History
Seeding the Snow was conceived in July 1994 by a group of Chicago women who were camped at Nachusa Grasslands in western Illinois. Those women were interested in ecological restoration and the role of women in the restoration movement. That night, under a full moon and surrounded by fireflies flitting across the prairie, they talked about writing and publishing their thoughts.
Further fueling the impetus for Seeding the Snow was a controversy in
Cook County in which some residents complained to officials that restorationists
were cutting down trees in preserves owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve
District. In a gross misunderstanding of the principles and techniques
of restoration, they objected to the “deforestation” of the forest preserves
by “outsiders.” The founding of Seeding the Snow offered women a way to
express their love of nature and our natural landscapes during a trying
time.
In a blow to restoration volunteers and scientists, Cook County officials declared a temporary moratorium to all restoration activities in Cook County forest preserves. Thousands of hours of progress at returning biodiversity to prairies and woodlands was threatened as the destruction by invasive species and erosion were allowed to continue unabated. Important habitat for birds, wildflowers, and mammals would no longer be protected by the tender care of volunteers and scientists who had dedicated hours and hours to pulling weeds and clearing brush. And, even though seed gathering and planting was allowed to continue, it was a difficult time for restorationists who wondered whether it was worth even gathering and planting seeds if the new plants would be overwhelmed by buckthorn and other invasives which could no longer be controlled?
Yet, people continued to plant, sometimes even in the cold and snow.
By February 1997, the restoration moratorium was lifted throughout most of the county, but those dark months made the need for a creative outlet more necessary than ever. The first issue of Seeding the Snow was published in 1997.
A new birth
Seeding the Snow’s first decade was ably shepherded by four editors – Nancy Freehafer, Karen Rodriguez, Corasue Nicholas, and Eileen Sutter – who in 2007 decided it was time to look for future guardians of the journal. That spring, Seeding the Snow was turned over to new editors – LeAnn Spencer and Erin Tuttle – who also believe that this journal is an important outlet for those who want to strengthen their creative spirits and show their commitment to our remaining wild places.
It is hoped that Seeding the Snow continues to offer its contributors and readers a way to explore our connection to the natural world and the unique role of women.