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DuPage Forest Blog

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

Conservation (4)

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 4, 2018

Remodeling an 1880s Farmhouse Museum

Keith McClow

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 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 6, 2018

Protecting the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

Tom Velat

Working on the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly Project over the past several years has been a fascinating experience for me.

July 3, 2018

Helping the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly

Andres Ortega

Being a parent is one of the most difficult — but most rewarding — jobs I have ever had. 

You watch your children grow from someone in need of constant attention and care until,...

June 20, 2018

Butterflying in the Forest Preserves

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Watching butterflies in DuPage forest preserves is a favorite summer pastime for some insect enthusiasts. But even the lesser experienced bug lover in you can find butterflying a...

May 21, 2018

Mistaken Identity

Stephanie Touzalin

Spring at a wildlife rehabilitation center means daily arrivals of baby animals. At Willowbrook Wildlife Center, our patient load skyrockets in the spring and summer months....

May 14, 2018

Avoid Introducing Invasive Plants to Your Landscape

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Many nurseries and garden centers unknowingly sell invasive landscape plants to unsuspecting consumers. These invasives can escape from your yard and wreak havoc on natural areas...

May 1, 2018

Forest Jewels

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Twice a year, DuPage County’s forest preserves play host to hundreds of thousands of weary travelers: migrating birds looking for places to fuel up as they move between their...

April 30, 2018

The Tangled Relationships in a Garden

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

The relationship between milkweed and monarchs is well known and well documented. Monarch butterflies feed on the nectar in milkweed flowers, collecting pollen before transferring...

April 16, 2018

Solutions to Common Garden Challenges

Jennifer Rydzewski

Gardening with native plants has many rewards, but it can also pose some challenges. The beautiful flowers may attract pollinators, but they may also attract unwanted critters,...

April 5, 2018

Ribbit! April is National Frog Month

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Celebrate National Frog Month in April by getting to know some of the frogs and toads of DuPage County. Amphibians are excellent biological indicators of the wider health of...

April 3, 2018

Sun, Part Sun or Shade?

Dave Andrusyk

It’s a perennial question that comes up every planting season: Does it really matter if you plant a full-sun plant in the shade or a shade plant in a sunny spot? Well, it does if...

March 20, 2018

Attracting Wildlife to Your Backyard

Keriann Dubina

When people ask me how to attract birds, bees and butterflies to their backyard, my answer always begins with planting native plants. What do I mean by native plants? A plant is...

March 14, 2018

Reasons to Go Native with Landscaping

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

As the days grow longer and the temperatures grow warmer, you may be thinking about your how you would like to landscape your garden this growing season. This is the perfect time...

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