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DuPage Forest Blog

Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.

Conservation (2)

March 17, 2021

The Hidden History of Winfield Mounds

Jordan Countryman

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

Dave Andrusyk

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 1, 2021

Meet Some of the District's Wonder Women 2021

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Women’s History Month is a great time to reflect on the hard work and dedication of women in all walks of life. We’d like you to meet some of the women who work at the DuPage...

January 28, 2021

Bird of the Year: the Pileated Woodpecker

Keriann Dubina

They are master excavators, noisy borers and the basis for a cartoon character. And now the pileated woodpecker has been chosen as the 2021 bird of the year by the American...

January 20, 2021

Seven Nutty Squirrel Facts

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

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...

December 11, 2020

Lessons From 2020

Andres Ortega

The events of 2020 have been a great lesson for many aspects of my life. At the top of the list, I have gained an even greater appreciation for the work I do to help the natural...

October 15, 2020

Fall Color Finds

Dave Andrusyk

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

Celebrate the Mighty Oak in OAKtober

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

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 14, 2020

Relocating Fish to a New Spring Brook

Scott Meister

Restoration of Spring Brook as it flows through Blackwell Forest Preserve includes building a new stream channel and removing a dam to provide better habitat and a gentler slope...

September 9, 2020

Bee Informed About Native Bees

Keriann Dubina

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

August 28, 2020

Blanding's Yearlings Released in DuPage Preserves

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

With perpetual smiles on their faces, Blanding’s turtle yearlings raised by DuPage Forest Preserve District partners were recently released in DuPage forest preserves.

August 26, 2020

Keep Away! Hogweed, Hemlock and Parsnip

Dave Andrusyk

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 13, 2020

High-Flying Chimney Swifts

Keriann Dubina

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 4, 2020

Barred Owl Soars to Freedom with Help from Willowbrook

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

A barred owl injured after being struck by a vehicle was one of many birds released on a recent sunny day at McDowell Grove Forest Preserve after being treated at Willowbrook...

July 30, 2020

Red Fox Finds Freedom After Treatment at Willowbrook

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

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

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

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

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

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

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

June 15, 2020

Celebrate the Summer Solstice

Dave Andrusyk

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

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