February 25, 2019
It Takes Heart to Save a Blanding's Turtle
This past Valentine’s Day started out unexpectedly for some zookeepers at Wheaton Park District’s Cosley Zoo when they found a small Blanding’s turtle unconscious in one of the...
DuPage Forest Blog
Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
Nature (7)
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...
January 15, 2019
How to Keep Pets Safe from Coyotes
It’s always heartbreaking to hear about encounters between pet dogs and coyotes. We want to remind folks of some simple ways to keep their pets safe from the native wildlife that...
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 29, 2018
Tracking the Origins of Invasive Zebra Mussels
Visiting a beautiful lake or pond surrounded by mixed woodlands or sprawling prairie is one of the most serene and relaxing things I can think of doing on any given day. Nothing...
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
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.
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 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,...
October 4, 2018
Remodeling an 1880s Farmhouse Museum
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 18, 2018
Forest Fave: Willowbrook Butterfly Garden
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
When Willowbrook Wildlife Center site manager Sandy Fejt needs a break from caring for injured native wildlife at the center, she doesn’t have to look far. One of Sandy’s favorite...
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...