Happy Monday! Hope everyone got to enjoy some of the warm weather! Read on to find out about upcoming events (including a planned workday this week) and complete some forms. Keep an eye out for more information!

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RB HAPPENINGS…

1. Join us this Saturday, February 26to volunteer with the Champaign County Forest Preserves District removing invasive species from Kickapoo Rail Trail. We’ll meet at the Red Bison work shedat 9:15 AM and depart by 9:30 AM after a COVID check. Parking is available at the Meijer baseball field. The ball field is a new development (not on the maps), but it can be found very close to this location. If you are able to drive, please sign up at the link below! 

   COVID precautions: Be sure to get tested within 72 hours of the event to keep everyone safe! Bring a couple spare masks! You should sign into your MyMcKinley portal to show your recent negative test result / take a screenshot that includes the date of the test result. Please roll down your windows (at least partially) and keep masks on while in the car! 

   Please watch the video tutorial on how to use the carpooling website below!
   >>>> Website Tutorial <<<<
   >>>> Carpooling Website <<<<

2. Additional meetings schedule: Please fill out this poll(please add yourself as “Anonymous#” where # is the next number that’s not yet on the form) with your availability this semester so that we can schedule guest lectures, socials, and potential weekday workdays. Especially fill out this form if you want to come to Red Bison workdays but can’t make our Saturday meetings. Thanks!

3. 3/26 Workday in Putnam: On March 26th, we will be heading to the Dixon Waterfowl Refugein Putnam County for a big workday with the Wetlands Initiative! We will be meeting at 7:45 am, then driving about 2 hours to get to the Refuge. We’ll cut honeysuckle for about 3 hours with breaks, from 10 am to 1 pm. After that, we’ll have lunch, and folks who want to stay will have the opportunity to get a tour of the Refuge. The Refuge is home to a rare seep wetland ecosystem, as well as hundreds of species of native plants, and is a vital stopover site for migrating birds. If you’re interested, please fill out this form and follow the instructions after you submit as soon as possible — we may be limited by the amount of equipment we have, so preference will be given to those who signed up first. Check your email for the attached flyer for more information!

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EXTERNAL EVENTS and OPPORTUNITIES…

1. The Student Sustainability Committee(SSC) is trying to increase student sustainability fees to support sustainable development on our campus. They propose increases in the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee of $1 and the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee of $2.94. They need at least 2,000 signatures by tomorrow, February 22for these proposals to be placed on the ballot at the next referendum. Please sign and share this petition (you’ll need to sign in to complete it) to support sustainability at the University of Illinois!

2. The Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)is undergoing revision! An input session specifically for students will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, February 22 from 6–8 PM. The virtual session will provide an overview of past and current initiatives like the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). Following this overview, a series of live polling questions will gauge preferences on a wide range of topics such as landscape aesthetics, rainwater management, sustainable landscape design, and more. Register here! Reach out to Sarthak Prasad with questions.
   

3. Here’s a summer opportunity to work in Dr. Joy O’Keefe’s labwith Reed Crawford! Three technicians are needed for a study on bat roosting ecology in south-central Indiana. Research involves lots of hands-on field work as well as data entry and analysis. Research will be conducted within the study areas of the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (heeforeststudy.org) near Bloomington, Indiana. Check your email for the attached flyer for more info!

4. Former RB President Frank Hassler has reached out to us to advertise openings for summer internshipsat his company in Madison, WI. The company, Good Oak Ecological Services, does ecological restoration work similar to what we do at RB and would be a great opportunity for someone looking to learn more and get further involved in restoration. Check for your email for the attached flyer for more!

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Feel free to email us with any questions!

Vijay Shah
RB Secretary
redbison.rso@gmail.com

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