Paul Vieraitis recalled the August night in 2023 when his then 6-year-old daughter Abigail embraced Batty Night at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
“We made bat houses, saw pictures of different types of bats, and learned that bats aren’t harmful to humans like Hollywood portrays them to be,” the Channahon man messaged. “We also used a device to locate bats when they were flying around. “Abigail loves to learn about animals and nature. While the programs mean something to her, they mean even more to me. I get so much enjoyment from watching her be outside and learning about nature. We are sad that these programs will no longer be available.”
That’s because under a Trump administration order, mid-February terminations came in key areas and impacted thousands far beyond those terminated at the Chicago area’s largest public wild space. The terminations included all four members–Abbey Hays, Emily “Emilie” Harvey, Siobhan Solkowski-Peacy, Josephine Hull–of the Education Department, Midewin’s big public connect.
These mass terminations were not thought out.
Harvey, the natural resource education specialist who the supervised the Education Department, said they were “smack in the middle of winter field trips, we got to do half, the rest had to be canceled.”
They were in the middle of planning an Earth Day event for local schools and a Star Party at the Prairie with the Adler Planetarium
“I was in middle of dozens of projects with partner organizations . . . I was plucked from so many projects that would have such an impact on the community, the prairie and the surrounding community,” Harvey said.
In 2024, the department held 33 events drawing 9,585 people to outreach, offsite events and hosted events, including 450 for the solar eclipse. They held 90 programs–schools, library, field trips, Midewin for Kids–for 4,303 people. They connected with 733 in 10 high school and Youth Conservation Corps sessions and took 60 people on five guided hikes.
That makes the stated reason in the dismissal letters particularly galling and absurd: “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.”
The public begs to differ. Kevin Feeney, superintendent of Wilmington School District 209U, emailed his response, “We partnered with Midewin on many outstanding educational programs at our elementary and high schools. Our 4th-grade students have participated in the Mighty Acorns project at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie for 29 years. Midewin is a partner provider with the program, working with our schools to facilitate field study trips in the fall, winter, and spring. A group of Midewin staff members ran this program and many others for schools throughout the Chicagoland area. The curriculum is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and is an essential part of our science curriculum, where students learn about ecosystems and participate in environmental restoration work.
“At Wilmington High School, Midewin hired students for its 8-week summer program. The students worked alongside Forest Service staff to learn about prairie restoration, environmental conservation, and career readiness. Midewin also provided internship opportunities for high school students throughout the school year. “We are extremely sad to see these programs eliminated by the cuts to federal programs and departments.”
Youth programs, such as Youth Conservation Corps and Midewin Youth Corps, are not happening this year. Last year 20 high schoolers were in the summer jobs program, Harvey accurately called “that incredible program.”
Zaye Minas certainly agreed. I remember the youngest child of the late great Kankakee River conservationist and fisherman Norm Minas as a teenager working at Midewin 12 or 13 years ago.
“I think the biggest takeaway from my time at Midewin as a member of the Youth Conservation Corps was a lifelong appreciation for conservation and the efforts of all those involved,” they messaged. “The number of hours involved, the blood, sweat, and tears put into all the projects, it’s truly awe-inspiring.
“From what I experienced there, it’s a lot of hard work, but it was more than worth it. To see the small changes from when I started the first day to the last day of the seasonal position, it really made me feel good to see the efforts that all the workers and volunteers put in.
“It’s an experience that I wish I could relive again, and it’s an experience that I wish for others who share a love of nature to be able to experience in the future, if there’s still a future for our National Parks.”
Or National Forests or National Tallgrass Prairies.
“I am scared of our public lands no longer being public and being acquired,” Harvey said.
On a good note, Joseph Wax, public affairs officer, emailed, “All hunting programs will continue.”
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages permitting for archery and fireman deer seasons, as well as spring turkey seasons, which start mid-April.
When asked if programming would be running this year, an unnamed “USDA Spokesperson” gave a weeks old generic response about being good stewards, not terminating firefighters and overall blaming the Biden administration, but not answering the question.
The concluding sentence made me want to spit blood, “Secretary [Brooke] Rollins is committed to preserving essential safety positions and will ensure that critical services remain uninterrupted.”
Firefighters are vital, so are educators connecting us to the natural world. I’ve lived my life for that. What’s happening is damn wasteful shame.
“Our whole goal was to spark love of nature in kids and adults of all ages,” Harvey said. “Now that is stripped away, for what reason, I don’t know.”
