Nature's Storytellers

A Blog About Nature in Our DuPage Forest Preserves

Abby Dean

Abby Dean is an environmental interpreter at the Forest Preserve District. She enjoys teaching about ecology, zoology, botany, biology and geology. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide by the National Association for Interpretation. She earned a B.S. in outdoor recreation and resource management.

Recent Posts

The Hidden History of Fullersburg Woods

on 4/20/21 9:48 AM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Insider Locations Recreation Take 5 Nature Group History
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.
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The Hidden History of Hidden Lake

on 2/19/21 7:44 AM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Insider Wildlife Nature Willowbrook
Relics of the former lives of DuPage forest preserves are often hidden in plain sight, but without context they have no meaning.
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Seven Nutty Squirrel Facts

on 1/20/21 2:34 PM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Natural resources Wildlife Conservation Nature
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 started in 2001 by a wildlife rehabilitator named Christy Hargrove to recognize the role that squirrels play in the environment. 
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Wildlife Myths: Can Frogs Give You Warts?

on 7/27/20 2:24 PM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Insider Wildlife Nature
Many of us have been discouraged from getting a closer look at a frog by someone claiming that handling a frog can give you warts.
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Attracting Swallowtails to Your Garden

on 7/22/20 1:54 PM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Insider Plants Wildlife Nature native plant Native Plant Sale
Swallowtail butterflies are some of the largest, showiest butterflies found in Illinois. A visit from one in your garden is always a welcome delight.
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Do Only Female Mosquitoes Bite?

on 7/8/20 9:57 AM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Insider Health and wellness Wildlife Nature
Many people are surprised to learn that only female mosquitos bite animals and humans.
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Get Healthy With Forest Therapy

on 2/20/20 10:19 AM By | Abby Dean | 0 Comments | Insider Health and wellness Recreation Take 5 Conservation Nature
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 in the atmosphere of the forest. Translated as "forest bath," shinrin-yoku does not refer to actual bathing. Instead of submerging in water, forest bathers soak up the atmosphere of the forest. 
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Reasons to Go Native with Landscaping

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 to consider incorporating native plants into your landscape. 
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