Olson Ecological Solutions (OES) is a woman-owned ecological consulting and restoration firm, serving federal, state, local, and private entities in the Upper Midwest Region. We specialize in wetlands, water quality of streams and lakes, and restoration of high quality native remnants and natural areas. We deliver solutions that provide natural storm water filters in rural and developed settings, such as rain gardens or constructed wetlands, including in river corridors, drainage systems, parks, and neighborhoods. The consultants at OES spend most of their time preparing watershed-based plans to prevent nonpoint source pollution from entering our streams and lakes, completing wetland delineations and the associated permitting, and designing best management practices (BMPs) and green infrastructure related to stormwater runoff. The restoration crew stewards natural communities in public open spaces, wetland mitigation sites, and forest preserves in the Chicagoland Region. Restoration Technicians spend most of their time removing invasive species and encouraging the growth of native species in established and restored natural communities. Our mission is to unite the beauty and function of nature with modern development for sustainable landscapes. Our promise is to direct and educate constituents through sound policies, projects, and programs that adhere to government laws and guidelines and the highest industry standards.
Olson Ecological Solutions的外部链接
2221 Hammond Dr.
US，Illinois，Schaumburg，60173
It’s that time of year again… We are hiring for our seasonal restoration technician positions! These photos are from our restoration work on Cook County Forest Preserves where we get to see beautiful places, critters, and people. You can find the full job description and application information on our website: OlsonEcoSolutions.com
We had so much fun at the Prairie State Conservation Coalition conference! Cheers to 20 years of supporting and uniting forces for conservation in Illinois. It’s encouraging to feel the momentum of this community and know that it’s not going anywhere! This felt even more empowering in light of the many obstacles that conservation in America is facing currently. We are grateful to be a part of this movement by supporting land trusts in placing conservation easements, securing grants, and writing strategic plans.
2024 was a great year at OES! We helped to ensure that wetlands were protected during site development; recommended and installed green stormwater infrastructure; protected land; oversaw proper natural area planting and establishment for mitigation, pollinator habitat, and stormwater treatment; and spent countless hours in nature fighting invasive species. We have made new friends and maintained existing relationships by providing project management and engaging in committees for ecological organizations. We worked on 52 different projects last year, 26 of which are still ongoing. Check out some highlights below. 12 of our projects included aquatic resource delineations where we assessed over 392 acres of land, often with our friends at Tallgrass Restoration or through our joint venture with A3E. We helped 3 of these clients apply for state and federal permits. We helped 6 clients with their local and state grant applications this year. We collaborated on 5 stormwater project concept plans, including 4 restoration and stewardship plans. These plans add up to 10.75 acres of new green stormwater infrastructure. We created 3 native-planting recommendations for 30.5 acres of land. We helped the Natural Land Institute with 3 conservation easements to protect 182 acres of land. We provided monitoring for past green stormwater infrastructure projects adding up to 12.2 acres. We provided recommendations and review for 3 wetland mitigation bank projects adding up to 242 acres. We hired 7 new seasonal restoration technicians, including 2 who stayed on the team to fill our full-time positions. Our restoration technicians completed native habitat restoration activities on 45 different Cook County sites and participated in 16 prescribed burns on those sites along with our friends at Tallgrass Restoration. Lastly, we’d like to say thank you to our partners, as well as all of our employees and clients for making this happen. Cheers to 2024, we look forward to continuing to develop the projects and relationships we have started while making new connections to people and nature in 2025.
Are you interested in learning about local land and water restoration efforts in Rockford? Check out this free opportunity! The Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford’s Eco Justice Team is hosting an event on November 20th to discuss some of these projects, including speakers from several organizations. Our own, Rebecca Olson, will be presenting to discuss our efforts to address non-point source pollution and provide demonstration projects for two communities in separate watersheds in Rockford. Led by Region 1 Planning Council, we’ve collaborated with several partners on the Watershed Education and Outreach project to design and install two best management practices (BMPs), one at Ken-Rock Park and another at Park-Er Woods. The Ken-Rock bio-retention swale installation is complete and the we recently finished the seeding and installation of erosion control blanket for the Park-Er Woods bioswale. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities to plant plugs at Park-er Woods next spring. We can’t wait to see these natural areas flourish and improve local water quality! For more information about these projects, visit: https://lnkd.in/gY-RNzzG ? Photos 2-3: Ken-Rock bio-retention swale Photos 4-5: Park-er Woods bioswale
As we near the end of the growing season, we’d like to give a shoutout to a few of our other Seasonal Restoration Technicians who joined us a bit later in the season. We couldn’t have had such a productive growing season without you, thank you for your dedicated work! Meet Boden Olson. His pronouns are he/him. He is from Rockford, IL. He is currently in his third year at the University of Denver studying Environmental Science. His favorite plant is ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), an homage to his time spent in Colorado. In his free time, he enjoys hiking! Next, meet Nathan Melia. His pronouns are he/him. He is from Burleson, TX. He studied Environmental Science at Baylor University and is currently getting a masters of Urban Planning and Public Policy at University of Illinois at Chicago. His favorite plant is rainbow eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta). In his free time, he enjoys making art, he even sells some of his art at marketplaces! Last, but not least, meet Emily Krawczyk. Her pronouns are she/her. She is from Lake in the Hills, IL. She is currently studying Environmental Studies and Geography at Northeastern Illinois University. Her favorite plant is also ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing and reading.
Rain gardens are beautiful and simple ways to preserve Winnebago County's natural water sources. We want to help you get started on creating your own! Homeowners in the Buckbee and South Fork Creek watersheds can receive a free consultation for rain garden planning. Olson Ecological Solutions will evaluate your property and provide you with: 1. The best location for a rain garden 2. Which plants to include 3. How big the garden should be To sign up for your consultation, fill out the form at https://lnkd.in/gZxMARms... Don't live in these watersheds? You can receive assistance too! Contact Katie Walsh at [email protected] with Winnebago County Soil & Water Conservation District to discuss.
Please say hello to the newest members of our team. They joined OES as Seasonal Restoration Technicians, and we are so happy to have them! Daisy’s pronouns are she/her. She is from Bristow, Virginia. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University where she studied Environmental Studies. Her favorite plant is american mountain mint (Pycnanthemum pilosum). Some of her hobbies include drawing and chatting with friends online. Mary Rimm’s pronouns are she/her. She is from West Dundee, Illinois. She attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she studied Environmental Science. Her favorite plants are jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) and compass plant (Silphium laciniatum). In her free time, she makes art and music, she is currently learning how to play the lyre! Sehba Faheem’s pronouns are she/they. They are from Huntley, Illinois. They studied Biological Systems Engineering at University. Their favorite plant is swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). They play the drums and the tabla in their free time. Mary Raya’s pronouns are she/her. She is from Chicago, Illinois. She is currently studying Forestry Restoration at Humboldt State University. Her favorite plant is meadow goat’s beard or (Tragopogon pratensis). One of her favorite hobbies is rock climbing. Last but not least, Magnus Severini’s pronouns are he/him. He is from Lombard, Illinois. He is currently studying Communications at the College of DuPage. His favorite plant is red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). He enjoys cycling in his free time.
We're #hiring a new Seasonal Restoration Technician in Schaumburg, Illinois to join us for at least the remainder of the growing season! Apply today or share this post with your network.
We received this sweet update of a doe and fawn enjoying one of our projects in the community of Candlewick Lake near Poplar Grove, Illinois. At this site, we completed a series of best management practices (BMPs) in 2023 with the help of funding from an IEPA Section 319 grant. The primary goal of the project was to reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution entering Candlewick Lake, which will yield additional benefits, such as enhanced scenic value for the community and improved habitat quality. We accomplished this project together with our partners, which included Candlewick Lake Association, Willett Hofmann and Associates, JadEco Lake & Natural Resources, Ayre Excavating, Tallgrass Restoration, and Lake and Pond Solutions. Most of the BMPs were installed along the lake’s western tributary. The doe and fawn seen in the video below were observed enjoying the urban stormwater wetland installed along this tributary. This wetland contains several check dams that are designed to slow stormwater, increase infiltration, and reduce NPS pollution carried downstream with the help of native vegetation. This area used to be a ditch and an upland area that were dominated by invasive and weedy plants. This wetland and downstream BMPs now provide habitat for a variety of wildlife and the quality of habitat they provide will only improve with ongoing management. Further downstream of the urban stormwater wetland, we installed riprap to stabilize a severely eroded section of the tributary and we installed floating wetlands where the tributary meets the lake. Collectively, these BMPs will work together to provide a plethora of ecosystem services including a significant reduction in NPS pollution entering the tributary and the lake itself. It’s always a joy to see the hard work we do be enjoyed by everyone in the community!