WEBVTT

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- Barb Cattani: So I
wanna start by introducing

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our keynote speaker,
Stephen Packard.

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Stephen has led numerous efforts

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to restore
high-quality prairies,

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savannas, woodlands,
and wetlands.

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He initiated the North
Branch Restoration Project,

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a volunteer-driven project

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to restore and
protect ecosystems

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along the North Branch
of the Chicago River,

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which was featured in the
book<i>Miracle Under the Oaks</i>.

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His work led to careers as

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the director of
science and stewardship

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with the Illinois
Nature Conservancy,

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and a teaching position with
Northwestern University.

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He was a founding board member

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of the Society for
Ecological Restoration,

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which now has chapters
throughout the world

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and is a preeminent organization
in this flourishing field.

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Stephen currently collaborates
with a wide variety

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of efforts to
conserve natural areas

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and create a culture
of conservation.

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Please join me in
welcoming Stephen Packard.

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[audience applauding]

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- Thank you, and
thank you Wild Ones.

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Some of us in nature find
magic and fun, lots of it.

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As Wild Ones,
we build community.

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We the people
educate and restore.

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Some of my friends
ask sometimes,

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[audience laughing]

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"What are you doing puttering
around in your garden

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"when the Earth faces
such challenges?"

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But in fact, we are only
beginning to understand

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and doing the early experiments

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of how to restore health
to the planetary ecosystem.

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And I'll tell you some stories

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and show you some experiments
from that struggle,

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that struggle and that fun.

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In the case of shooting stars,
we love beautiful flowers,

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but we care more about the seeds

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as we do ecosystem restoration.

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The seeds from these
shooting stars,

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which had been a rare
plant in our region,

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take 10 years from germination
to flowering in the wild.

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But once you get them
into the ecosystem,

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the ecosystem is on the way.

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This is Linda and
my house, garden,

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little wilderness patches.

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All the wild plants
we grow in our yards

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are there for providing seed.

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We need rare seed to
restore ecosystems.

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We gather more than
200 species every year

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and we put them in more
than a dozen different mixes

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and put them out into the woods,

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prairies, wetlands,
fens, sedge meadows.

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Many of the seeds you can't
get very well in the wild

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because they are way
down below other plants

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by the time the seeds are set,

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and hard to find in
large quantities.

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Or like this
Bicknell's geranium,

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they pop as soon
as they're ripe,

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and you have to be
there at that moment

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or you don't get the ripe seeds.

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So as we do this
work, we get together,

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we think about it, we plan
spring, summer, fall, winter.

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When the seed season is
over starts our brush bash

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and bonfire burn season, and
that goes all winter long.

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And we look forward
to every season.

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We like winter.

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In winter, we do some of
our most profound work.

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We think through the ecosystem,
what needs to be cut out

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in order to provide the most
health as we move forward.

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Our work events
are social events.

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People bake delicious treats
and bring them to these events.

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Would we rather be
inside watching TV?

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Oh, please.

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[audience laughing]

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Winter is also a great
time to study history

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and broaden the planning.

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Most of Southern Wisconsin
and Northern Illinois

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looked like this for
thousands of years.

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Prairie to the west of rivers
and other fire obstacles,

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savanna and woodland
to the east.

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And we started with prairie.

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In fact, the University of
Wisconsin Arboretum in Madison

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was the first
place on the planet

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where people truly engaged
with restoring health

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to a natural
ecosystem: the prairie.

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It seemed so rare
in the Midwest.

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Less than one one-hundredth
of one percent

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of the original
prairie survives.

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The Amazon Rainforest,
50% surviving.

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Very important, but there's
hardly anything left.

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If we want to save the
genetic resources

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of the temperate world for a
thousand different reasons,

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we need to save the ecosystems
of the temperate world.

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In this case, we
started on sown prairie,

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two acres of high-quality
prairie surviving

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in 100 acres of mostly
brush and weeds.

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And over the last
40 years, we've done

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what I will describe to
you throughout this talk

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so that now most of that
hundred acres looks like this

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or is on the way to it.

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When we started out...

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[audience applauding]
[Stephen laughing]

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Go ecosystem! [laughing]

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When we started out,

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much of the site I'm showing
you looked like this.

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Fun in this case meant
recreational vehicles,

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which people meant no harm by,
they were having fun.

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Most of the site looked like
this, mostly a few species,

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mostly not part of the
native prairie ecosystem.

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One part looked like this.

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This turned out to be one

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of the healthiest
parts of the site

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because the kids
had kept it open,

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it hadn't shaded over,

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and endangered species
survived around the edge

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where the brush hadn't
gotten too dark.

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But now, 40 years later, this
exact place looks like this.

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[audience murmuring]

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It contains the endangered
bearded wheat grass,

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it contains--

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not 'cause we planted it,
but 'cause the seeds were

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blowing around the site
from others we planted,

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the federal endangered
prairie white-fringed orchid.

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A great many rare and
endangered plants grew

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where kids once had a
different kind of fun.

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Here's what this
recovering ecosystem

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looks like in early spring.

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Here's what it looks
like in summer.

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And much of what I'll
talk about takes place

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in what survives as
the Midwest wilderness,

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but a lot of what I'll talk
about to my Wild Ones friends

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is in our little yard.

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Here it is, the one
little patch of our yard

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where there's enough
sun to grow prairie.

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We don't do a lot of
prairie in our yard,

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but about six feet across,
we have a bit of prairie.

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Just to the northwest
of that, we have, or had,

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woodland ecosystem
until the ash tree died.

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You can see it mulched
in the middle here there.

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How will these woodland plants,

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which we're growing for seed,
do in full sun for a while?

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Well, we're letting
some hazel bushes

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and hickory trees grow,

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and they're doing
reasonably well.

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The flora of the open woodland

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does okay in full
sun for a while.

08:36.833 --> 08:39.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:5% size:67.5%
Here, we're looking at
the whole front yard

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and both of our neighbors'
houses on either side.

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This is not a big lot, not a
big house, it's not a big yard,

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but here and there, there
are the right conditions

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for most of the plants we want.

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If you look over to the left,

08:56.800 --> 09:00.133 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
you'll see a little
hophornbeam tree,

09:00.233 --> 09:02.566 align:left position:17.5%,start line:5% size:72.5%
and under that hophornbeam

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there is Robin's plantain,
Erigeron pulchellus,

09:06.833 --> 09:11.033 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75%
and a great many species that
we really wanna get seed from.

09:11.133 --> 09:13.200 align:left position:32.5%,start line:5% size:57.5%
And on the very
bottom on the left

09:13.300 --> 09:17.400 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
are the leaves of the
endangered Liatris scariosa,

09:17.500 --> 09:19.300 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
savanna blazing star.

09:19.400 --> 09:21.466 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
We'll hear more about
that later, too.

09:23.500 --> 09:25.000 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
Here's the backyard.

09:25.100 --> 09:27.133 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
It's wild and woolly.

09:27.233 --> 09:29.566 align:left position:17.5%,start line:5% size:72.5%
Some of the neighbors were
a little nervous about it.

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When one neighbor was selling
their house next door,

09:32.900 --> 09:35.733 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
the real estate agent
came over and said,

09:36.733 --> 09:40.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
"Your lawn is... what?"

09:40.300 --> 09:43.433 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
And I said, "Oh, the lawn's
actually a little scraggly,

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"the lawn part, we'll
mow that right up.

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"But as for the rest of it..."

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And I described it, and
the real estate agent,

09:50.900 --> 09:54.266 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and you can see the real
estate mind is at work, said,

09:54.366 --> 09:58.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
"Oh, it's not unkempt,
it's special."

09:58.766 --> 10:02.333 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
[audience laughing]

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"I have a feature for
you, prospective owners.

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"Your next house has a
yard that's special."

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[audience laughing]

10:12.066 --> 10:14.100 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
In this case, we
did not have much

10:14.200 --> 10:17.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
purple Joe-Pye weed to
gather seeds of early on.

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You can see it's more
than abundant here.

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When we planted the seeds out

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in hundreds of acres of
open woodland ecosystem,

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we got more than we needed.

10:27.933 --> 10:29.500 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
It's gone from our yard.

10:29.600 --> 10:31.900 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
We do a lot of gardening
by subtraction.

10:32.000 --> 10:34.066 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
When we don't need
the seeds anymore,

10:34.166 --> 10:37.666 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
we cut it out and
given that pressure,

10:37.766 --> 10:41.633 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
other stuff that we
wanna grow does well.

10:41.733 --> 10:46.500 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
Some plants just don't
do well in our yard

10:46.600 --> 10:48.900 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
in difficult competition,

10:49.000 --> 10:51.900 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
so they grow a little
patch beside our garage

10:52.000 --> 10:53.766 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
between a little walkway and...

10:53.866 --> 10:57.733 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
We have many species of
rare and endangered plants

10:57.833 --> 10:58.966 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
that thrive in here,

10:59.066 --> 11:01.200 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
and we get seeds of
them year after year,

11:01.300 --> 11:03.233 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
put them out in the ecosystem,

11:03.333 --> 11:05.966 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
and pretty soon they're off
and running on their own.

11:06.066 --> 11:08.200 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
This is our neighbor
Malcolm's yard.

11:08.300 --> 11:09.633 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
You can see ours
in the background.

11:09.733 --> 11:11.600 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
They have a very different look.

11:11.700 --> 11:14.433 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
But those little red flags here

11:14.533 --> 11:17.533 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
mark individual milkweed shoots.

11:17.633 --> 11:20.533 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
We gave Malcolm a couple
of milkweed plants.

11:20.633 --> 11:22.400 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
He put 'em right in his lawn.

11:22.500 --> 11:24.266 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
He mows around them.

11:24.366 --> 11:28.300 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
But they become big ranging
plants and are covered

11:28.400 --> 11:33.600 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
during the rest of the
summer with monarch eggs.

11:33.700 --> 11:37.566 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
And we grow lots of monarchs.

11:37.666 --> 11:40.000 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
Here they are,
here's two monarchs

11:40.100 --> 11:44.600 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
nectaring on the endangered
savanna blazing star.

11:45.700 --> 11:47.233 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
They have a wonderful
time together.

11:47.333 --> 11:50.066 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
The monarchs just love
the savanna blazing star,

11:51.066 --> 11:52.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
spend a lot of time on it.

11:54.066 --> 11:56.400 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
We also grow a lot of shrubs.

11:56.500 --> 11:59.400 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
In the early days of
restoration,

11:59.500 --> 12:01.466 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
there was a principle:

12:01.566 --> 12:06.200 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
the prairie is most
threatened by woody plants,

12:06.300 --> 12:07.533 align:left position:35%,start line:65% size:55%
cut 'em out.

12:07.633 --> 12:11.533 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
We cut out a lot
of native shrubs.

12:11.633 --> 12:14.666 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
We need to cut out a
lot of native shrubs

12:14.766 --> 12:16.800 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
if the prairie's gonna recover.

12:16.900 --> 12:18.933 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
Under modern conditions,

12:19.033 --> 12:21.533 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
you have to burn an awful
lot to keep the shrubs down,

12:21.633 --> 12:23.200 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
and some of the invertebrates

12:23.300 --> 12:25.066 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
don't wanna burn
quite that often.

12:27.033 --> 12:31.100 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
On the other hand, in the
savanna and in the oak woodland,

12:31.200 --> 12:34.333 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
we want a lot of
shrubs in patches.

12:34.433 --> 12:37.900 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
Much of the savanna and
woodland were open, too.

12:38.000 --> 12:40.733 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
You could gallop a horse
through the woodland, they said.

12:40.833 --> 12:42.300 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
But there were
patches here and there

12:42.400 --> 12:44.800 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
which were critical
that many species

12:44.900 --> 12:47.966 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
of birds, butterflies,
and others.

12:48.066 --> 12:50.133 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
So this is American plum.

12:52.300 --> 12:54.733 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
In order to get it to
germinate properly,

12:54.833 --> 12:59.100 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
we sacrifice by personally
eating all the fruit.

12:59.200 --> 13:01.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
[audience laughing]

13:01.400 --> 13:03.700 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
And then some people have had
trouble germinating this one.

13:03.800 --> 13:06.433 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
We just put it in dirt,
put it in the refrigerator,

13:06.533 --> 13:07.933 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
let it stay there
over the winter,

13:08.033 --> 13:09.800 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
and next spring
they've all sprouted

13:09.900 --> 13:12.933 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
and we [coughs] plant them out.

13:14.300 --> 13:18.233 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
In a four foot across
patch, weeded carefully,

13:18.333 --> 13:23.233 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
we can get hundreds
of star grass bulbs,

13:23.333 --> 13:28.066 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
hypoxis, and violet
wood-sorrel bulbs,

13:28.166 --> 13:30.733 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
and a number of
species of violets,

13:30.833 --> 13:33.366 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
some of which are
challenging to gather seed.

13:33.466 --> 13:36.566 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
We gather a lot, but we
also take those bulbs,

13:36.666 --> 13:40.266 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
harvest them, dig them
up, don't eat them,

13:40.366 --> 13:45.066 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
put them out where they'll
be able to proliferate

13:46.066 --> 13:49.400 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
so that formerly
very rare plants,

13:49.500 --> 13:53.533 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
we now have tens of thousands
of yellow star grass

13:53.633 --> 13:56.800 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and violet wood-sorrel
plants blooming

13:56.900 --> 14:00.266 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
in our restored prairies
and savannas nearby.

14:01.866 --> 14:03.900 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
In the case of
some rare species,

14:04.000 --> 14:06.600 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
this one is purple
prairie clover,

14:06.700 --> 14:09.666 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
the purple one down underneath
the big compass plant,

14:09.766 --> 14:12.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
it doesn't do very
well in our yard

14:12.133 --> 14:15.100 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and it doesn't need to
because we got it going

14:15.200 --> 14:17.200 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
early in the restored area,

14:17.300 --> 14:19.000 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and we just gather
the seed and spread it

14:19.100 --> 14:20.500 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
and gather the
seed and spread it,

14:20.600 --> 14:23.133 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
and we have at
least 100,000 plants

14:23.233 --> 14:25.366 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
of purple prairie clover.

14:26.366 --> 14:28.466 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
So that was my introduction.

14:28.566 --> 14:30.900 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
Now five little experiments

14:31.000 --> 14:34.200 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
starring a couple of
species of orchids,

14:34.300 --> 14:37.800 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
the quest for seed,
Bicknell's geranium,

14:37.900 --> 14:39.800 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
and plant Guantanamo.

14:41.400 --> 14:44.233 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
This is the small
white lady-slipper.

14:44.333 --> 14:46.233 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
Had been endangered in Illinois

14:46.333 --> 14:48.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
until we put a lot
of work into it,

14:48.133 --> 14:51.466 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
and now it's doing well enough
to be taken off the list.

14:52.466 --> 14:56.033 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
This one we found
did well for us

14:57.033 --> 15:02.766 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80%
only when the seeds were planted
in a very high-quality system.

15:05.200 --> 15:09.433 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
When I say did well, it was
not immediate gratification.

15:09.533 --> 15:12.600 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
Having planted a few
times in a few places

15:12.700 --> 15:14.833 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and kept careful records,

15:14.933 --> 15:19.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
we find that this one pops
up and blooms luxuriantly

15:19.500 --> 15:22.333 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
after 10 years or so.
[audience laughing]

15:22.433 --> 15:26.233 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
It spends most of its
early years underground,

15:26.333 --> 15:28.566 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
not putting up a single leaf.

15:28.666 --> 15:32.133 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
It forms a little
conspiracy with a fungus

15:32.233 --> 15:34.200 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and the orchid seed says,

15:34.300 --> 15:36.233 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
"Oh, fungus tendrils
coming towards me,

15:36.333 --> 15:38.100 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"please don't infect my seed.

15:38.200 --> 15:41.100 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
"My seed is so small,
it's just a few cells."

15:41.200 --> 15:45.400 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
And then the fungus ties into
it and then the orchid says,

15:45.500 --> 15:49.100 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"Ha ha, I'm taking you over,
and we'll work together

15:49.200 --> 15:52.700 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
"to build a nice, big root

15:52.800 --> 15:56.000 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
"that after eight or ten years
is ready to come up

15:56.100 --> 15:59.133 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
"and put up a flower,"
the first year very often.

16:00.500 --> 16:03.166 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
But we found this
one only in a place

16:03.266 --> 16:05.100 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
that was being bulldozed.

16:05.200 --> 16:07.433 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
We found it at the last moment.

16:08.566 --> 16:11.533 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
We raced out, dodging
people who thought

16:11.633 --> 16:13.366 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
we weren't supposed to be there,

16:13.466 --> 16:15.966 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
and dug up these plants.

16:16.066 --> 16:18.666 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
We planted them in
badly disturbed areas

16:18.766 --> 16:21.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
'cause we didn't wanna
dig up high-quality areas,

16:21.300 --> 16:24.200 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and they lived there, but
they refused to reproduce.

16:25.733 --> 16:30.500 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
Later, we said "Let's
try, it's making seed,

16:30.600 --> 16:32.000 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"it's not reproducing at all,

16:32.100 --> 16:34.566 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
"let's just move the seed
to the high-quality areas."

16:34.666 --> 16:36.033 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
And they came up
by the hundreds,

16:36.133 --> 16:39.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
so that was a wonderful
thing, except for one problem.

16:40.833 --> 16:46.566 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
They grow in these, now, in
these little Guantanamo cages.

16:46.666 --> 16:49.066 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
The deer eat every
one we don't cage.

16:49.166 --> 16:51.266 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Thank your hunters
in areas where

16:51.366 --> 16:53.566 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
deer populations are imbalanced.

16:54.566 --> 16:56.400 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
These are not people of evil

16:56.500 --> 16:59.566 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
as they are portrayed
in some cases.

17:01.600 --> 17:07.400 align:left position:35%,start line:83% size:55%
But for now,
generous people cage

17:07.500 --> 17:11.100 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
every lady-slipper every
year, and they do great.

17:11.200 --> 17:13.000 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
This is the prairie
white-fringed orchid.

17:13.100 --> 17:15.100 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
Another one deer like to eat.

17:15.200 --> 17:21.266 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
This one we found dwindling,
tiny little populations,

17:21.366 --> 17:23.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
and what it needed
most, it turned out,

17:23.466 --> 17:27.466 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
when we carefully watched it,
was hand pollination.

17:27.566 --> 17:32.133 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
It was too rare for pollinators
to find it, figure it out.

17:32.233 --> 17:34.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
Pollinators love it
once they figure it out.

17:34.133 --> 17:37.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
Big hawk moths are the only
ones that can pollinate it.

17:37.900 --> 17:41.833 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
But most weren't setting seed,

17:41.933 --> 17:45.166 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and so we learned how
to hand-pollinate them.

17:45.266 --> 17:47.300 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
It's quite a process.

17:47.400 --> 17:50.766 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
It's a very intimate process.

17:50.866 --> 17:54.966 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
It's all sticky and you
get that little pollinium

17:55.066 --> 17:56.833 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
on the end of a toothpick,

17:56.933 --> 17:59.900 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
and this toothpick had
two pollinia on them

18:00.000 --> 18:04.066 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
and it pushed one up against
this sticky, gooey surface,

18:04.166 --> 18:06.100 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
the stigma of the flower.

18:06.200 --> 18:07.833 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
And then it gets
all stuck in that

18:07.933 --> 18:10.233 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
and you can see
it sort of is this

18:10.333 --> 18:12.600 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
almost like elastic thing
as you're pulling back,

18:12.700 --> 18:14.466 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
and it'll go back, "Sprong,"

18:14.566 --> 18:16.700 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
and then you go to
the next flower.

18:16.800 --> 18:22.200 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
For the moth, there's this
feature where when the moth,

18:23.533 --> 18:25.000 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
if this is a moth tongue,

18:26.333 --> 18:28.400 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and it sticks itself
into the flower,

18:28.500 --> 18:31.733 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
the pollinium is in there

18:31.833 --> 18:34.800 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and it gets stuck on
the moth like this,

18:34.900 --> 18:38.200 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and this is the part
with all the pollen,

18:38.300 --> 18:42.000 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and it flies to other
flowers on that plant

18:42.100 --> 18:45.966 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
and gets its wonderful nectar.

18:46.066 --> 18:49.866 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
And then after just
a minute or so,

18:49.966 --> 18:51.866 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
after there's been time
to get to the next plant,

18:51.966 --> 18:53.400 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
you can see this thing goes...

18:55.900 --> 18:57.566 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
And now the pollen
is sticking forward,

18:57.666 --> 19:01.633 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
and it's immoral of orchids

19:01.733 --> 19:04.466 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
to exchange pollen
within the same plant.

19:04.566 --> 19:07.633 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
They wanna go to another plant.

19:07.733 --> 19:08.866 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
So that's how they do it.

19:08.966 --> 19:11.233 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
So you learn these
kinds of things

19:11.333 --> 19:14.766 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
in order to figure out how to
save these wonderful species.

19:14.866 --> 19:17.966 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75%
Here's our graph of how many

19:18.066 --> 19:21.033 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
white-fringed orchids
there were at Somme.

19:21.133 --> 19:23.733 align:left position:10%,start line:5% size:80%
You can see from this experiment

19:23.833 --> 19:26.766 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
that if you followed
it for merely

19:26.866 --> 19:28.733 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75%
the first prothetic 20 years,

19:28.833 --> 19:32.233 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
it wouldn't look like
it was doing much.

19:32.333 --> 19:35.466 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
And we find many of
our plants do this.

19:35.566 --> 19:38.933 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
It takes them a while
to figure out the site.

19:39.033 --> 19:42.100 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
Maybe genes are exchanging and
they're finding combinations

19:42.200 --> 19:44.633 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
that work with our
soils and our hydrology

19:44.733 --> 19:49.400 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and our predators or
whatever as a hypothesis.

19:49.500 --> 19:51.866 align:left position:10%,start line:65% size:80%
We see so many graphs like this.

19:51.966 --> 19:56.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
But now that there are 400
or 500 plants a year,

19:56.500 --> 19:59.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
this site has more
white-fringed orchids

19:59.400 --> 20:02.433 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
than any other
site on the planet

20:02.533 --> 20:05.000 align:left position:10%,start line:65% size:80%
or any, one or two depending on,

20:05.100 --> 20:07.400 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
who's leading the
charge that year.

20:07.500 --> 20:09.366 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
And this is just because of

20:09.466 --> 20:12.233 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
a few wonderful
people like yourselves

20:12.333 --> 20:15.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
putting a lot of time into
it and figuring it out.

20:15.566 --> 20:22.366 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
So seeds is a big part
of what we do all year.

20:22.466 --> 20:25.000 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
All summer long,
we're gathering seeds,

20:25.100 --> 20:26.766 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
starting with the
ones that ripen first,

20:26.866 --> 20:29.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
then middle, then early
fall, then late fall.

20:29.766 --> 20:32.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Here we have seeds
of cream gentian,

20:32.400 --> 20:34.566 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
a wonderful savanna species.

20:34.666 --> 20:38.333 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
The three part, otherwise
spherical seeds in the middle

20:38.433 --> 20:40.166 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
are New Jersey tea.

20:40.266 --> 20:41.700 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
If you want that
one to germinate,

20:41.800 --> 20:44.233 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
you need to pour
boiling water over it.

20:44.333 --> 20:48.466 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
Don't ask me why, but that's
what the literature says.

20:48.566 --> 20:51.766 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
And we trusted the literature,
but we tried it both ways.

20:51.866 --> 20:54.266 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
No germination without
the boiling water,

20:54.366 --> 20:57.066 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
full germination with
the boiling water.

20:57.166 --> 20:59.433 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Don't boil it, just
pour some over it.

21:00.766 --> 21:05.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
Then the seeds in that
pod are of a species

21:05.300 --> 21:09.500 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
that pioneer children used
to call sow and piglet.

21:09.600 --> 21:14.133 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
And you can see those little
suckling baptisia seeds

21:14.233 --> 21:15.966 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
inside their pods.

21:16.066 --> 21:18.300 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
This one you chip with a knife

21:18.400 --> 21:20.166 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
in order to get a
little coating off it

21:20.266 --> 21:22.900 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
if you wanted to
germinate it right away.

21:23.000 --> 21:26.666 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
If you don't care so much
about immediate gratification,

21:26.766 --> 21:28.733 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
just throw it out
and the bacteria

21:28.833 --> 21:31.166 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
will eat away at that
coating over the years,

21:31.266 --> 21:33.666 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
and someday it will germinate.

21:36.266 --> 21:40.266 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
When we gather seeds, all
kinds of people take part.

21:40.366 --> 21:43.200 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
Little kids are sometimes
very competitive

21:43.300 --> 21:46.400 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and thoughtful and
smart and learn,

21:46.500 --> 21:49.566 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
and a little kid
can learn to say

21:49.666 --> 21:52.800 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
Eryngium yuccifolium
before you can turn around.

21:52.900 --> 21:53.966 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
[audience chuckling]

21:54.066 --> 21:57.500 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
And we get vast
numbers of seeds.

21:57.600 --> 22:00.000 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
We also find that
for many people,

22:00.100 --> 22:04.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
seed collecting is a stress
reducer, it's meditative.

22:04.500 --> 22:06.133 align:left position:32.5%,start line:89% size:57.5%
We just do it.

22:06.233 --> 22:10.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
You pare, you're thinking,
you're out with other people,

22:10.566 --> 22:11.933 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
you might wanna chat with them,

22:12.033 --> 22:14.866 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
then you might wanna get
away from them for a while,

22:14.966 --> 22:16.766 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
and you're in the ecosystem.

22:16.866 --> 22:20.000 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
One fellow during
seed-picking expeditions

22:20.100 --> 22:22.533 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
used to come and
hide in the bushes,

22:22.633 --> 22:25.433 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
we didn't notice he had
something under his jacket,

22:25.533 --> 22:28.666 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
and quietly played the flute

22:28.766 --> 22:31.066 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
[audience awws]
while... [laughs]

22:31.166 --> 22:35.100 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
So this is culture, this
is building a culture.

22:35.200 --> 22:38.433 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
Once again, we're thinking
about how to get seeds

22:38.533 --> 22:42.333 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
and how some of them,
when you find in the wild,

22:42.433 --> 22:43.900 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
you can get only a handful,

22:44.000 --> 22:46.233 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and to be effective,
you need to put

22:46.333 --> 22:49.200 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
tens of thousands or
millions of seeds all over,

22:49.300 --> 22:52.133 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
'cause many of them have to
find just the right place.

22:52.233 --> 22:53.833 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
They bloom with
the right friends,

22:53.933 --> 22:56.200 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
they bloom after the
right conditions.

22:57.400 --> 22:59.966 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
And so one of the things we do

23:00.066 --> 23:04.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
is we take the rarest,
most difficult,

23:04.300 --> 23:07.466 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
the seeds that we need the most
of the most conservative plants,

23:07.566 --> 23:09.833 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
the most important
ones to the ecosystem,

23:11.000 --> 23:12.866 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
we give them to the
Chicago Botanic Garden

23:12.966 --> 23:15.433 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and their propagators
propagate them

23:15.533 --> 23:18.033 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and they grow them in
little pots like this

23:18.133 --> 23:21.600 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and give them to us, and
then we distribute them

23:21.700 --> 23:25.233 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
among Wild Ones and
friendly gardeners

23:25.333 --> 23:27.800 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
who promise not to
have any other species

23:27.900 --> 23:29.300 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
of that kind in their yards,

23:29.400 --> 23:34.000 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
'cause we don't want genes
from, god forbid, Wisconsin

23:34.100 --> 23:36.766 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
or Nebraska to be mixing in.
[audience laughing]

23:36.866 --> 23:39.633 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
We wanna save the
local gene pool.

23:39.733 --> 23:43.100 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
And they grow these
plants, and they love them,

23:43.200 --> 23:45.700 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and they harvest the
seeds when they're ripe,

23:45.800 --> 23:47.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
they manage to keep
an eye on them.

23:47.466 --> 23:49.233 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
If something is
growing over them,

23:49.333 --> 23:51.233 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
they know to look under
'cause it's in their garden

23:51.333 --> 23:52.500 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and they're watching it,

23:52.600 --> 23:55.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and we get a tremendous
amount of seed that way.

23:55.766 --> 23:58.333 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
There are many species
that the propagators

23:58.433 --> 24:03.000 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
at the Botanic Garden
were no good at growing,

24:03.100 --> 24:08.000 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
couldn't get 'em, but one of
the volunteers, Rob Sulski,

24:08.100 --> 24:10.433 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
said, "What's the matter
with these people?

24:10.533 --> 24:12.733 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
"I can do this,
I'll figure it out."

24:12.833 --> 24:14.333 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
And he tried a lot
of different things,

24:14.433 --> 24:16.500 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
he did a lot of
different research.

24:16.600 --> 24:20.666 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
One of his favorite
things to do is get seeds

24:20.766 --> 24:23.166 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and get a little soil
from around the plants

24:23.266 --> 24:28.033 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
that the seeds came from,
grow them with great pains

24:28.133 --> 24:31.166 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
until he's got a healthy plant,

24:31.266 --> 24:34.000 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and then he puts a
funnel around it.

24:34.100 --> 24:35.700 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
It goes into the pot.

24:35.800 --> 24:40.300 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
And then as the seeds pop or
fall off or whatever they do,

24:40.400 --> 24:44.333 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
they all go down into
the soil in that pot.

24:44.433 --> 24:48.400 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80%
And then he has maybe 100 little
plants growing in that pot.

24:48.500 --> 24:50.666 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
And then he invites us all over

24:50.766 --> 24:55.666 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
and we tease those plants apart
and put them in little new pots,

24:55.766 --> 25:00.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
and then we can plant those
out into the ecosystem.

25:00.500 --> 25:03.500 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
These people who are laughing

25:03.600 --> 25:05.700 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
are having a profound
conversation,

25:05.800 --> 25:09.233 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
looking down at the endangered
Bicknell's geranium.

25:09.333 --> 25:14.233 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
In our area, we find
Bicknell geranium

25:14.333 --> 25:19.400 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
only in one situation: around
the edges of brush pile burns.

25:19.500 --> 25:21.500 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
We don't find it anywhere else.

25:21.600 --> 25:23.733 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
And at least for our ecotypes,

25:23.833 --> 25:27.866 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
a grass fire or a
woodland leaf fire

25:27.966 --> 25:30.200 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
does not release the seeds.

25:31.600 --> 25:34.533 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
Maybe for us it grew where
tree trunks fell over

25:34.633 --> 25:36.733 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and caught on fire and
sterilized the soil,

25:36.833 --> 25:40.233 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
and then there are lines of
geraniums along the edge.

25:40.333 --> 25:44.200 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
But this is a plant
that is in trouble.

25:44.300 --> 25:47.066 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
We don't have enough
big, old, dead trees,

25:47.166 --> 25:49.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and we're not sure
how long those seeds

25:49.466 --> 25:51.566 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
are gonna last in the soil.

25:51.666 --> 25:55.133 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
So we decided to try and figure
out what to do with them.

25:55.233 --> 25:59.300 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
This is Bicknell's geranium
reaching out of its cage.

26:00.966 --> 26:03.400 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
We allow it to
escape Guantanamo.

26:03.500 --> 26:05.566 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
When the plants
get a little older,

26:05.666 --> 26:07.333 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
the deer eat 'em and kill 'em

26:07.433 --> 26:10.266 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
and pull 'em up by the
roots when they're young,

26:10.366 --> 26:12.833 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
and don't so much
go after them later.

26:12.933 --> 26:15.400 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
This is that splendid
little flower.

26:15.500 --> 26:18.133 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
This is that sprong
we saw earlier.

26:18.233 --> 26:21.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
You have to get 'em
just before this stage.

26:21.133 --> 26:23.200 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
But then how do we plant them?

26:23.300 --> 26:26.566 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
And so we decided
to do experiments

26:26.666 --> 26:30.466 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
of putting them in little
fires, under the fire,

26:30.566 --> 26:34.533 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
on the edge of the fire, for
different amounts of time.

26:34.633 --> 26:36.833 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
I encourage you
to do experiments.

26:36.933 --> 26:38.533 align:left position:35%,start line:65% size:55%
They're fun.
[audience laughing]

26:38.633 --> 26:42.166 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
But they're a lot more fun
if you keep careful notes.

26:43.800 --> 26:46.466 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
For many years, we
thought, "Oh, this is so,

26:46.566 --> 26:49.066 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
"what we're doing is so
significant, we'll surely

26:49.166 --> 26:53.600 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
"remember all the details."
[audience laughing]

26:53.700 --> 26:55.866 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
Maybe others have
had that experience.

26:55.966 --> 27:00.233 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
So we kept careful notes,
we plotted, thought,

27:00.333 --> 27:05.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
we gave the Botanic Garden
scientists our draft protocols.

27:05.566 --> 27:09.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
They made wonderful
suggestions to improve them.

27:09.400 --> 27:12.633 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
We did all these
many different tests,

27:12.733 --> 27:15.566 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
and we found that we
basically learned nothing

27:15.666 --> 27:18.933 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
'cause in every case
that they germinated,

27:19.033 --> 27:21.733 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
we heated them for a short
time, for a long time,

27:21.833 --> 27:24.166 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
right under the fire,
at the side of the fire,

27:24.266 --> 27:26.766 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
just some coals put on 'em,

27:26.866 --> 27:29.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
heavy burning logs,
they all germinated.

27:29.133 --> 27:32.133 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
But we learned that,
and that was good.

27:33.233 --> 27:38.900 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80%
Here's something we learned when
we used oak trees in the savanna

27:39.000 --> 27:41.133 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
to mark corners of experiments.

27:41.233 --> 27:43.166 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
We wanted the experiments
to be out in the open,

27:43.266 --> 27:47.966 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
so we'd find a seedling oak
and we'd make a careful map

27:48.066 --> 27:50.800 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
and put in other features
of the landscape,

27:50.900 --> 27:54.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and then we'd seed
within the rectangle

27:54.133 --> 27:56.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
or quadrangle or whatever.

27:56.566 --> 28:00.433 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
If we could find three
oaks, it was a triangle.

28:01.500 --> 28:02.666 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
That's geometry.

28:02.766 --> 28:06.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
[audience laughing]
And 40 years later,

28:06.400 --> 28:08.866 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
we happened to notice
that these oaks

28:08.966 --> 28:12.833 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
that we used as markers were
still a foot or two tall.

28:14.000 --> 28:17.166 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
What happens to those
oaks if you watch them?

28:17.266 --> 28:22.166 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
Well, we burn them every year
or two and the top burns off,

28:22.266 --> 28:24.833 align:left position:35%,start line:65% size:55%
but oaks are
prodigious resprouters.

28:24.933 --> 28:29.533 align:left position:10%,start line:65% size:80%
They resprout with great energy,
a great amount of protein

28:29.633 --> 28:33.466 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
and the deer love it, and the
deer eat 'em down to nothing.

28:33.566 --> 28:37.833 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
And they barely get a foot or
two tall before the next fire,

28:37.933 --> 28:40.166 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
and then we burn 'em off again.

28:40.266 --> 28:42.466 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
So we've started making

28:42.566 --> 28:44.833 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
little Guantanamos
for our oak trees.

28:44.933 --> 28:47.333 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
This one kept it from
the deer for a while.

28:47.433 --> 28:48.800 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
Now it's hanging out,

28:48.900 --> 28:52.633 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
so some volunteer has to
get to it and raise the cage

28:52.733 --> 28:55.566 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
if we want it to keep going
and getting above deer height.

28:55.666 --> 28:58.766 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
But we now have substantial
oaks that are off,

28:58.866 --> 29:00.300 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
they've been launched,

29:00.400 --> 29:04.000 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and the cages can go and
guard something else.

29:04.100 --> 29:05.466 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
This is what our
cages look like.

29:05.566 --> 29:07.833 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
We get this stuff at Home Depot.

29:07.933 --> 29:10.800 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
We have cage-making parties,
they're fun.

29:10.900 --> 29:14.000 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
And they go around a
lot of different plants.

29:14.100 --> 29:17.000 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Prairie gentian is
one that we have

29:17.100 --> 29:18.433 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
quite a bit of on some sites,

29:18.533 --> 29:21.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
but we never seem to be
able to get any seed.

29:21.300 --> 29:25.333 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
And for us, we found that
the deer were eating them

29:25.433 --> 29:28.633 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
every time before
the seed formed.

29:28.733 --> 29:30.800 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
So we put deer cages on them.

29:31.800 --> 29:35.266 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
And then we found that the
voles were eating every one

29:35.366 --> 29:37.266 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
[audience laughing]
before they were seeded,

29:37.366 --> 29:39.833 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
so we invented vole cages.

29:39.933 --> 29:42.133 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
These, they're a little
trickier to make,

29:42.233 --> 29:44.900 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
but those nice little
things sticking up,

29:45.000 --> 29:47.266 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
when you put 'em down into
the soil while it's wet,

29:47.366 --> 29:50.066 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
when it hardens, they're
in there nice and solid.

29:50.166 --> 29:54.966 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
And the gentians survive all
the way through seed season,

29:55.066 --> 29:57.933 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
at which time we found
that caterpillars

29:58.033 --> 30:00.833 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
were eating most of the seeds.
[audience laughing]

30:00.933 --> 30:03.800 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
There's a sawfly
caterpillar that gets in.

30:03.900 --> 30:07.333 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
But we get some, and with the
some we throw them around,

30:07.433 --> 30:10.100 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
and the seeds, once you get
the seeds, they do great.

30:11.100 --> 30:15.033 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
We also use the vole cages
on plum trees and oak trees

30:15.133 --> 30:17.366 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
so the rabbits and voles won't
eat the bark off

30:17.466 --> 30:19.266 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
during the winter.

30:19.366 --> 30:22.500 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
We use big cages
in a few places.

30:22.600 --> 30:26.200 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
This is a spot where
we didn't think

30:26.300 --> 30:28.766 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
there was probably a
major impact of the deer,

30:28.866 --> 30:31.233 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
but there was a small population

30:31.333 --> 30:35.133 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
of the endangered wood
pea or cream vetchling,

30:35.233 --> 30:39.333 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
Lathyrus ochroleucus,
almost gone from Illinois.

30:39.433 --> 30:42.033 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
So we put this fence
around the whole patch

30:42.133 --> 30:44.400 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
and that turned out
to be an experiment.

30:44.500 --> 30:46.133 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Looks like the deer
were having an impact

30:46.233 --> 30:48.066 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
on the large-flowered trillium.

30:48.166 --> 30:49.633 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
There it is, inside the cage.

30:49.733 --> 30:53.766 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
I emphasize this
business with the deer

30:53.866 --> 30:56.533 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
not because we don't
like them, we love them.

30:57.966 --> 31:00.900 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
We like to see them,
we like to eat them,

31:01.000 --> 31:05.233 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
we like them to be part
of a balanced ecosystem.

31:06.533 --> 31:08.966 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
So three gravest threats.

31:09.066 --> 31:11.733 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
It wouldn't be right
for me to give this talk

31:11.833 --> 31:16.133 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
without saying, in
terms of conservation

31:16.233 --> 31:17.333 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
challenges and realities,

31:17.433 --> 31:20.833 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
there are really three
very grave threats

31:20.933 --> 31:23.566 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
to our ecosystems these days.

31:23.666 --> 31:26.933 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
Invasive species, overpopulated
deer, lack of fire.

31:27.033 --> 31:30.766 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
Those are the three, and we
really need to think about them

31:30.866 --> 31:33.300 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
and we need to
combat the problem.

31:33.400 --> 31:38.700 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
I'll subject you to only one
picture of invasive plants.

31:39.800 --> 31:43.066 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
Reed canary grass, teasel,
purple loosestrife in this case.

31:43.166 --> 31:45.100 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
It's very important
to be on top of them

31:45.200 --> 31:48.600 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
when just the first few
get there and get 'em out.

31:48.700 --> 31:53.466 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
The reed canary grass,
we spray herbicide on it.

31:53.566 --> 31:55.866 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
We don't know another
way to get rid of it.

31:55.966 --> 32:01.266 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
We were too pure to use
herbicide in our early years.

32:01.366 --> 32:04.700 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
We didn't paint the
stumps with herbicide.

32:04.800 --> 32:06.966 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
Wonderful advisors told us,

32:07.066 --> 32:10.700 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
"We'll advise you only if
you don't use herbicide,"

32:10.800 --> 32:13.600 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and I said, "Well, you
heard the mentors."

32:15.066 --> 32:20.066 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
Well, the mentors were wrong,
and we found over the years,

32:21.733 --> 32:23.400 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
many people would come and say,

32:23.500 --> 32:26.333 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
"I'm interested, I'll be
a steward of a preserve,

32:26.433 --> 32:28.266 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"but I won't use herbicide,"

32:28.366 --> 32:31.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and I'm not one for
arguing with them.

32:31.466 --> 32:33.800 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
I would say, "Thank
you, that's wonderful,

32:33.900 --> 32:35.833 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
"use herbicide or don't,

32:35.933 --> 32:38.800 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
"we can teach you
if you wanna learn,"

32:38.900 --> 32:42.766 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
and we found, this is
another experiment,

32:42.866 --> 32:46.366 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
that without exception,
every such steward

32:46.466 --> 32:48.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
used herbicide or quit.

32:49.233 --> 32:51.466 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
In other words, it didn't work.

32:51.566 --> 32:54.733 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
On an area large
enough for conservation

32:54.833 --> 32:59.700 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
of substantial populations
of plants and animals,

32:59.800 --> 33:02.933 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
you can't do it without
herbiciding the invasives

33:03.033 --> 33:05.300 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
under modern conditions.

33:06.733 --> 33:08.533 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
Maybe someone can
prove it to be done.

33:08.633 --> 33:12.266 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
We're eager to
see their results.

33:12.366 --> 33:15.566 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
Same thing with deer,
I'll only show you one photo.

33:15.666 --> 33:18.466 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
They're wonderful animals,
they deserve our respect.

33:18.566 --> 33:22.766 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
Hunting and hunters also
deserves our respect, I think.

33:22.866 --> 33:27.133 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
And fire, it's one
of many celebratory,

33:27.233 --> 33:29.366 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
bright parts of the year.

33:29.466 --> 33:32.000 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
Every year we burn a
part of the preserve,

33:32.100 --> 33:34.133 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
and here are some results.

33:34.233 --> 33:37.900 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
This is from 15
years of restoration,

33:38.000 --> 33:41.966 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
carefully monitoring according
to a careful protocol

33:42.066 --> 33:46.366 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75%
within the restored areas and
outside the restored areas

33:46.466 --> 33:48.100 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
and similar habitats.

33:48.200 --> 33:51.066 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
The bar on the left
shows after restoration,

33:51.166 --> 33:54.866 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
the bar on the right
counterintuitively shows before.

33:54.966 --> 33:59.366 align:left position:12.5%,start line:5% size:77.5%
The green is in the woodlands,
the blue is in the grasslands,

33:59.466 --> 34:02.933 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
the orange is with
all the different

34:03.033 --> 34:04.900 align:left position:20%,start line:5% size:70%
ecosystems put together.

34:05.000 --> 34:07.900 align:left position:32.5%,start line:5% size:57.5%
Four times the
vegetation quality,

34:08.000 --> 34:09.700 align:left position:10%,start line:5% size:80%
four times the number of species

34:09.800 --> 34:14.333 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75%
per quadrant in the restored
areas compared to the others.

34:14.433 --> 34:16.800 align:left position:30%,start line:5% size:60%
And initially we
just did prairie.

34:18.166 --> 34:19.833 align:left position:10%,start line:5% size:80%
Later we discovered the savanna.

34:19.933 --> 34:22.933 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
Later we discovered the oak
woodlands to be just as needy.

34:23.033 --> 34:26.833 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
Here's one of our oak
woodlands when we started out.

34:26.933 --> 34:29.433 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
Those pole trees are invaders.

34:29.533 --> 34:31.566 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
They're native to the region,

34:31.666 --> 34:33.733 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
but they're invaders
in the oak woods.

34:33.833 --> 34:38.333 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
They utterly prevent the
oaks from reproducing.

34:38.433 --> 34:41.966 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
The understory is
typically mostly buckthorn.

34:42.066 --> 34:43.366 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
The buckthorn and the pole trees

34:43.466 --> 34:45.600 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
kill off all the lower
limbs of the oaks,

34:45.700 --> 34:46.900 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
which would tend to keep them

34:47.000 --> 34:50.666 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
in a natural open oak
woodland or a savanna.

34:50.766 --> 34:55.366 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
And when time comes for the
trees to meet their maker,

34:55.466 --> 34:57.333 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
there are no young oaks.

34:57.433 --> 34:59.000 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
In many cases, as in this one,

34:59.100 --> 35:01.166 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
there's nothing
left but buckthorn.

35:01.266 --> 35:04.333 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
So we started experiments.

35:04.433 --> 35:07.633 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
Our first experiment
was we burned only.

35:08.633 --> 35:12.233 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
We burned only for
a couple of years,

35:12.333 --> 35:14.933 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
crawling around on the
ground looking for seedlings.

35:15.033 --> 35:16.566 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
What's gonna come up?

35:16.666 --> 35:19.900 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
Answer: Canada
thistle, dandelion,

35:20.000 --> 35:21.166 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
[audience laughing]

35:21.266 --> 35:23.333 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
reed canary grass,
there wasn't much.

35:23.433 --> 35:25.866 align:left position:22.5%,start line:89% size:67.5%
So we started seeding,

35:25.966 --> 35:30.166 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
and we discovered that
the seeds of the woods

35:30.266 --> 35:33.400 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
are quite different from
the seeds of the prairie.

35:33.500 --> 35:35.400 align:left position:32.5%,start line:89% size:57.5%
Lots of fruits.

35:35.500 --> 35:38.166 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
I don't know why, someone
could research that.

35:38.266 --> 35:40.400 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
Fruits are animal-dispersed.

35:41.400 --> 35:44.266 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Animals pick up big
fruits and fly with them

35:44.366 --> 35:45.833 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
or walk around with them.

35:45.933 --> 35:49.166 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
And that place that you
just saw looking so dismal

35:49.266 --> 35:50.833 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
with nothing but buckthorn,

35:50.933 --> 35:52.700 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
after a few years
it looked like this,

35:52.800 --> 35:55.800 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
in early summer it looked
like this, in late summer.

35:55.900 --> 35:57.866 align:left position:32.5%,start line:89% size:57.5%
It's inspiring.

35:57.966 --> 36:02.900 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
Here's a study that's,
this is a partial graph.

36:03.000 --> 36:05.633 align:left position:15%,start line:5% size:75%
It's now gone on since 1985.

36:05.733 --> 36:08.066 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
Every two years we
sample the vegetation

36:08.166 --> 36:11.333 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
on a transect through
this open woodland.

36:11.433 --> 36:15.400 align:left position:30%,start line:5% size:60%
The green line is
quality species,

36:15.500 --> 36:19.333 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
ones that we would
all love and cherish.

36:19.433 --> 36:22.933 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
The red line is hated
weeds and aliens.

36:23.033 --> 36:26.200 align:left position:17.5%,start line:5% size:72.5%
There was mostly weeds and
aliens when we started.

36:26.300 --> 36:28.733 align:left position:25%,start line:5% size:65%
This project thrived
for a while,

36:28.833 --> 36:31.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
but then there was
an explosion of deer,

36:31.466 --> 36:34.333 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
then both the village and
the forest preserve district

36:34.433 --> 36:37.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
that owns the land
started controlling them

36:37.400 --> 36:39.300 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and it looked like
the experiment

36:39.400 --> 36:41.100 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
was on a good track again.

36:41.200 --> 36:43.633 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
Then there was a
big political mess

36:43.733 --> 36:47.000 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and all restoration by
staff and volunteers

36:47.100 --> 36:50.133 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
in three counties
was closed down.

36:51.366 --> 36:53.166 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
But after time, that
was straightened out.

36:53.266 --> 36:54.500 align:left position:22.5%,start line:89% size:67.5%
And look at that graph.

36:54.600 --> 36:56.233 align:left position:30%,start line:5% size:60%
I don't have the
more recent years,

36:56.333 --> 36:57.733 align:left position:27.5%,start line:5% size:62.5%
but the green line
keeps going up

36:57.833 --> 37:00.300 align:left position:30%,start line:5% size:60%
and the red line
keeps going down.

37:00.400 --> 37:02.600 align:left position:12.5%,start line:5% size:77.5%
It's inspiring, it's wonderful,

37:02.700 --> 37:06.833 align:left position:17.5%,start line:5% size:72.5%
it's still in early stages
after 30-some years.

37:06.933 --> 37:08.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:5% size:72.5%
It's got a long way to go.

37:08.900 --> 37:10.633 align:left position:20%,start line:5% size:70%
It's wonderful to watch.

37:10.733 --> 37:12.166 align:left position:12.5%,start line:5% size:77.5%
We were there at the beginning.

37:12.266 --> 37:14.266 align:left position:35%,start line:5% size:55%
I have every
confidence that people

37:14.366 --> 37:17.100 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
will be watching it
50 years from now,

37:17.200 --> 37:19.400 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
and I can't wait
to read the paper.

37:20.400 --> 37:22.433 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
We don't have the shrubs.

37:22.533 --> 37:25.733 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
There's a lot that is going
to become more complex

37:25.833 --> 37:27.666 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
about this ecosystem,

37:27.766 --> 37:29.933 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
but there's a lot
that we do have.

37:30.033 --> 37:32.266 align:left position:35%,start line:83% size:55%
Ron Panzer, a
great entomologist,

37:32.366 --> 37:35.666 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
studied this site before
we started and said,

37:35.766 --> 37:39.500 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
"I don't think you've
got much to work with.

37:39.600 --> 37:41.633 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
"It's pretty far gone.

37:41.733 --> 37:45.300 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
"The Edwards' hairstreak,

37:45.400 --> 37:50.400 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"the commonest hairstreak of
the savannas is not there."

37:51.866 --> 37:55.033 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
And four years later, he came
back and repeated his study

37:55.133 --> 37:57.333 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
and said, "Packard,
you're a genius.

37:57.433 --> 38:00.000 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"We're finding white-fringed
orchids all over the place

38:00.100 --> 38:01.866 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"and the Edwards' hairstreak

38:01.966 --> 38:04.433 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
"is the commonest
hairstreak on the site."

38:04.533 --> 38:08.200 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
And of course we did
nothing for the hairstreak,

38:08.300 --> 38:10.266 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
we just restored habitat.

38:12.566 --> 38:15.400 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
Oh, that's the hairstreak.

38:15.500 --> 38:16.600 align:left position:22.5%,start line:89% size:67.5%
It's a beautiful thing.

38:16.700 --> 38:19.266 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
It's busy eating
some New Jersey tea

38:19.366 --> 38:21.066 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
thanks to boiling water.

38:21.166 --> 38:25.800 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
We also did a before and
after with breeding birds

38:25.900 --> 38:30.566 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
in the large oak woods
where we got these numbers.

38:31.566 --> 38:35.866 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
Surveys on 2002, 2006 before
the restoration started,

38:35.966 --> 38:38.533 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
we found a total of 15 birds

38:38.633 --> 38:41.166 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
on the transect
of eight species.

38:41.266 --> 38:46.666 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
In 2016, 2017 after
restoration was well underway,

38:47.666 --> 38:51.500 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
we found 88 birds of 26 species.

38:51.600 --> 38:53.566 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
And the species we found

38:53.666 --> 38:58.333 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
were species of
conservation concern.

38:58.433 --> 38:59.500 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
The red-headed woodpecker,

38:59.600 --> 39:03.100 align:left position:35%,start line:83% size:55%
the northern
flicker, a long list.

39:03.200 --> 39:05.066 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
One that came into our woods,

39:05.166 --> 39:06.966 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
it hadn't been
around at all before,

39:07.066 --> 39:10.000 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
was the ruby-throated
hummingbird.

39:10.100 --> 39:13.433 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
It eats a lot of
insects that maybe

39:13.533 --> 39:15.033 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
other things don't eat so much.

39:15.133 --> 39:19.300 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
It does a lot of pollination
of red-flowered species.

39:19.400 --> 39:20.566 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
It just likes red.

39:20.666 --> 39:23.533 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
The insects don't see
red, hummingbird does.

39:23.633 --> 39:27.566 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
They are now a great
treat to watch.

39:27.666 --> 39:30.066 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
The indigo buntings,
we didn't think of them

39:30.166 --> 39:32.933 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
as woodland birds, but when
the woodland gets opened,

39:33.033 --> 39:36.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
there are a lot of
buntings breeding.

39:36.466 --> 39:40.033 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
She's the beautiful one and
she knows how to build the nest,

39:40.133 --> 39:43.733 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
and they build it in
our open woodlands.

39:43.833 --> 39:46.800 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
The bluebirds of
course came back.

39:46.900 --> 39:50.633 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
The scarlet tanagers were
breeding in our savanna

39:50.733 --> 39:53.566 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
when the savanna was
choked with brush,

39:53.666 --> 39:57.500 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
and we drove them out,
we felt bad about that.

39:57.600 --> 40:00.700 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
But there had been one pair
breeding in the savannas.

40:00.800 --> 40:02.700 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
Now there are three or
four pair every year

40:02.800 --> 40:04.433 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
breeding in the woodlands.

40:04.533 --> 40:07.300 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
So you help some things
and you hurt others,

40:07.400 --> 40:09.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
but if you're doing
good conservation,

40:09.133 --> 40:11.500 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
overall you're
helping everything.

40:11.600 --> 40:13.200 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
The coyotes came in.

40:13.300 --> 40:16.333 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
They make a big
difference for the birds.

40:16.433 --> 40:19.766 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
They control the mesopredators,

40:19.866 --> 40:24.100 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
the raccoons, skunks,
opossums, weasels, that...

40:24.200 --> 40:28.233 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
We like all those, but there
can be too much of a good thing

40:28.333 --> 40:31.066 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and without the coyotes,

40:31.166 --> 40:33.933 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
those predators eat
most of the nestlings

40:34.033 --> 40:37.700 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
of the black-billed
cuckoo and the woodcock

40:37.800 --> 40:39.633 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
and some of the other birds

40:39.733 --> 40:41.933 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
that nest on the
ground or close to it.

40:42.033 --> 40:45.933 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
The woodcocks have returned
in such impressive numbers

40:46.033 --> 40:49.600 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
that when I send my reports
in to Cornell every year,

40:49.700 --> 40:52.466 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
I always get a note
saying, "You sure?

40:52.566 --> 40:54.566 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
"You know, can we...

40:54.666 --> 40:58.233 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
"How many do you say
in your area, we...

40:58.333 --> 40:59.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
"That doesn't sound right."

40:59.900 --> 41:01.533 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
And I say, "Yeah,
check recent years

41:01.633 --> 41:06.533 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
"and come out and take a look
if you want, they're just..."

41:06.633 --> 41:10.466 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
We find a ton of babies every
year, we find a ton of nests.

41:10.566 --> 41:13.633 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
The woodhen starts
sitting on the nest

41:13.733 --> 41:16.400 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
often when it's still snowing.

41:16.500 --> 41:19.533 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
She's still on the nest
when the plants come out.

41:19.633 --> 41:22.666 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
She sits right on the ground,
you can walk right up to her.

41:22.766 --> 41:25.200 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
If you're tramping
around off-trail,

41:25.300 --> 41:29.033 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
you'll step on them
or scare them up.

41:29.133 --> 41:33.066 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
We encourage people to stay on
the trail during that season.

41:33.166 --> 41:35.933 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
Here's a baby woodcock.
How many people can see it?

41:36.033 --> 41:37.600 align:left position:32.5%,start line:89% size:57.5%
[all laughing]

41:37.700 --> 41:40.133 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
Oh, I see people
pointing, that's good.

41:40.233 --> 41:42.566 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
I wonder if I could point to it.

41:42.666 --> 41:45.300 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
It's little eyes
looking up at it.

41:45.400 --> 41:48.366 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
You could miss that if you
were just walking along.

41:48.466 --> 41:49.833 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
And they won't move.

41:51.100 --> 41:53.833 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
[audience awws]
And here it's a little older

41:53.933 --> 41:55.933 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
and looks like it's
having more fun.

41:56.033 --> 41:58.566 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
So I wanna end up
with a few comments

41:58.666 --> 42:04.433 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
on the human community joining
the community of nature

42:04.533 --> 42:07.266 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
and how that's a
beginning for the planet

42:07.366 --> 42:09.666 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
of something very much needed:

42:09.766 --> 42:13.600 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
a friendly, positive approach

42:13.700 --> 42:17.200 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
that at least most
people can understand

42:17.300 --> 42:23.166 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
of human beings reinhabiting,
re-participating,

42:23.266 --> 42:26.866 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
re-becoming interdependent

42:26.966 --> 42:29.700 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
in a knowledgeable
way with nature.

42:29.800 --> 42:34.100 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
Many communities, here we're
at the Orland Grassland,

42:34.200 --> 42:37.200 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
great numbers of regular
everyday citizens

42:37.300 --> 42:40.766 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
come out and learn to gather
the seeds that are needed.

42:40.866 --> 42:42.833 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
We prep the seeds,

42:42.933 --> 42:47.366 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
lots of people get expert
at different types,

42:47.466 --> 42:50.100 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
they learn how to teach
people how to do it.

42:50.200 --> 42:54.166 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
When we put the seeds out,
everyone feels very generative,

42:54.266 --> 42:56.366 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
and it's a wonderful feeling.

42:56.466 --> 42:59.200 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
Here we are at Spring Creek,

42:59.300 --> 43:02.100 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
here we're at the
Orland Grassland.

43:03.100 --> 43:05.333 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
Kids, we used to be careful

43:05.433 --> 43:07.133 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
not to give them
the rarest plants.

43:07.233 --> 43:10.533 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
We found often, they
take the most care.

43:10.633 --> 43:13.333 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
It's a personal area,
you have to pick the kid,

43:13.433 --> 43:16.166 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
but we want them really
widely distributed.

43:16.266 --> 43:19.933 align:left position:12.5%,start line:83% size:77.5%
A machine cannot do it as well
as these people can do it.

43:20.033 --> 43:23.833 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
It's another seasonal
highlight, seasonal ritual.

43:23.933 --> 43:25.866 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
After the seeds are out,

43:25.966 --> 43:29.533 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
very often the
organizers celebrate

43:29.633 --> 43:33.833 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
with someone's backyard
or here around a bonfire.

43:33.933 --> 43:35.100 align:left position:22.5%,start line:89% size:67.5%
A few people cut brush

43:35.200 --> 43:37.066 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
while other people
put the seeds out.

43:37.166 --> 43:40.333 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
And it's part of
building community.

43:40.433 --> 43:43.733 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
Once the seeds are out, we
start cutting brush again,

43:43.833 --> 43:46.366 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
we invite the schools to come,

43:46.466 --> 43:49.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
many kids who otherwise
don't ever see nature

43:49.766 --> 43:53.166 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
see it, like it, it
has an impact on them.

43:53.266 --> 43:54.566 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
Many families come.

43:54.666 --> 43:58.566 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
Some kids grow up in
families of stewards.

43:58.666 --> 44:01.366 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
And it's just a
valuable thing for them.

44:01.466 --> 44:05.700 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
Every year for
thousands of years,

44:05.800 --> 44:08.966 align:left position:35%,start line:83% size:55%
cultures that
understood the ecosystem

44:09.066 --> 44:12.566 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
held bonfire festivals
on the solstice,

44:12.666 --> 44:15.333 align:left position:15%,start line:65% size:75%
at New Year's, at midwinter,

44:15.433 --> 44:17.633 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
to celebrate the
coming of spring.

44:17.733 --> 44:21.666 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
You name it, there's an
excuse, hold a bonfire.

44:21.766 --> 44:26.233 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
We, for ours at the Somme
Preserves in Northbrook,

44:26.333 --> 44:30.400 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
invite a bagpiper every year
who leads a procession out.

44:30.500 --> 44:32.933 align:left position:27.5%,start line:89% size:62.5%
400 neighbors come,

44:33.033 --> 44:36.100 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
many of whom hadn't been
in the woods before,

44:36.200 --> 44:38.033 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
to participate in
a wonderful event.

44:38.133 --> 44:40.666 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
They're close to the
bonfire when it starts,

44:40.766 --> 44:42.066 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and then they move back

44:42.166 --> 44:45.200 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
and back and back and back.
[audience laughing]

44:45.300 --> 44:47.466 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
Once again, people
bake wonderful treats

44:47.566 --> 44:50.066 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
and we have a great time.

44:50.166 --> 44:55.233 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
And as a result of work
like the Wild Ones is doing

44:55.333 --> 44:57.100 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
and these people are doing,

44:57.200 --> 44:59.533 align:left position:35%,start line:65% size:55%
more and more
government agencies

44:59.633 --> 45:03.466 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
are recognizing that
ecosystem restoration

45:03.566 --> 45:07.233 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
is an important part of
the mission of the agency.

45:07.333 --> 45:12.766 align:left position:10%,start line:83% size:80%
Cook County is now appropriating
millions of dollars annually

45:12.866 --> 45:16.100 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
for restoration by contractors.

45:16.200 --> 45:18.433 align:left position:15%,start line:89% size:75%
Young people, here they are,

45:18.533 --> 45:21.966 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
a bunch of people being
paid to do restoration,

45:22.066 --> 45:25.000 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
are finding careers
in the field,

45:25.100 --> 45:26.333 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
which is a wonderful thing,

45:26.433 --> 45:29.433 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
having professionals
is a wonderful thing.

45:29.533 --> 45:33.700 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
But it will never
replace the volunteers

45:33.800 --> 45:37.800 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
who are the participatory
democracy heart

45:37.900 --> 45:42.333 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
of conservation,
environment, ecology.

45:42.433 --> 45:45.766 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
Some of us are both
professionals and volunteers.

45:45.866 --> 45:50.533 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
We plan for the future,
we pay attention to kids

45:50.633 --> 45:53.333 align:left position:25%,start line:83% size:65%
because they are the
voters of the future,

45:53.433 --> 45:55.500 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
and for their own benefits.

45:55.600 --> 45:58.066 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
It enriches peoples' lives.

45:58.166 --> 46:02.966 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
And my favorite slides to
end on, this is a butterfly

46:03.066 --> 46:06.533 align:left position:20%,start line:83% size:70%
that's almost extinct in
Illinois, the silvery blue.

46:06.633 --> 46:08.933 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
It eats this endangered plant,

46:09.033 --> 46:14.200 align:left position:15%,start line:83% size:75%
the wood pea, cream vetchling
or the veined vetchling.

46:15.200 --> 46:17.933 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
It depends on us as
stewards for its habitat.

46:18.033 --> 46:22.133 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
It has no chance with
climate changing.

46:22.233 --> 46:25.866 align:left position:32.5%,start line:65% size:57.5%
It needs robust
populations, large habitats.

46:25.966 --> 46:28.166 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
Here's the caterpillar
of that plant,

46:28.266 --> 46:29.966 align:left position:32.5%,start line:83% size:57.5%
and if you look
closely you can see

46:30.066 --> 46:31.833 align:left position:22.5%,start line:89% size:67.5%
it is attended by ants.

46:32.833 --> 46:35.166 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
And the ants and
the caterpillar have

46:35.266 --> 46:37.566 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70%
an ancient relationship.

46:37.666 --> 46:40.866 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80%
The ants protect the caterpillar

46:40.966 --> 46:45.533 align:left position:27.5%,start line:83% size:62.5%
from parasites and
predators of certain kinds,

46:45.633 --> 46:49.533 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
and the caterpillar in
return waits for the ants

46:49.633 --> 46:52.400 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
to stroke its back
with their antennae,

46:52.500 --> 46:57.900 align:left position:25%,start line:65% size:65%
at which it exudes up
a droplet of a food

46:58.000 --> 47:02.166 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
that the ants find irresistible
and possibly important.

47:03.166 --> 47:07.566 align:left position:22.5%,start line:65% size:67.5%
Does it have vitamins?
Is it intoxicating?

47:07.666 --> 47:08.733 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
[audience laughing]

47:08.833 --> 47:12.166 align:left position:12.5%,start line:65% size:77.5%
We don't know, but we know that

47:12.266 --> 47:16.066 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
these plants and animals
depend on each other

47:16.166 --> 47:18.433 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5%
as all plants and animals,

47:18.533 --> 47:23.200 align:left position:22.5%,start line:83% size:67.5%
and we, the humans who
breathe the same air

47:23.300 --> 47:29.233 align:left position:17.5%,start line:83% size:72.5%
that the animals and plants
exchange, critical for us.

47:29.333 --> 47:32.966 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5%
So I wanna express appreciation

47:33.066 --> 47:35.333 align:left position:30%,start line:83% size:60%
for everybody who
organized the conference,

47:35.433 --> 47:37.400 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
for everybody who
does this work,

47:37.500 --> 47:41.366 align:left position:27.5%,start line:65% size:62.5%
for the scientists
who are discovering

47:41.466 --> 47:45.333 align:left position:20%,start line:65% size:70%
new components for us to
incorporate every day,

47:45.433 --> 47:48.466 align:left position:30%,start line:65% size:60%
contractors, home
gardeners, everybody.

47:48.566 --> 47:51.800 align:left position:17.5%,start line:65% size:72.5%
It's a wonderful world and
we're making it better.

47:51.900 --> 47:52.966 align:left position:37.5%,start line:65% size:52.5%
Thank you.

47:53.066 --> 47:56.300 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65%
[audience applauding]