The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County improves the quality of life for all DuPage County residents. Its 26,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, wetlands, and waterways contribute to cleaner air and water, help with flood control, create vital habitats for wildlife, and provide safe spaces where people can boost their physical and mental health. More than 5.5 million people visit its 60 forest preserves, 175 miles of trails, seven education centers, and scores of programs each year.
May 8, 2019
District Honors Men Who Saved Drowning Man at Silver Lake
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Ramon Garchitorena is able to fish another day thanks to the heroic efforts of three other anglers on Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville.
May 7, 2019
Willowbrook Baby Season: Eastern Cottontails
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Spring is in full swing here at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn! Animals become much more active this time of year, so we tend to see a lot more animals brought to our...
April 24, 2019
Spring Woodland Wildflower Guide
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Of all the seasonal blooms, spring wildflowers seem to capture our hearts and attention the most, likely because they’re the first we see after months of drab landscapes. Most...
April 5, 2019
Forestry Worker Makes Special Delivery
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Sometimes it takes a village to help raise a great horned owl, as was the case when Forest Preserve District employees and DuPage County residents recently helped reunite three...
March 25, 2019
Keep Kids Learning with Fun Summer Day Camps
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Help your child unplug from video games and connect to nature with our fun outdoor day camps for kids and teens.
March 8, 2019
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Just a few native woodland wildflowers emerge in March: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) and sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) are among them.
March 4, 2019
The "Magic School Bus" Rolls into DuPage Forest Preserves
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Science and social-studies teachers from across DuPage County joined the Forest Preserve District’s “Teacher-Institute Day: Magic School Bus Tour” on March 1, which was hosted by...
February 13, 2019
Group Thanks District for Program That Connects Youth to Nature
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Students and educators from the School Association for Special Education in DuPage County thanked the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County for providing them with many fun...
February 8, 2019
A Special Role for a Special Blanding's Turtle
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Meet Shirlee, a rare yellow-colored or “xanthic” Blanding’s turtle now on public display to help spread the word about the plight of the state-endangered Blanding’s turtle. She’s...
February 7, 2019
Greene Farm Barn Provides Clues to Future Forestry
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Scientists are hoping old-growth timber from the Greene Farm Barn and Graue Mill will help them determine how to help future trees withstand adversity in the form of fires, pest...
February 1, 2019
Law Enforcement Completes Rapid-Deployment Training
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Forest Preserve District ranger police officers Laura Michael and Mark Pinnella led rapid-deployment training for the Law Enforcement department — including its sworn officers,...
January 23, 2019
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
For local gardeners, winter’s a time to take stock of what did well during the previous year and to look forward to the coming crop of plant catalogs in the mail. But in DuPage...
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 16, 2018
Our Top 10 Things to Do to #OptOutside
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Between the Thanksgiving dinner prep and holiday shopping, get outdoors to experience the physical, emotional and spiritual rewards of spending time in nature. Today an...
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
October 25, 2018
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Cooler temperatures, fewer bugs and amazing colors make this time of year perfect for outdoor outings. An informal survey of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County employees —...
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.
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 11, 2018
An Ugly Little Stinker: The Stink Bug That Wants Inside
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
It’s that time of year. The leaves are turning. The daylight hours are waning. And, yes. Dozens — maybe even hundreds — of brown marmorated stink bugs are gathering in numbers at...
October 10, 2018
One-Year Checkup Shows Mussels Are Thriving
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
A one-year checkup on some of the 24,377 freshwater mussels released last fall into the West Branch DuPage River and two tributaries shows they are doing great and growing,...
