January 15, 2019
How to Keep Pets Safe from Coyotes
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...
DuPage Forest Blog
Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
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
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
Feathered Friends Feel the Freeze: How to Help Birds Survive Winter
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
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
Let's Talk Turkey: Fun Tidbits About This Popular Bird
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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...
November 6, 2018
The Plight of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
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
Part 2: The Kitchen Wood-Burning Stove
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Saving the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Patience is a virtue, especially if you’re trying to save the federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid.
October 16, 2018
Busy Beavers Prepare for Winter
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
An Ugly Little Stinker: The Stink Bug That Wants Inside
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Remodeling an 1880s Farmhouse Museum
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
Geese-Free, Thanks to a Border Collie Named Louie
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Small Mammals Busy Preparing for Colder Weather
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Monarch Butterflies Start Long Migration
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Training With Willowbrook Wildlife
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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
Protecting the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
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
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
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...