Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
January 7, 2022
Birds Take Wing Again Thanks to Willowbrook
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Native Landscaping: Start Planning Now
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
The Hidden History of Ancient Artifacts
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
Snow Plowing and Trail Grooming in the Preserves
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Hidden History of Waterfall Glen's Lincoln Park Nursery
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
Carrying on the Legacy of the Heritage Shorthorn
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
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
Hidden History of the Steeplechase
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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,...
October 1, 2021
Bosnian Students Visit Urban Stream Research Center
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Why Art Matters to Saving Monarch Butterflies
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
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
Hidden History of the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad
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
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
Donor's Matching Gift Supports the Blanding's Turtle
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Corporate-matching programs are attractive to many Friends of the Forest Preserve District donors and others who contribute to nonprofit foundations.
June 14, 2021
Hidden History of Hidden Lake Bridge
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
Hidden History of Glacial Ridge
Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn is one of the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s most popular forest preserves.
May 20, 2021
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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...
