Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
February 20, 2020
Get Healthy With Forest Therapy
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Ecologists Shed Light on Issues Facing Oaks
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Birding in Blustery Winter Pays Off
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
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
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
DuPage Forest Police Get an Eye in the Sky
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Garden Blooms at Mayslake from Worker's Creativity
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Mayslake Peabody Estate is now home to a garden that blooms year-round, thanks to creativity, recycling and automotive paint.
October 17, 2019
Scientists Search for Clues to Grassland Bird Habitats
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
A Model of a Thriving 1920s Poultry Operation
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Blanding's Hatchlings Raised by Shedd Aquarium Released in DuPage Preserves
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Like proud new parents, staff from the Shedd Aquarium released 23 Blanding’s turtle hatchlings in DuPage forest preserves this week.
August 12, 2019
Feeding Habits of Daring Dragonflies
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Restoring More of the Great Prairie
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Enlisting Crayfish to Help the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly
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
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
Part 6: Replacing Finial Newel Posts
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
Special Needs Individuals Enjoy Outdoor Adventure at St. James Farm
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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...
