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DuPage Forest Blog

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

Nature

October 6, 2022

Pop, Pop, Pop, Popcorn!

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Popcorn is an American story and is the world’s first cultivated corn. Corn planted in the plowed prairies of the Midwestern soil of Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and southern...

August 8, 2022

The Sweet Story of Honey Bees

Jennifer Rydzewski

Honeybees are arguably the most well-known pollinator, but did you know that honeybees are not even native to North America? Apis mellifera, the domesticated European honey bee,...

July 26, 2022

A Moment for Millipedes

Jennifer Rydzewski

The next time you hit the trails at a DuPage forest preserve, keep an eye out for the North American millipede, Narceus americanus, also called the “iron worm” for its armored...

July 6, 2022

Celebrate the Sounds of Summer

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

The warm, lazy days of summer are a great time to enjoy the sounds of nature in the preserves, and research shows that pleasant natural sounds are good for your health. They help...

June 10, 2022

Top 5 Picks for the Perfect Picnic

Glenn Perricone and Jennifer Rydzewski

The warm weather and long days of summer invite people to be outdoors, and what better way to enjoy the outdoors than by having a picnic.

May 20, 2022

6 Easy Tips for Successful Composting

Derek Gronlund

Composting at home is one of the easiest ways you can make a positive impact on the environment and your garden.

April 15, 2022

Dying Easter Eggs in the 1890s

Wayne Hill

Natural dyes were used in a variety of ways in a colorful Victorian life in the 1890s.

April 6, 2022

Bald Eagle Released After Treatment at Willowbrook

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

A juvenile bald eagle flew to freedom recently after being treated for lead poisoning at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

April 1, 2022

Perk Up Your Parkway with Native Plants

Keriann Dubina

Planting native plants in your parkway is a great way to help people appreciate native plants by growing them in your parkway for all to enjoy. And it helps pollinators too!

March 30, 2022

Great Horned Owlet Reunited with Family

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

A great horned owlet was reunited with its family thanks to DuPage Forest Preserve District forestry workers and Willowbrook Wildlife Center.

March 17, 2022

Snowy Owl Soars to Freedom After Treatment at Willowbrook

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

An injured snowy owl soared to freedom this week after being treated for rodenticide poisoning at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

March 1, 2022

Meet Some of the District's Wonder Women 2022

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Women’s History Month is a great time to reflect on the hard work, dedication achievements of women in all walks of life. We’d like to introduce you to some of the amazing women...

February 25, 2022

Best Winter Hikes

Sarah Rosenberg

Winter is a great time to go exploring in the DuPage forest preserves.

February 11, 2022

Eagle Reunited with Mate After Poisoning

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

An injured bald eagle has been reunited with its mate this week thanks to a concerned resident, a group of volunteers and Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

February 7, 2022

Stayin' Alive: How Wildlife Survive Winter

Nate Hambel

Animals in northern Illinois must face the harsh reality of cold blustery winters that leave them vulnerable to exposure and starvation.

January 20, 2022

Cold Weather is for the Birds

Keriann Dubina

Each winter, DuPage County and northern Illinois receive two visitors from the north who use this area as their warmer wintering grounds. One may think that sounds crazy, calling...

January 7, 2022

Birds Take Wing Again Thanks to Willowbrook

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

A great horned owl, two red-tailed hawks and two Cooper’s hawks soared to freedom again this week after being treated for injuries at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

December 15, 2021

Join Our New Winter Adventure Series

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

As the lakes freeze and the ground turns white, we’ll be adding a flurry of outdoor fun to our winter program lineup!

December 10, 2021

Native Landscaping: Start Planning Now

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

It may be wintertime, but now is the time to start planning your garden for next year. It may not seem like it now, but spring will be here before you know it, making this a great...

October 5, 2021

Halloween Happenings

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Looking for some “spooktacular” fun in October? Look no further than DuPage forest preserves!

From haunted hikes and wagon rides to pumpkin stories and rhymes for little ones, w...

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