hello, Stickney Run Volunteers!

Our next workday at Stickney Run will be this Sunday, May 24th from 9 to 11 a.m.. We will be doing some leisurely walking to pull garlic mustard, This will also be a good chance to take a look at what wildflowers are popping up and to see how our restoration work is looking this spring!

I recommend that you bring drinking water you can carry with you. Mosquitos are out so bring bug spray. Be sure to wear long pants, not leggings. I'll have bags, work gloves, and a light snack.

As usual, we will meet in the Stickney Run parking lot off of State Park Road, just east of Barreville Road in McHenry. If you are under the age of 18 and wish to attend without a parent or guardian, please have a parent or guardian sign the attached form and bring it with you.

Please drop me a note if you plan to attend.

I hope to see you there! In the event of inclement weather, always check your email before you leave the house. Email, text or call me with any questions (cell is 224-612-1803). Thanks! Looking forward to working with you!

Pete Jackson
Site Steward, Stickney Run

05/20/2026

05/19/2026

Special Notice: We're still pulling garlic mustard at Sterne's Fen. We would love to have your help tomorrow morning (Wednesday, 5/20) from 8 - 10 am.

Wild garlic mustard is a highly destructive invasive species in the United States, but anyone can help stop its spread.

04/20/2026

Happy Spring! Our next workday will be this Sunday, April 26, from 9-11AM. This month is our annual garlic mustard pull. It can be helpful to have a flathead screwdriver or weeder to loosen soil around their long tap root. The park district will provide garbage bags for the garlic mustard, however volunteers are welcome to bring their own weeders and gloves. Please join us this Sunday, April 26, from 9-11AM.


Garlic Mustard
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/indiana/stories-in-indiana/garlic-mustard/

THE GROUP
We meet once a month at Sterne's outdoor pavilion, 5617 Hillside Dr. from 9-11AM. Volunteers have a chance to learn about restoration ecology and what makes Sterne’s Fen special. Please bring a water bottle and a pair of work gloves. Invasives like garlic mustard, honeysuckle, and buckthorn are crowding out the native species. The brush also prevents the use of controlled burns on the fen. Email Brice Alt, volunteer site steward, to receive a monthly workday reminder: [email protected]. Our next two Sunday work dates are: May 17 and June 28.

THE PARK
Sterne’s Woods & Fen became an Illinois State Nature Preserve in 1994 to preserve and protect its unique ecology. A fen is a rare type of wetland in which cold groundwater that is high in calcium and magnesium seeps to the surface. The unique water chemistry supports plants that grow nowhere else. Sterne’s Fen is home to at least 10 rare or endangered plant species. The surrounding parkland acts as a buffer to the fen and includes prairie, oak savanna, and flatwood ecosystems. Every one of those ecosystems can benefit from the efforts of volunteers. Join us once a month and learn about them!

REGISTRATION
The Crystal Lake Park District now requires all volunteers to register ONCE at this link : https://www.crystallakeparks.org/volunteer-opportunities
You only need to register as a volunteer one time, and then you can help at Sterne's Fen and elsewhere. Visit the link for the minimum age requirements.


One of our garlic mustard piles last year.

Wild garlic mustard is a highly destructive invasive species in the United States, but anyone can help stop its spread.

02/24/2026

Hello, Stickney Run Volunteers!

Our next workday at Stickney Run will be this Thursday, February 26th from 1 to 4 in the afternoon. We have two areas needing work, number one is to finish clearing brush between the fen and the trail, and number two is if any time remains, to cut down some trees closer to the parking lot. Unless the District is burning, we will be led by Kevin Scheiwiller, ecologist with MCCD, and myself. MCCD-certified sawyers and power brushcutters are needed, as well as folks who can cut and stack brush. Plenty of small stems for bowsaws and loppers too. I assume no brushpile fire this time.

Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water. Long pants (not leggings) are a must! I'll have work gloves, safety glasses and any tools we might need.

As usual, we will meet in the Stickney Run parking lot off of State Park Road, just east of Barreville Road in McHenry. If you are under the age of 18 and wish to attend without a parent or guardian, please have a parent or guardian sign the attached form and bring it with you.

Please drop me a note if you plan to attend..

I hope to see you there! Email, text or call me with any questions (cell is 224-612-1803). Thanks! Looking forward to working with you!

Pete Jackson
Site Steward, Stickney Run

02/15/2026

Greetings volunteers! Our next workday will be Sunday, February 22, from 9-11AM. We will continue to remove the last stand of brush on the west fen.

THE GROUP
We meet once a month at Sterne's outdoor pavilion, 5617 Hillside Dr. from 9-11AM. Volunteers have a chance to learn about restoration ecology and what makes Sterne’s Fen special. Please bring a water bottle and a pair of work gloves. The park district will supply loppers and bow saws. Invasives like honeysuckle and buckthorn are crowding out the native fen species. The brush also prevents the use of controlled burns on the fen. Email Brice Alt, volunteer site steward, to receive a monthly workday reminder: [email protected]. The next two workdays will be March 22 and April 26.

THE PARK
Sterne’s Woods & Fen became an Illinois State Nature Preserve in 1994 to preserve and protect its unique ecology. A fen is a rare type of wetland in which cold groundwater that is high in calcium and magnesium seeps to the surface. The unique water chemistry supports plants that grow nowhere else. Sterne’s Fen is home to at least 10 rare or endangered plant species. The surrounding parkland acts as a buffer to the fen and includes prairie, oak savanna, and flatwood ecosystems. Every one of those ecosystems can benefit from the efforts of volunteers. Join us once a month and learn about them!

REGISTRATION
The Crystal Lake Park District now requires all volunteers to register ONCE at this link : https://www.crystallakeparks.org/volunteer-opportunities
You only need to register as a volunteer one time, and then you can help at Sterne's Fen and elsewhere. Visit the link for the minimum age requirements.

THANK YOU
Many thanks to the local groups who have volunteered with us at Sterne's: the MUDD trail running club, the Silver and Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, the BREAK, the Cary-Grove National Honor Society, Jacobs High School Interact, Harvard High School, Crystal Lake South Elementary, Algonquin Library Teens, Girl Scout Troop 888, Cub Scout Pack 156, Boy Scout Troops 158 and 368, and area geocachers. We welcome community groups! Just fill out the Park District's registration form for each person and then e-mail me so I know how many volunteers to expect. Students ages 14+ in need of public service hours are welcome too.

12/08/2025

Thanks to a great crew of volunteers, a lot more invasives were removed from Sternes' Fen during our November workday. We'd love to have your help at our December workday from 9 - 11 am on December 28th!

11/25/2025

Hello, Stickney Run Volunteers!

We are hosting a Green Friday stewardship workday this Friday, November 28th from 10 to 1! C'mon out and work off that turkey! We will be clearing brush south of the parking lot. We'll have hand tools for brush clearing, and the emphasis will be on brush-clearing and stacking brush. But if you are an MCCD-certified chainsawyer and you have the requisite PPE, we have a few large walnuts that can come down.

Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water. Long pants (not leggings) are a must! I'll have work gloves, safety glasses and any tools we might need. And maybe a few snacks.

As usual, we will meet in the Stickney Run parking lot off of State Park Road, just east of Barreville Road in McHenry. If you are under the age of 18 and wish to attend without a parent or guardian, please have a parent or guardian sign the attached form and bring it with you.

Please drop me a note if you plan to attend. The woods we've been clearing are much more open than before work began, thus benefiting not only the oaks but associated species of plants that have been largely snuffed out by overshading. It is looking much nicer out there!

I hope to see you there! Email, text or call me with any questions (cell is 224-612-1803). Keep an eye on your emails, no email means we are on. Thanks! Looking forward to working with you!

Pete Jackson
Site Steward, Stickney Run

11/17/2025

Hello, Stickney Run Volunteers!

Hi There Stickney Run Volunteers! Our next workday of the fall will be this Saturday, November 22nd from 9 to Noon. We will continue clearing brush and invasive trees from the woods near the parking lot. MCCD-certified sawyers are needed, as well as folks who can cut and stack brush.

Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water. Long pants (not leggings) are a must! I'll have work gloves, safety glasses and any tools we might need.

As usual, we will meet in the Stickney Run parking lot off of State Park Road, just east of Barreville Road in McHenry. If you are under the age of 18 and wish to attend without a parent or guardian, please have a parent or guardian sign the attached form and bring it with you.

Please drop me a note if you plan to attend. The woods we've been clearing are much more open than before work began, thus benefiting not only the oaks but associated species of plants that have been largely snuffed out by overshading. It is looking much nicer out there!

I hope to see you there! Email, text or call me with any questions (cell is 224-612-1803). Keep an eye on your emails, no email means we are on. Thanks! Looking forward to working with you!

Pete Jackson

11/14/2025

Greetings volunteers! The cold weather has arrived and we are tackling the last stand of invasive brush in the center of the west fen. Please join us at Sterne's Fen next Sunday, November 23, from 9-11AM.

THE GROUP
We meet once a month at Sterne's outdoor pavilion, 5617 Hillside Dr. from 9-11AM. Volunteers have a chance to learn about restoration ecology and what makes Sterne’s Fen special. Please bring a water bottle and a pair of work gloves. The park district will supply loppers and bow saws. Invasives like honeysuckle and buckthorn are crowding out the native fen species. The brush also prevents the use of controlled burns on the fen. Email Brice Alt, volunteer site steward, to receive a monthly workday reminder: [email protected]. Our next Sunday work date will be: Dec 28.

THE PARK
Sterne’s Woods & Fen became an Illinois State Nature Preserve in 1994 to preserve and protect its unique ecology. A fen is a rare type of wetland in which cold groundwater that is high in calcium and magnesium seeps to the surface. The unique water chemistry supports plants that grow nowhere else. Sterne’s Fen is home to at least 10 rare or endangered plant species. The surrounding parkland acts as a buffer to the fen and includes prairie, oak savanna, and flatwood ecosystems. Every one of those ecosystems can benefit from the efforts of volunteers. Join us once a month and learn about them!

REGISTRATION
The Crystal Lake Park District now requires all volunteers to register ONCE at this link : https://www.crystallakeparks.org/volunteer-opportunities
You only need to register as a volunteer one time, and then you can help at Sterne's Fen and elsewhere. Note the minimum age to volunteer is now 14.

Thanks to our October volunteers for this big brush pile.