milkweed

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Remembering Sally Stovall

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Remembering Sally Stovall

When most people retire, they kick back, take cruises, and visit the grandchildren. Sally Stovall was not most people. She did, indeed, relish visiting her grandchildren, but after she retired from a career in organizational development, Sally embarked on a new, vibrant career as climate activist and community organizer.

In September 2010, Sally and her partner, Dick Alton, were worried about global warming and decided to hold a community meeting to see if others felt the same way. Out of the woodwork poured a cohort of people with the same concerns --no real surprise in progressive Oak Park.

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Parts of Monarch Migration 'A Great Mystery'

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Parts of Monarch Migration 'A Great Mystery'

When monarch butterflies migrate over 2,000 miles to Mexico during the winter, they head to the same places within the fir forests each year. This fact may not sound impressive, but the monarchs who fly to Mexico may be fourth generation butterflies who have never seen the mountain forests and do not have any living ancestors to lead the way from experience.

Doug Taron, chief curator at Chicago Academy of Sciences’ Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, will speak about the life cycle and migration of monarch butterflies at a West Cook Wild Ones monthly meeting from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 26, at the Oak Park Public Library Maze Branch, 845 Gunderson Ave.

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Students Create Monarch Garden at Morton Freshman Center

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Students Create Monarch Garden at Morton Freshman Center

Students at Morton High School worked to solve the real-world problem of the declining monarch population by building a 5,000-square-foot monarch habitat and native garden at the Freshman Center in late April.

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Take Action for Clean Air, Public Transit, and Wildlife

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Take Action for Clean Air, Public Transit, and Wildlife

Since 1975, Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has promoted sound environmental laws and policies in Illinois. More than 80 affiliate organizations across the state collaborate through the IEC to create policies that protect Illinois’ air, water, and natural areas. IEC is the only organization that provides regular updates on the issues affecting the environment at the state level. We encourage Green Community Connections readers to sign up for the updates at the IEC website: https://ilenviro.org

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Monarch Migration Events

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Monarch Migration Events

In the fall, Monarch butterflies migrate much like birds, flying 1,000 to 3,000 miles from states such as Illinois to the Oyamel Fir Forests of Central Mexico. Their spring and fall migration is considered a phenomenon of nature because they travel farther than all tropical butterflies.

Three upcoming local events will teach more about these regal insects and offer us ways to help them.