Today was spent hiking at Ryerson Conservation Area north of Chicago. From 1984 through 1989 I was a volunteer here, conducting amphibian research and occasionally assisting with educational programs. During those years I learned a great deal from many people, and came to know very nearly every bit of these 550 acres.Today was just a fun hike, no real looking around, nio real going off trail, just enjoying the fall colors.
There's been some restoration work done here, perhaps the most important being some hydrology work including plugging old ditches in the northern flatwoods. I had some involvement in that project. It's the wrong time of year to look at it, much too dry in the fall. In early spring, when the flatwoods ponds are full and the leaves haven't really reappeared and it's still easy to see what the water is doing, that's the time to visit.
