DuPage Forest Blog

How the Outdoors Ignited Health and Devotion

The Forest Preserve District is honored to have dedicated volunteers who serve our agency in many ways. That’s why this National Volunteer Week from April 20 – 26, we are...

February 10, 2025

How Mother Nature's Mentor Inspired My Scout Project and Much More

Many of us have stories about why or how we've come to love nature. The Millers' is just one of those stories.

September 30, 2024

DuPage Forest Preserves Are Safe Places Preserved for You!

In this guest post, Amelia Votava reflects about how Judy Grey, a volunteer steward with the Forest Preserve District, not only helped to mentor her understanding about a...

September 17, 2024

Valentine’s Day and Courtship on an 1890s Farm

DuPage County forest preserves are not only beautiful places preserved for you but also safe places thanks to the dedicated officers of the Forest Preserve District’s police force.

February 2, 2023

Wayne Hill

Valentine's Day had already gained popularity with American school children by the early 1880s, and many of the traditions from the time we still hold true today.

November 17, 2022

1890s Holiday Candy Making

Wayne Hill

Candy confections were a sweet part of historic holiday farm life. In 1895, both the Sears and Roebuck Co. and Montgomery Ward Co. catalogs had candy departments where families...

August 8, 2022

The Sweet Story of Honey Bees

Hidden History of the East Farm Barn

Honeybees are arguably the most well-known pollinator, but did you know that honeybees are not even native to North America? Apis mellifera, the domesticated European honey bee,...

August 1, 2022

Wayne Zaininger

Looking at the east side of St. James Farm today, visitors might not fully appreciate the transformation it has gone through over the years. Let’s turn back the clock to the early...

July 26, 2022

A Moment for Millipedes

Celebrate the Sounds of Summer

The next time you hit the trails at a DuPage forest preserve, keep an eye out for the North American millipede, Narceus americanus, also called the “iron worm” for its armored...

July 6, 2022

Hidden History of the Baker House

The warm, lazy days of summer are a great time to enjoy the sounds of nature in the preserves, and research shows that pleasant natural sounds are good for your health. They help...

June 30, 2022

Top 5 Picks for the Perfect Picnic

It’s hard to fathom the connections a little old house on St. Charles Road has to the history of DuPage County, Illinois and the nation.

June 10, 2022

Glenn Perricone and Jennifer Rydzewski

The warm weather and long days of summer invite people to be outdoors, and what better way to enjoy the outdoors than by having a picnic.

May 25, 2022

Hidden History of McDowell Grove

6 Easy Tips for Successful Composting

Sometimes the history of a DuPage forest preserve is simply forgotten, but other times it is purposely kept secret. In the 1940s, McDowell Grove Forest Preserve in Naperville...

May 20, 2022

Derek Gronlund

Composting at home is one of the easiest ways you can make a positive impact on the environment and your garden.

May 6, 2022

DuPage Forest Police Get Improved Eye in the Sky

Hidden History: Burlington Park as Chicago's Recreation Destination

DuPage Forest Police have added a second, more powerful drone to the police force to help improve response and recovery time in the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s more than 60...

April 20, 2022

Dennis Buck

Railroads were crucial to the development of the United States, sparking economic and industrial expansion all around them and carrying people and goods across the country. One of...

April 15, 2022

Dyeing Easter Eggs in the 1890s

Wayne Hill

Natural dyes were used in a variety of ways in a colorful Victorian life in the 1890s.

April 6, 2022

Bald Eagle Released After Treatment at Willowbrook

Perk Up Your Parkway with Native Plants

A juvenile bald eagle flew to freedom recently after being treated for lead poisoning at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

April 1, 2022

Great Horned Owlet Reunited with Family

Planting native plants in your parkway is a great way to help people appreciate native plants by growing them in your parkway for all to enjoy. And it helps pollinators too!

March 30, 2022

Hidden History of Mammoth Spring Icehouse

A great horned owlet was reunited with its family thanks to DuPage Forest Preserve District forestry workers and Willowbrook Wildlife Center.

March 25, 2022

'On Your Left' and Other Trail Tips

If you look closely while walking along the Night Heron Trail at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve in Oak Brook, you can find a little piece of history.

March 23, 2022

Snowy Owl Soars to Freedom After Treatment at Willowbrook

DuPage forest preserve trails are popular with all kinds of visitors: some on foot, some on wheels and others on horseback.

March 17, 2022

Meet Some of the District's Wonder Women 2022

An injured snowy owl soared to freedom this week after being treated for rodenticide poisoning at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

March 1, 2022

Hidden History of Dunham's Equine Legacy

Women’s History Month is a great time to reflect on the hard work, dedication achievements of women in all walks of life. We’d like to introduce you to some of the amazing women...

February 25, 2022

Best Winter Hikes

Sarah Rosenberg

Winter is a great time to go exploring in the DuPage forest preserves.

February 24, 2022

Eagle Reunited with Mate After Poisoning

Most people know that “in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” But did you know that in 1893 Christopher Columbus took a train to Dunham Forest Preserve in Wayne?

February 11, 2022

Stayin' Alive: How Wildlife Survive Winter

An injured bald eagle has been reunited with its mate this week thanks to a concerned resident, a group of volunteers and Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

February 7, 2022

Nate Hambel

Animals in northern Illinois must face the harsh reality of cold blustery winters that leave them vulnerable to exposure and starvation.

January 24, 2022

District's Freshwater Mussels Help 3 Waterways

Joe Limpers

Ecologists at the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s Urban Stream Research Center successfully propagated and released 495 freshwater mussels in three different watersheds in 2021.

January 20, 2022

Cold Weather is for the Birds

Hidden History of the Blackwell Mammoth

Each winter, DuPage County and northern Illinois receive two visitors from the north who use this area as their warmer wintering grounds. One may think that sounds crazy, calling...

January 12, 2022

Birds Take Wing Again Thanks to Willowbrook

It started like a normal day for Gary Jones, a heavy equipment operator for the DuPage Forest Preserve District.

January 7, 2022

Native Landscaping: Start Planning Now

A great horned owl, two red-tailed hawks and two Cooper’s hawks soared to freedom again this week after being treated for injuries at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

December 10, 2021

The Hidden History of Ancient Artifacts

It may be wintertime, but now is the time to start planning your garden for next year. It may not seem like it now, but spring will be here before you know it, making this a great...

November 23, 2021

Snow Plowing and Trail Grooming in the Preserves

People have lived in DuPage County for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that some of the tools and objects they used are still being found in many DuPage forest preserves.

November 19, 2021

Hidden History of Waterfall Glen's Lincoln Park Nursery

DuPage forest preserves are a magical sight to behold after a freshly fallen snow. We know many of you can’t wait to get out there to see the magnificent beauty, but sometimes...

October 26, 2021

Carrying on the Legacy of the Heritage Shorthorn

Many people visiting the city of Chicago spend time in Lincoln Park, but few know the connection that DuPage Forest Preserve District’s Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien...

October 13, 2021

Lisa Carpenter

Since acquiring its first Heritage Milking Shorthorn cow, Liberty, in 2018, Kline Creek Farm’s herd of Heritage Milking Shorthorn cattle has been growing. The farm now has four...

October 12, 2021

Nature's Tricks Are a Nature Lover's Treat

Hidden History of the Steeplechase

Wildlife have long embodied the spirit of Halloween using tricks, treats, and costumes. These strategies are essential for wild animals to survive, find food, and attract mates.

October 6, 2021

Wayne Zaininger

What happens when you combine a love of horses with a passion for philanthropy? At St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville in the 1980s and 1990s, it resulted in an annual...

October 5, 2021

Halloween Happenings

Bosnian Students Visit Urban Stream Research Center

Looking for some “spooktacular” fun in October? Look no further than DuPage forest preserves!

From haunted hikes and wagon rides to pumpkin stories and rhymes for little ones, w...

October 1, 2021

Glenn Perricone

A group of 17 Bosnian high school students recently took part in an aquatic ecology program at the Forest Preserve District’s Urban Stream Research Center at Blackwell Forest...

September 27, 2021

Celebrate OAKtober!

Why Art Matters to Saving Monarch Butterflies

OAKtober is Illinois’ monthlong celebration of oak trees and the things that make them great. We love oaks here at the DuPage Forest Preserve District, so we’re thrilled to be a...

August 30, 2021

Lonnie Morris

DuPage Monarch Project is a collaboration of four local environmental organizations, each contributing essential resources of science, education, community organizing and public...

August 23, 2021

A Gateway to History, Golf and a Healthy Environment

Hidden History of the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad

When an 11-year-old Randy Cochran snuck into Salt Creek at night to pilfer lost golf balls at the private Elmhurst Country Club in Addison more than 50 years ago, he never...

July 21, 2021

Wayne Zaininger and Jordan Countryman

Imagine commuting to Chicago by train in the morning only to discover without warning that same afternoon that your Metra line had closed and would never operate again.

July 7, 2021

Mysterious Moths

Donor's Matching Gift Supports the Blanding's Turtle

Moths sometimes seem like the forgotten cousins of butterflies. While butterflies may be some of the most well-known insects in the world, there are many more species of moths.

July 1, 2021

Hidden History of Hidden Lake Bridge

Corporate-matching programs are attractive to many Friends of the Forest Preserve District donors and others who contribute to nonprofit foundations. T

June 14, 2021

Hidden History of Glacial Ridge

On a breezy May afternoon, I stood on an old bridge that spans the East Branch DuPage River at Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove, talking to people as they crossed the...

June 2, 2021

Managing Harmful Algae Blooms

Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn is one of the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s most popular forest preserves.

May 20, 2021

Dan Grigas

Harmful blue-green algae blooms have become an all-too-common occurrence on some forest preserve lakes lately.

May 10, 2021

More Love for Monarch Butterflies

Setting the Stage for Restoration

The DuPage Forest Preserve District board of commissioners is pledging to support the Illinois Monarch Project, a public and private sector partnership whose goal is to add 150...

April 23, 2021

The Hidden History of Fullersburg Woods

This winter, the Forest Preserve District began restoration of Belleau Woods Forest Preserve in Wheaton with donor funds dedicated by the Friends of the Forest Preserve District.

April 20, 2021

Reminder Not to Harvest Plants in the Preserves

When you visit a DuPage forest preserve to connect with nature, you don’t often consider its history and how it came to be developed as a preserve.

April 16, 2021

Partnership Mussels Into Chicago River

As more plants and mushrooms emerge in the spring, it’s a good time to remind visitors not to harvest things — especially wild leeks and mushrooms — from DuPage forest preserves.

April 9, 2021

Scott Meister

The DuPage Forest Preserve District recently embarked on a new and unique partnership with Urban Rivers, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago with a mission to transform city...

March 31, 2021

I Spy Early Spring Insects

Stressed Out? We've Got Just the Thing

The warmer weather brings more people outside after a long, cold winter. But they’re not the only ones that emerge with the warmer temperatures.

March 25, 2021

The Hidden History of Winfield Mounds

Still recovering from 2020? If you’re like most people, the stress of the pandemic, working from home and e-learning has taken its toll.

March 17, 2021

With the passage of time, nature disguises the land’s cultural legacy, covering the marks of human impact and often protecting the past with brush and vegetation, but this can...

March 10, 2021

Soak in the Solar

Owl's Story Tugs at Donor's Heartstrings

As we celebrate International Solar Appreciation Day on Thursday, March 10, let’s look at the many ways we benefit from the sun and how we can harness its energy to help create...

March 9, 2021

The Hidden History of Hidden Lake

Sandy Youngstrom of Naperville is a wildlife enthusiast who not only enjoys bringing birds, insects and mammals to her own backyard but also supporting wild animals in her...

February 24, 2021

Tales as Old as Time

Nate Hambel

“Never forget the trail, look ever for the track in the snow; it is the priceless, unimpeachable record of the creature's life and thought, in the oldest writing known on the...

February 19, 2021

Relics of the former lives of DuPage forest preserves are often hidden in plain sight, but without context they have no meaning.

February 5, 2021

Nature's Valentines

Seven Nutty Squirrel Facts

Valentine’s Day is a day we celebrate relationships but even more than that, it is a day to celebrate love.

January 20, 2021

Engineer Devises System to Stop Zebra Mussel Spread

Go nuts over squirrels on National Squirrel Appreciation Day!

Held annually on Jan. 21 — in the middle of winter when food sources may be scarce — this unofficial holiday was...

January 6, 2021

Start a New Chapter with Mayslake Book Club

A longtime battle to keep invasive zebra mussels in the West Branch Forest Preserve’s Deep Quarry Lake in Bartlett from spreading to the adjacent West Branch DuPage River took an...

December 15, 2020

As the Seasons Change: A Soil Opera

Explore nature, art and history as it relates to the natural world with Mayslake's “Nature Art & Culture Peabody’s Pages Book Club Three-Part Discussion,” which starts its second...

December 2, 2020

What Do Bees Do in the Winter?

Soil. Mud. Dirt. Earth. That stuff on the ground that’s always been there and always looks pretty much the same. Not too much happening down there, right? Wrong.

November 24, 2020

Charlie Linnell and Duane Marski

One of the more frequent questions we beekeepers are asked is “What do bees do in the winter?”

November 17, 2020

Six Hiking Essentials

Wolf Spider: Friend or Foe?

Whether you’re new to hiking or a regular walker on DuPage forest preserve’s 166 miles of trails, there are at least 6 essentials you should bring with you every time you head out...

October 27, 2020

Ranging in size from half an inch to over two inches, these large, hairy spiders may be the fuel of nightmares for some people.

October 15, 2020

Fall Color Finds

Celebrate the Mighty Oak in OAKtober

When the sweaters come out and the kids are back at school, you know it’s time for another sure sign of the season: fall colors. You also know that you need go no farther than...

October 1, 2020

On With the Show

Scott Kobal

Now that fall’s officially here, we’re starting to see the first signs of color in our forest preserves. So it’s only natural that people want to know what to expect in the way of...

September 29, 2020

It’s fall and that means trees will soon be showing their colors. Who can resist a stroll on a crisp fall afternoon to gaze at nature’s colorful changes?

September 24, 2020

It's for the Birds

Bee Informed About Native Bees

Do you like birds and wish you knew more about them? There are a few simple steps you can take to welcome birds in to your backyard and begin to identify them.

September 9, 2020

Colt Inspires Volunteer's Artwork

Did you know Illinois is home to more than 500 species of native bees?

September 3, 2020

The birth of a newborn — a foal, that is —inspired Danada Equestrian Center volunteer Deb Yatka to pick up her pencils and begin to sketch — something she hasn’t done for many...

September 2, 2020

Walking in the Rain

Keep Away! Hogweed, Hemlock and Parsnip

Have you ever planned a hiking trip at a DuPage forest preserve, only to find out that the sunny nice day you were planning has turned into a grey, rainy day?

August 26, 2020

Five Ways to Relax in DuPage Forest Preserves

Many plants have amazing adaptations that protect them from being eaten or destroyed by other organisms. That’s good for them but can be bad for people who come in contact with...

August 18, 2020

High-Flying Chimney Swifts

With everything that’s happening in the world, it helps to find ways to take time for ourselves and relax. And it’s good for you!

August 13, 2020

A Decade of Studying the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

Have you ever seen something fluttering in the air that looks like a cigar with wings? Is it a bat? Is it a bird? It’s likely a chimney swift.

August 11, 2020

Tom Velat

Populations of the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly have grown from little more than 100 to 1,000 in the more than 10 years DuPage Forest Preserve District ecologists have been...

August 4, 2020

Get Hooked on Fishing

Red Fox Finds Freedom After Treatment at Willowbrook

A lot of people are looking for fun things to do outdoors close to home. If you haven’t already, why not try fishing?

July 30, 2020

Attracting Swallowtails to Your Garden

A red fox treated at Willowbrook Wildlife Center for mange regained his freedom after being released recently at McDowell Grove Forest Preserve in Naperville.

July 22, 2020

Where the Native Wild Things Are

Swallowtail butterflies are some of the largest, showiest butterflies found in Illinois. A visit from one in your garden is always a welcome delight.

July 22, 2020

Show Some Loving for Opossums

Somewhere, in a relatively small section of Blackwell Forest Preserve nestled along Mack Road, lies a special place where native plants grow.

July 15, 2020

Do Only Female Mosquitoes Bite?

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) probably won’t win any popularity contests based on its looks.

July 8, 2020

Spawning Time for Sunfish

Many people are surprised to learn that only female mosquitos bite animals and humans.

July 1, 2020

Much like birds, sunfish like bluegill and bass are busy building nests in DuPage forest lakes in preparation for their growing families.

June 24, 2020

A Big Day

Glenn Perricone

Many DuPage County birdwatchers participate in a “Birding Big Day,” where they try to observe as many species of birds as possible in one day within a determined geographical...

June 17, 2020

The Power of Pollinators

Celebrate the Summer Solstice

“Nature is to be found in her entirety nowhere more than in her smallest creatures.”~ Pliny the Elder

June 15, 2020

Smoothing the Way for Smooth Green Snakes

If you want to make the most of your time in DuPage forest preserves, mark your calendar for Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

May 14, 2020

Dan Thompson

Meet the smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis), a brilliant green, relatively small non-venomous snake that we’d like to see more of in DuPage County.

May 8, 2020

Can't You Take Just One More? No, and Here's Why

Every facility that cares for animals has to make tough decisions all the time: What type of animals should they treat? How many? Do they have the staff and skill to treat them?...

May 4, 2020

Best Wildlife Moms

Where the Native Plants Grow

There are so many things that make moms special — they go the extra mile for their kids, know just what they need, and are fierce protectors of their wee ones.

April 30, 2020

Best Native Shrubs for Your Yard

Planting native plants in our yards and gardens is gaining popularity for good reasons.

April 17, 2020

Slow Down on Spring Cleaning in Your Garden

With winter slowly fading and signs of spring arriving daily, gardeners are getting the itch.

April 9, 2020

When Waterfowl Run Afoul with Nests

With the recent warm weather and native plants starting to emerge from their winter slumber, folks may be eager to do some spring cleaning in their gardens.

April 1, 2020

Leigh Korreck

Every spring and summer, Willowbrook Wildlife Center admits hundreds of orphaned young birds. We give as much care as is humanly possible, but the best parent for a bird is always...

March 9, 2020

Women's Vote Helped Win the Case for DuPage Forest Preserves

Donors' Gift Brings Horses to Danada Equestrian Center

More than 100 years ago, women played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

March 5, 2020

Get Healthy With Forest Therapy

Danada Equestrian Center recently welcomed two new additions to the herd, Percheron-quarter horses named Daisy (age 6) and Babe (age 5). The two mares’ arrival to the center were...

February 20, 2020

Ecologists Shed Light on Issues Facing Oaks

Looking for new ways to improve wellness and promote relaxation this winter? Try forest therapy! Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, forest therapy involves taking...

January 16, 2020

Birding in Blustery Winter Pays Off

Trail users at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve will soon see more forest through the trees along the southern portion of the preserve’s Green Heron trail.

December 18, 2019

Savvy birders know that the coldest months can be some of the hottest times for backyard birding. You can attract birds to your yard by providing them with food, water and...

November 20, 2019

Be-leaf-ing

Sandhill Cranes Overhead!

Autumn is a time to enjoy the crispness of the weather and the colors of the trees. The yellow, red and orange colors of the oaks, maples and hickories paint a beautiful...

November 15, 2019

DuPage Forest Police Get an Eye in the Sky

What is that loud, bugling call high in the sky? It's sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) on their fall migration! (Hear samples of their distinct calls on Cornell University's ...

November 7, 2019

Garden Blooms at Mayslake from Worker's Creativity

DuPage Forest Preserve Police are adding a thermal-imaging drone to the police force to help improve response and recovery time in the Forest Preserve District’s more than 60...

October 28, 2019

Scientists Search for Clues to Grassland Bird Habitats

Mayslake Peabody Estate is now home to a garden that blooms year-round, thanks to creativity, recycling and automotive paint.

October 17, 2019

A Model of a Thriving 1920s Poultry Operation

More than a dozen ecologists from local conservation agencies toured the 1,800-acre Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve in Naperville recently to explore and learn more about the...

September 13, 2019

Blanding's Hatchlings Raised by Shedd Aquarium Released in DuPage Preserves

Millionaire coal baron Francis Stuyvesant Peabody is well known for his Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, but few know that he also owned a farm on the sprawling grounds of...

September 6, 2019

Feeding Habits of Daring Dragonflies

Like proud new parents, staff from the Shedd Aquarium released 23 Blanding’s turtle hatchlings in DuPage forest preserves this week.

August 12, 2019

Restoring More of the Great Prairie

Dragonflies – while the origin of their name is a mystery, it is an appropriate description of these voracious predators. Both the aquatic nymphs and the flying adults are some of...

August 5, 2019

Unexpected Garden Delights

The 358-acre West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve in West Chicago is one of northeastern Illinois’ premier natural areas, containing more than 600 species of native plants and...

July 30, 2019

You expect to encounter native plants and wildlife when you visit DuPage forest preserves, but you don’t expect to find amazing gardens abloom in gorgeous flowers.

July 24, 2019

Birds of a Feather

Glenn Perricone

While out birding at Blackwell Forest Preserve the other day, a very curious pair of trail users caught up to me and inquired about all the brown ducks on the water. What species...

July 1, 2019

A Fish Tale to Remember

By David KoldoffI’m a fisherman and I’m not lying when I tell you: There’s a 42-inch northern pike lurking in Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville!

June 18, 2019

If Trees Could Talk

Enlisting Crayfish to Help the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly

Think of your favorite wildlife — white-tailed deer, woodpeckers, white-footed mice, nuthatches, owls, squirrels. In one way or another they all depend on oak trees for food or...

May 29, 2019

Tom Velat

Whenever we tell stories about nature, they can be very interesting but can get quite complex when you look at how many of the pieces are interconnected. This is what happens...

May 23, 2019

Protect Yourself from Ticks While Outdoors

Part 6: Replacing Finial Newel Posts

We need to talk. It’s going to be awkward, it’s a subject we’d all like to avoid, but it’s best for everyone if we just put it out there: ticks are all around you.

May 15, 2019

Special Needs Individuals Enjoy Outdoor Adventure at St. James Farm

The farmhouse at Kline Creek Farm is 130 years old and has been repaired many times. The Kline family updated it over the years as styles changed, and when it passed down to their...

May 8, 2019

District Honors Men Who Saved Drowning Man at Silver Lake

More than 600 special needs individuals ages 3 to 30 connected to nature through a variety of fun activities at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Special Needs...

May 8, 2019

Willowbrook Baby Season: Eastern Cottontails

Ramon Garchitorena is able to fish another day thanks to the heroic efforts of three other anglers on Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville.

May 7, 2019

Handling Spring Encounters with Nesting Geese

Spring is in full swing here at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn! Animals become much more active this time of year, so we tend to see a lot more animals brought to our...

April 30, 2019

Spring Woodland Wildflower Guide

It’s that time of year when encounters escalate between people and aggressive Canada geese trying to protect their nests and families. But there are some simple ways for both to...

April 24, 2019

Part 5: The Housekeeping Plan

Of all the seasonal blooms, spring wildflowers seem to capture our hearts and attention the most, likely because they’re the first we see after months of drab landscapes. Most...

April 17, 2019

Contain Your Love of Gardening

Keeping up with housecleaning is always a challenge. Finding time to clean, having the right tools and getting everyone else out of the house are all helpful. It is no different...

April 2, 2019

Points to Ponder Before Raising Monarch Caterpillars

I know many folks who are interested in growing native plants but feel they can’t because they don’t have a yard or room in their yard to grow them.

March 20, 2019

Early Spring Plant Arrivals

Full disclosure: I’ve always liked insects. As a child I found them intensely interesting and spent hours just watching them walk, feed and fly. As an adult I came to realize...

March 8, 2019

Just a few native woodland wildflowers emerge in March: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) and sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) are among them.

January 23, 2019

Sowing Seeds in the Snow

How to Keep Pets Safe from Coyotes

For local gardeners, winter’s a time to take stock of what did well during the previous year and to look forward to the coming crop of plant catalogs in the mail. But in DuPage...

January 15, 2019

Dan Thompson

It’s always heartbreaking to hear about encounters between pet dogs and coyotes. We want to remind folks of some simple ways to keep their pets safe from the native wildlife that...

January 3, 2019

Part 4: The Dining Room Oilcloth

The oilcloth on the dining room floor at Kline Creek Farm's farmhouse museum could be easily overlooked. In fact, we planned it that way. It is meant to fit in as just one more...

December 17, 2018

Life Under Ice

Feathered Friends Feel the Freeze: How to Help Birds Survive Winter

After the last leaves fall and the cold winds start to blow, winter settles across DuPage County. Ground squirrels and woodchucks hunker down in underground burrows.

December 12, 2018

Part 3: The Parlor Pump Organ

Although the ground is cold (and possibly covered in snow), winter doesn’t mean hibernation and hiding for all wild animals, especially for some of the more common creatures...

December 5, 2018

Let's Talk Turkey: Fun Tidbits About This Popular Bird

Once we had the wood-burning stove in the works, our next project was to restore our pump organ at the 1880s farmhouse museum at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago. I knew it had...

November 13, 2018

The Plight of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee

For a lot of people, it’s turkey time. There are hand turkeys, turkey trots, turkey bowls and even tofu turkey with all the trimmings. If you hike through the woods at Herrick Lake

November 6, 2018

Part 2: The Kitchen Wood-Burning Stove

I think it’s just human nature to run in the opposite direction when we see a big black-and-yellow insect flying our way. But when it comes to the rusty patched bumble bee, our...

October 30, 2018

Fall Faves From the Field

The first project we tackled was replacing the production kitchen wood-burning stove in our remodeling project at Kline Creek Farm’s 1880s farmhouse museum.

October 25, 2018

Saving the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid

Cooler temperatures, fewer bugs and amazing colors make this time of year perfect for outdoor outings. An informal survey of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County employees —...

October 24, 2018

Busy Beavers Prepare for Winter

Patience is a virtue, especially if you’re trying to save the federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid.

October 16, 2018

An Ugly Little Stinker: The Stink Bug That Wants Inside

Late fall means slowing down for many species (including people), but beavers are busy repairing their lodges and dams and poking branches and saplings into mud where the woody...

October 11, 2018

Remodeling an 1880s Farmhouse Museum

It’s that time of year. The leaves are turning. The daylight hours are waning. And, yes. Dozens — maybe even hundreds — of brown marmorated stink bugs are gathering in numbers at...

October 4, 2018

Geese-Free, Thanks to a Border Collie Named Louie

As I listen to an ad on the radio telling me that my home is getting dingy and tired and could really use some sprucing up, I cannot help but think of the challenges of...

September 12, 2018

Small Mammals Busy Preparing for Colder Weather

It’s 5 a.m. at The Preserve at Oak Meadows — the Forest Preserve District’s signature golf course — and Louie the border collie is on patrol for nuisance geese. His head is...

September 11, 2018

Monarch Butterflies Start Long Migration

While many small mammals and bats are putting on fat in fall to prepare for a long, cold winter hibernation, many are not. For the most part, our common small mammals -- the...

September 6, 2018

Training With Willowbrook Wildlife

Late summer and early fall is a peak time for monarch activity as they prepare for the long migration south to the forests of central Mexico. It’s also a great time to view them...

August 20, 2018

For 62 years Willowbrook Wildlife Center has been known for rehabilitating native wildlife and providing education programs for people of all ages throughout DuPage County.

August 15, 2018

Lunch Break Loops

Protecting the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

Summer is a beautiful time in the preserves. But it can still be a struggle to find time to get to your favorite forest preserve, even though research shows that 20 minutes...

August 6, 2018

Tom Velat

Working on the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly Project over the past several years has been a fascinating experience for me.

July 30, 2018

Bright Flashes of Orange in Local Trees

Fireflies are a Summer Delight

Despite their bright orange plumage, Baltimore orioles may not be easy to spot. These relatives of yellow-headed and red-wing blackbirds prefer high branches in densely wooded...

July 16, 2018

Helping the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly

The twilight twinkles of fireflies, or lightning bugs, is one of the sure signs of summer. Most of us have fond memories of spending warm summer nights chasing them. Fireflies are...

July 3, 2018

Get to Know Nature's Nasties

Being a parent is one of the most difficult — but most rewarding — jobs I have ever had.

You watch your children grow from someone in need of constant attention and care until,...

June 25, 2018

Forest Fave: Meacham Grove

Ah, summer in DuPage County. Time to get reacquainted with the incredible array of plants and wildlife that call the forest preserves home. Sure, the thought of a few of them...

June 21, 2018

Butterflying in the Forest Preserves

When ranger Sarah Rosenberg needs to reconnect with nature, she stops at Meacham Grove Forest Preserve in Bloomingdale. She especially loves the excellent hiking trails at the...

June 20, 2018

Watching butterflies in DuPage forest preserves is a favorite summer pastime for some insect enthusiasts. But even the lesser experienced bug lover in you can find butterflying a...

June 6, 2018

Best Wildlife Dads

In the natural world, we know that mom is usually boss when it comes to raising babies. And in many species, it is the mom who does most of the work on her own. However, there are...

May 21, 2018

Mistaken Identity

Avoid Introducing Invasive Plants to Your Landscape

Spring at a wildlife rehabilitation center means daily arrivals of baby animals. At Willowbrook Wildlife Center, our patient load skyrockets in the spring and summer months....

May 14, 2018

Many nurseries and garden centers unknowingly sell invasive landscape plants to unsuspecting consumers. These invasives can escape from your yard and wreak havoc on natural areas...

May 1, 2018

Forest Jewels

The Tangled Relationships in a Garden

Twice a year, DuPage County’s forest preserves play host to hundreds of thousands of weary travelers: migrating birds looking for places to fuel up as they move between their...

April 30, 2018

The Welcome Return of Hummingbirds

The relationship between milkweed and monarchs is well known and well documented. Monarch butterflies feed on the nectar in milkweed flowers, collecting pollen before transferring...

April 24, 2018

Solutions to Common Garden Challenges

The return of ruby-throated hummingbirds to DuPage County is another sure sign of spring. These amazing birds can fly up to 60 miles per hour and flap their wings 40 ‒ 80 times...

April 16, 2018

Ribbit! April is National Frog Month

Gardening with native plants has many rewards, but it can also pose some challenges. The beautiful flowers may attract pollinators, but they may also attract unwanted critters,...

April 5, 2018

Celebrate National Frog Month in April by getting to know some of the frogs and toads of DuPage County. Amphibians are excellent biological indicators of the wider health of...

April 3, 2018

Sun, Part Sun or Shade?

Attracting Wildlife to Your Backyard

It’s a perennial question that comes up every planting season: Does it really matter if you plant a full-sun plant in the shade or a shade plant in a sunny spot? Well, it does if...

March 20, 2018

Reasons to Go Native with Landscaping

When people ask me how to attract birds, bees and butterflies to their backyard, my answer always begins with planting native plants. What do I mean by native plants? A plant is...

March 14, 2018

Where Do Insects Go in Winter?

As the days grow longer and the temperatures grow warmer, you may be thinking about your how you would like to landscape your garden this growing season. This is the perfect time...

January 23, 2018

Winter is Hooting Season for Owls

Insects are ever present through the growing season, from butterflies and bees flying between flowers to crickets and cicadas with their unique calls. Every year they seem to...

December 20, 2017

Wildlife Deterrents for Your Home Over Winter

Just as you’re drifting off to sleep and snuggled up tight on a cold January night, you hear “Who’s awake? Me, too.” It’s the call of a great horned owl, a nocturnal bird of prey...

December 4, 2017

A Walk in the Woods with Our Four-Legged Friends

Early December is one of the most wonderful times of the year. Cold and windy days have arrived, leaves have fallen and we’re busy prepping for the many holiday festivities ahead.

November 8, 2017

Jason Halm

Strolling through a forest preserve is great; walking with a best friend through a forest preserve is the best. I have a few best friends, but when I want to walk alone but not...

September 13, 2017

Asters: The Stars of Fall

Asters might very well be the forest preserves’ forgotten flowers. People spend summer gazing at coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and other bright bloomers, but when fall arrives...

September 13, 2017

Born to Burn

In my 22 years with the Forest Preserve District, some of my most cherished memories come from time spent away from my desk and along the prescription burn line. Prescription...

September 12, 2017

Our Colorful Maples