April 9, 2020
Slow Down on Spring Cleaning in Your Garden
With the recent warm weather and native plants starting to emerge from their winter slumber, folks may be eager to do some spring cleaning in their gardens.
DuPage Forest Blog
Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
Conservation (3)
April 1, 2020
When Waterfowl Run Afoul with Nests
Every spring and summer, Willowbrook Wildlife Center admits hundreds of orphaned young birds. We give as much care as is humanly possible, but the best parent for a bird is always...
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.
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 ...
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 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 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!
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...
March 20, 2019
Points to Ponder Before Raising Monarch Caterpillars
Full disclosure: I’ve always liked insects. As a child I found them intensely interesting and spent hours just watching them walk, feed and fly. As an adult I came to realize...
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...
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 Lake
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 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.