Chris Michael, Beth Dykstra, Caitlin VanAbbema, Nick Jones prepare for the Great Adventure in Johnson County, Illinois.

Orientation begins with lessons on canoe safety and proper etiquette.

Rick wants proof we were there (and mug shot in case his paddle goes missing)! Seriously, Rick was an interesting tour guide in the swamp.

Not all the invertebrates were in the river! It was a beautiful later summer day.

Jody with the IDNR explains how we will collect invertebrates...

...and how they can be used to determine water quality.

Nets in hand, students find their way past the hibiscus and button bush plants into the Cache.

Kyla Parras, Amanda Atkinson, David Busler and Brandon Davis survey the world of duckweed and fairy ferns.

Andrew Rapp and Clint Gwaltney wonder just how far they can go and stay dry.

The Cache River is ithe northern most southern swamp.

Many of the plants and animals are found here to the Gulf of Mexico. Button bush and cypress trees grow in the swamp.

Rebecca Busler and Mr. Hall saw that everyone made it safely through the canoe trip.

Chris Michael, Ali Zachman and Caleia Flannigan celebrate their return to terra firma.

Recent rains filled the wetland basin

Kent Gregory reports Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephala) eggs. These frogs are known to reproduce in our area in the Spring and the Fall.

Which pan holds more "gold"?

Macro and micro invertebates abound.

Back to class and dry socks!

Our trip was made possible through a grant from the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant progam sponsored by the Illinois Department of National Resources and the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

Paige Bowman, Faith Irvin and Ali Zachman head out in the outdoor classroom to inventory macro invertebrates to compare with those collected in the Cache.