Current headlines
Featured news
All news
-
Image of a green shirt featuring a cicada and be loud be proud wording
Commemorate summer of the cicada with a Forest Preserve T-shirt
4/25/2024Read morePrepare for the 2024 cicada emergence with Forest Preserve T-shirts designed to mark this unusual occurrence. Two shirt designs have been created and can be purchased at OutsiderThreads.com. All proceeds benefit The Nature Foundation of Will County.
-
A bald eagle and its eaglet in a nest.
Bald eagle nesting update: We have confirmed seven eaglets in four nests
4/23/2024Read moreThe bald eagle population has been booming in Will County in recent years, and we're monitoring four active nests.
-
Two excavators set a metal foot bridge in place.
Bridge installed over I&M Canal as work continues on Lake Chaminwood trail connection project
4/23/2024Read moreWork on a trail extension project that will connect Lake Chaminwood Preserve to the I&M Canal Trail in Channahon jumped a big hurdle on April 19 when a bridge was installed over the canal. The project will continue through mid- to late June.
-
A man poses with a fish.
Bait your hook for some fishing derby fun at Hidden Lakes in 2024
4/22/2024Read moreAnglers will have fun competing in fishing derbies at Hidden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook this summer. The derbies will be for adults in May, kids in June and all ages in September.
-
A man stands on a trail in a forest preserve.
Healing With Nature: Combat veteran finds his ‘flow’ on forest preserve paths
4/22/2024Read moreThe next installment of the Healing With Nature series features Nick Wallace of Joliet. The combat veteran and former Marine sergeant picked up 70 bags of trash at a preserve recently. He said being in nature reduces his anxiety and provides pure enjoyment.
-
An adaptive all-terrain wheelchair
New all-terrain wheelchair available for public use at Four Rivers
4/16/2024Read moreAn adaptive all-terrain wheelchair is now available for public use at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. The GRIT Freedom Chair – Spartan Model can be used by people of all ages and abilities.
-
Rock Run Greenway Trail users urged to use caution as city road project begins
4/15/2024Read moreThe City of Joliet has announced that work is beginning on a road improvement project in the Houbolt Road-Olympic Boulevard area. This work could impact Rock Run Greenway Trail users north of Lower Rock Run Preserve – I&M Canal Access.
-
Winter, spring, summer and fall are shown in this collage.
Get your competitive juices flowing with Spring Fling Take It Outside Challenge
4/8/2024Read moreThe next seasonal Take It Outside Challenge kicks off on April 14. Participants will compete in the Spring Fling to earn points and prizes. So, grab your sneakers and get going!
-
Bicycles lined up at Monee Reservoir's Recycle Your Bicycle collection event
Recycle Your Bicycle program offered at Four Rivers in Channahon for the first time
4/8/2024Read moreThe spring Recycle Your Bicycle program will take place at a new location this year, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. The program also will be offered at its original location, Monee Reservoir in Monee Township. Both programs will be offered from April 13 to April 28.
-
An orange sign showing a trail closed sign.
Rock Run Greenway Trail section closed for improvement project
4/5/2024Read moreA section of the Rock Run Greenway Trail from Essington Road east to Theodore Street in Joliet is closed for an improvement project.
Events
Wild Child on the Road
We are taking Wild Child on the road this season, visiting different preserves around Will County.
First Time Fishing
Learn rod-and-reel fishing basics, safety and ethics plus try some shoreline fishing for yourself in this program for beginners.
The Buzz
Can you identify these 15 birds? Take the test to find out
Birding can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be tricky to get those identifications right.
Migration watch: Orioles have landed in Will County
Time to stock up on oranges and grape jelly. Baltimore orioles are back in Will County for the season.
Holey moley: Yellow-bellied sapsuckers leave distinct clues of their presence
The yellow-bellied sapsucker is the only woodpecker in the eastern United States, so their time in northern Illinois can be fleeting. Look for them in the spring and fall as they migrate through our area.