The week of Thanksgiving I was on a hike talking stewardship needs with some peers in a woodland. A cold front was coming, and a deep freeze was eminent. As we walked along I saw very few signs of life as most creatures had retreated into hiding for the long winter or at least were hunkering… Read MoreOff the Trail: Winter slow down
If you thought that squirrels were a distraction for dogs, you should see the Kankakee Sands staff when someone says, “squirrel!” Whenever we think we see one of the recently-released Franklin’s ground squirrels (Poliocitellus franklinii) on …
December Forest Preserve District of Will County programs have filled up quickly this year.
The Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of Nov. 25 offer a variety of events. Online registration is available on the event calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
The Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of Nov. 11 include hikes, field trips and a milkweed holiday craft event. Online registration is available on the event calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
This October marks the ninth year that bison have graced and grazed our Kankakee Sands prairies. Even after nine years, it’s still a thrill to see them, isn’t it?
We often talk about how species work together and benefit one another. On the prairie we also talk about bison as a keystone species that provide trickle-down benefits to a whole host of organisms actively and passively.
This October marks the ninth year that bison have graced and grazed our Kankakee Sands prairies. Even after nine years, it’s still a thrill to see them, isn’t it?
We often talk about how species work together and benefit one another. On the prairie we also talk about bison as a keystone species that provide trickle-down benefits to a whole host of organisms actively and passively.
The latest solar storm has triggered northern lights farther south than normal including into parts of Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City. There were no immediate reports of disruptions to power and communications from Thursday’s storm.
The Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the next few weeks offer a variety for everyone. Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
This past month I got to spend a few days with macro photographers from around the country at the Indiana Dunes Learning Center for the Bugshot Workshop. The workshop happens yearly and is an opportunity for macro photographers to get together and learn about insect photography.
It’s September, and it’s back-to-school time for many students and families. My own kids are headed back to school, and as a mentor for our Student Conservation Internship team, I am going back to school, too.
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SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reminds residents that although sightings of black bears in the state are rare, the potential exists that animals from neighboring states may be observed in Illinois.
The Forest Preserve District of Will County is offering programs for the weeks of Aug. 19 and Aug. 26. Online registration is available on the event calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
The past four days I have been participating in an insect macro photography workshop at the Indiana Dunes Learning Cetner. Our focus is to find interesting insects and then to photograph them using a variety of techniques.
This spring and summer, I have been enjoying the call of the grasshopper sparrow — a dry, insect-like buzz that tells me they are near. A friend recently informed me that this pretty little prairie bird has a second song — a rapid series of s…
Lately I have been looking high and low for eggs and caterpillars of the monarch butterfly, but so far I have only found one of each. I have been seeing some adults flying but usually just one or two per day as I walk in the prairie. Others I…
My kids like to go to the playground, but I like to hike and look to photograph bugs. Some parks with natural areas have both opportunities. So as a family we negotiate what park we can go to that has playground equipment but also interesting…
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My kids like to go to the playground, but I like to hike and look to photograph bugs. Some parks with natural areas have both opportunities. So as a family we negotiate what park we can go to that has playground equipment but also interesting…
Our Kankakee Sands prairies are always growing and changing. As I write this article, the prairie flowers are beginning to bloom and the yellows of sand coreopsis are astounding. With June comes the changing of colors from the yellow of coreo…
Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of June 17 are available to area residents Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
The 68-year-old Tom and 66-year-old Tammie Burke are paying back the joy camping gives them as being the host of the Potawatomi Campgrounds at Kankakee River State Park, located northwest of Bourbonnais off Illinois Route 102.
Spring has sprung and that means our Kankakee Sands wetlands are teeming with activity. The Kankakee Sands bird viewing area on the west side of U.S. Route 41 is a particular fan favorite right now due to the wide-open wetland filled with gli…
Spring migration is in full effect and for me that means grassland birds are back in our local prairies. Grassland birds have been largely in decline over recent decades and are of great conservation interest across the North America.
