Block Party and Brumation
Block Party, turtle emergence, and summer volunteer opportunities!
5th Annual Wild Mile Block Party - SAVE THE DATE!!!
The 5th Annual Wild Mile Block Party will be on July 19th, 3:00 - 8:00pm! Mark your calendars, and keep an eye out for more information.
Do you have an employer, small business, or cool aunt who wants to sponsor the Block Party? Send them our way! Email team@urbanriv.org if you want to chat about opportunities to partner on this year’s Block Party!
Why Are There Suddenly Turtles Everywhere?
During the chilly winter months, our local freshwater turtles brumate - a process similar to hibernation. They “breathe” through their highly-vascular cloacas (if you don’t know what a cloaca is, just Google it), and slow their metabolism to a tiny fraction of its summer levels. The calcium in their shells even helps protect their bodies against the lactic acid buildup that results from their extremely low-oxygen conditions!
Turtles might emerge from brumation temporarily to sunbathe during especially warm winter and spring days, but you can expect to start seeing them somewhat regularly around this time of year. They’ll be scattered across abandoned docks, fallen logs, degraded seawall, and of course, wherever they can haul themselves out along the Wild Mile!
Volunteer Opportunities Abound!
If you’re not already signed up to volunteer with us - what are you doing, dude??? Get on it!!! We have about ten million things we need help with, including but not limited to:
Leading educational field trips (teaching kids about macroinvertebrates and whatnot)
Leading walking tours of the Wild Mile (preaching the gospel of the river to whoever will listen)
Facilitating public fishing events (making sure first-time fisherpeople don’t hook themselves)
Garden maintenance (removing endless Jewelweed)
Odd Jobs (whatever else needs to get done)
Facilitating free kayaking at Bubbly Creek (making sure people stay firmly seated in their kayaks!)
Click the button below to find all of these wonderful opportunities, AND MORE, on our volunteer management platform :)
Swing by the National museum of Mexican Art to check out Rebecca D Meyers’ Xochicago! Xochicago refers to the naming confluence of two waterway systems, one being the Chicago River and the other belonging to Xochimilco, an ancient settlement which is now a modern borough of Mexico City.
may Events Calendar
May Events Calendar
The weather is getting warmer, and the Wild Mile is getting busy! Event descriptions and RSVP links can always be found on the events page of our website. Remember, the walking tour and s’mores night are subject to cancellation in the case of very poor weather - make sure to RVSP so we can keep you posted!
Urban Rivers Events:
Wild Mile Nitrogen Tour (Chicago Water Week): May 3rd, 10:00am - 12:30pm
South Side River Ranger Social: May 6th, 6 - 7:30pm (Marz)
Fishing on the Wild Mile: May 9th and May 30th, 10:00am - 2:00pm
River Ranger Social: May 13th, 6 - 7:30pm (Off Color)
Wild Mile Walking Tour: May 16th, 10 - 11:00am
World Otter Day at the Wild Mile: May 27th, 9 - 9:00pm
Wild Mile S’mores Night: May 27th, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Partner Events:
Chicago Plastic Pellet Count at the Wild Mile: May 2nd, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Wild Mile Yoga with Grace Pisula: Sundays, 5 - 6:00pm
Office Insights
It’s that wonderful time of year again - spring is in the air. The weather is warming, the flowers are blooming, and the Canada Geese are making us all ponder our willingness to violate the Migratory Birds Treaty Act, which is currently the only thing standing in the way of violent interspecies conflict. They’re loud, aggressive, and posted up in the most deeply inconvenient places.
Fortunately for us, the geese are their own worst enemy. If you ever need a handy guidebook on how to build an effective nest in a secure location, watch a goose do it, and then do the exact opposite.