• The Perihelion Celebration in January featured a community drum circle, a presentation by three students of DePaul University Chicago’s Dept of Environmental Science and Studies entitled “the Sacred Groves of India: Restoring Nature, Finding Spirit”, and a discussion and ritual of the hero’s journey to realize our cosmic self-identity.

• In March, Small Waters Education teamed up with the Woodstock Unitarian Universalist Green Sanctuary Committee and McHenry County Transition to present an afternoon of workshops on “Skills for a New Millenium”.  The workshop offerings included beekeeping, seed saving, food preservation, building a solar heat collector, and creating a sense of place.  Over 50 people attended, and the afternoon ended with a showing of a film on the international Transition movement, focused on building resilient local communities.

• Also in March, Judy Speer traveled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and presented a program on Urban Permaculture to a group of activists working in the inner city.

• Earth Day brought the opportunity for staffing a booth with McHenry County Transition at the Conservation District’s annual Earth Day event. We spoke with many attendees about ways to strengthen the local economies and gain skills to meet the challenges of climate change, peak oil, and economic uncertainty.

• In May, a boy scout troop from Chicago’s western suburb of Westchester came to learn about oak savanna ecology, participate in removing invasive plants from the oak savanna, and enjoy a picnic lunch.
• Greg Rajsky taught a class on Woodland Plants for the Ecological Restoration Certificate Program of McHenry County Conservation District and McHenry County College. 

Small Waters Education assisted the organization Faith in Place in planning and obtaining native plants for 8 butterfly gardens planted by church communities on Chicago’s south side.

• The Aphelion Celebration in July gathered guests for the Cosmic Walk through Deep Time, a dramatic and experiential journey through the story of the Universe.  We also shared a potluck meal and a sacred fire and drum ceremony led by Michael Suess of Drumming for Peace.

• Small Waters Education directors helped to present two workshops at the EcoFair 360 in Elkhorn Wisconsin in July: “Creating a Sense of Place”, and “Bring Your Yard to Life with Native Plants”.
• Also in July, Small Waters Education hosted the Chicago Wilderness Science Team while they did plant and soil surveys in McHenry County

• The “Creating a Sense of Place” workshop was also presented at the Illinois Renewable Energy Fair in August in Ogle County, Illinois.

• As part of the process of creating a sense of place for community members of Alden, Illinois, Small Waters helped to organize the annual “Coming Home to Alden” event in September, which brought over 60 people together to celebrate local history and culture.

• In November, Small Waters Education staffed a booth at the McHenry County Bioneers conference, and Judy Speer participated in a panel discussion on ecological restoration and permaculture.

• Also in November, Judy gave presentations on Urban Permaculture to an urban farming class at DePaul University’s Department of Environmental Science and Studies, and the Urban Farming Organization.  A few weeks later, five student members of UFO came to Small Waters for an immersion in Permaculture and food preservation techniques. 

• And, throughout the year, volunteers came to help with the ongoing restoration of the oak savanna in cooperation with the Stewardship Program of the McHenry County Conservation District.  The appearance of the Cream Gentian, a rare savanna wildflower, was a sign that this site is becoming more diverse and healthy. 
• The Permaculture gardens at Small Waters are also developing.  Native groundcover plants were added around the butternut trees in the forest garden.  The increasing soil fertility contributed to good harvests of fruit, herbs and vegetables.