A support group and a lab in the St. Louis area provide resources for people with the allergy to mammal products — and evidence that its effects can be reversed.
Desk reporter Jess Savage of WNIJ went on a reporting trip to Volo Bog in Illinois.
This week we're deep in the weeds, and that's a good thing!
We're talking bogs and their important role as carbon sequestration tools, which is the subject of a new piece from Desk reporter Jess Savage at Northern Public Radio (WNIJ) in Dekalb, Illinois.
We spoke with Jess about a growing appreciation for the science of bogs and the flora within, and how this topic captured their interest.
"Sphagnum moss has been demanding my attention for more than a year now. This story is my third crack at trying to understand this unique plant. I located the meat of this story at the frozen Volo Bog in northern Illinois. I went to the Volo Bog Winterfest without too many expectations. I was just hoping to grab a soundbite or two and a few pictures. Instead, I met volunteers and educators who were extremely passionate about bog ecosystems and were so excited to share a small slice of what they knew.
Volo Bog State Natural Area, Grant Township, Illinois. Jess Savage, WNIJ
I did my best to capture their love for sphagnum in my writing.
Sphagnum moss pokes through a thin layer of snow in Volo Bog. Jess Savage, WNIJ
Unsurprisingly, almost everyone I met there was fully dedicated to the success of this humble plant. One of my sources had even made a ‘sphagnum city’ of mosses she collected over the years as a restoration practitioner.
Ultimately, I think I’ve dedicated so much of my reporting time to sphagnum because of its surprising complexity. As inconspicuous as the moss is, it builds a home for countless other species and provides an essential global service — storing an unmatched amount of carbon.
I feel lucky to be able to follow these whims of curiosity, transforming my research and reporting into stories like this one."
Amy Runkle (right) and Mary Colwell, are Volo Bog educators. Runkle visited the bog as a child on a field trip. Guides used to permit groups to bounce on the boardwalk that runs through the wetland, but it’s discouraged now. Runkle recalls seeing the mat of sphagnum and wetland plants wiggling as the impact rippled out like a wave. Jess Savage, WNIJ
We appreciate the passion for the topic and are excited to explore the critical role of wetlands (bogs, and so much more) in a reporting project coming later this year.
