BY KACPER, SEAN, SAM, AND KASSANDRA

Nature Education for Kids

Beach History Chicago

Once thrived as a natural areaRecreation was limited to those to wentDunes were the areas natural landscape

Beach Development

Late 1800s through early 1900sPublic for poorPrivate for richUse for bathing and recreation

Beach Construction

Beaches dozed overDune’s and natural habitats destroyedSecond growth stopped through machine

beach combing

Loyola Dunes Restoration

Started 2003Sectioned off beachSecond growth

This PowerPoint is pretty awesome.

Fo sho.

Current Challenge

Competition between native/non-nativeVolunteersOrganization and driveFuture outlook

The Area South of the path

- Consists of mostly short and tiny invasive grass species such as the Sweet Clover

- Used to be almost all grass, until the community work days began

- The sand = Pebbles

The Shoreline

Did not consist of much vegetation besides Marram Grass

The sand consist largely of pebbles and strawberry sized rocks

The area north or the path

The plants appeared to be more spread out, tall, and deeper rooted.

Sandreed Grass is found in this area

The sand = fine, soft

• Native Species – Any Species that historically occurs in a habitat.

• Exotic Species – Any Species that is not native to a habitat.

• Invasive Species – An exotic species that causes harm to a habitat.

Invasive Species

Excessive PopulationDisrupts Natural CommunitiesLess Diversity

Fighting Invasive Species

“Clean outdoor recreation gear”“Not release unwanted pets or dump the

contents of an unwanted aquarium into the wild”

Contacting the closest State Park or Wildlife Refugee

Calling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey ANS Hotline at 800-STOP-ANS (877-786-7267).

Canary Grass

Phragmites

Sweet Clovers

Importance of Education

Children are the leaders of tomorrowThey will decide future policies, create social

movements, and determine our outcomeNot just numbers but hands-on activity!

How Can We Help?

Teach them their relationship to the earthShow them biodiversity and they gain an

appreciation for plants and animalsInteraction with nature curiosity and

amazementNature becomes something they want to

protect!http://dnr.wi.gov/eek/

And, now a word from your aluminum cans and plastic bottles….When on the road,At work or play,Please don't litterOr throw us away. If recycling bins can't be found,While you're playing games and running around,Take us home, to your recycling bin,So we can have another life again.Recycle-- it's the right thing to do!