Educational Program
The Illinois Natural History Survey has developed educational
materials focusing on
BIODIVERSITY, WETLANDS and BIOLOGICAL CONTROL. Incorporated into
these materials is a case study of purple loosestrife, an exotic
weed of wetlands in Illinois, that is the target of an ongoing
biological control program. Funding for the development of educational
materials was provided by a grant from Chicago Wilderness.
Ms. Roche and five of her students at Schurz High School in Chicago. Ms Roche is holding a carton of Galerucella that will be released on the purple loosestrife plants grown in their classroom.
Educational Materials Outline
1997-98 Program
In the above photo a class from Amundsen High School carries cages with emerging beetles to a release site at Skokie Lagoons in northern Cook Co., Illinois. This site was chosen in cooperation with Wayne van der Ploeg of the Cook Co. Forest Preserve District. Education and outreach persons from the various counties and agencies work with the schools to locate release sites and provide permits as necessary.
1998-99 Program
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funded this program
for the 1998-1999 school
year. Fifty
educators participated in two all-day workshops held in January.
Each participant received a complete kit of materials needed for
all the exercises and beetle rearing. A list of the educators
participating this year is provided below.