Summer 2020 Conservationist

From the President

If you thought you missed something in your mailbox when April rolled around you were correct. As we readied to send out the spring issue of the Conservationist a lot was going on in Illinois, and because most of our spring content had to do with programming, we opted to pull the issue rather than send out outdated information.

Much has happened since then and change is occurring rapidly with the state in phase 4 of Restore Illinois. Although our visitor centers remain closed for the safety of our guests as well as our staff, preserves remain open and visiting is a great way to improve your mood and reduce stress during these challenging times. Spending time in nature is more important now than ever, and if you follow the tips on the back page, just 5 minutes in a DuPage forest preserve can make a world of difference. And with gyms still with limited access, our 166 miles of trails continue to provide consistent ways to exercise. (Plus you burn 10% more calories if you run on a trail instead of a treadmill!)

We are continually looking at the best ways to safely reopen our facilities and programming as well. Most forest preserve special use areas are now open, we are accepting online reservations for picnic shelters and the family campground at Blackwell, and we are taking phone reservations for several of our youth-ground campgrounds. Our summer events calendar may not be as extensive as those in the past, but you’ll find we’ve adapted some perennial outdoor favorites to meet current social distancing guidelines.

We look forward to offering even more activities, some even before the next Conservationist hits your mailbox, so make sure to visit dupageforest.org for the latest!

Daniel Hebreard
President, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County