Current Headlines

For the public’s safety, some preserves may remain closed immediately after a winter weather event as District staff work to plow the roadways to make travel less hazardous.

A 40-acre Homer Township purchase will expand Hadley Valley Preserve and provide a missing link for a Spring Creek Greenway Trail extension, and a 40-acre Washington Township donation will begin the establishment of a new eastern Will County preserve.

Incongruous as it seems, winter is prime time for seed spreading across the Forest Preserve District.

The three visitor centers that will reopen Saturday, January 23, are: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon, Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville and Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township. Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet reopened January 4. Capacity limits will be in effect and masks are required. 

The show's premier epioside for 2021 features the history of Joliet Iron Works Historic Site and the eagles of Rock Run Rookery. The episode will air on Facebook at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 27.

Find out what brumation means and where all the reptiles go when the temperatures dip and other creatures are hibernating. Tune in to the Forest Preserve District's Facebook page to view the program at noon, Thursday, January 28, and ask questions in real time. 

Channahon resident Kevin Kuchler's photo, which was snapped at Lake Renwick Preserve on an icy winter morning, was deemed the best of the best during online voting via the Forest Preserve District's Facebook page.

This is the third batch of Blanding's turtle hatchlings the Forest Preserve District has received as part of a regional recovery program for the state-endangered species. They will be released into the wild in late summer or fall of 2021. 

Artists who submit photos of their work online for consideration will be notified if they have been accepted into the show by February 9. Winners will receive $500 for first place, $250 for second place, $200 for third place and $100 for a people’s choice award.

Don't hastily launch a vessel in the water without getting all of your safety measures in place. A two-part "Boat America" course being offered online via Zoom on January 23 and 30 will give you all the rules, regulations and safety tips you need to enjoy the water in 2021.

The new glass features web-like fibers that will help prevent collisions at the nature center's bird viewing area. The new glass was included as part of a window replacement project. 

While places like Rock Island and Starved Rock State Park in Utica are often go-to spots for those fascinated by America's bird, Rock Run Rookery has been providing more than a suitable alternative closer to home.

Use your phone to scan a QR code along the trail to enhance your visitor experience by viewing a map of the artwork and answering questions at each stop. 

Channahon resident Kevin Kuchler's photo of a sunrise at Lake Renwick Preserve won the final month of the contest, which ran from May through December. His photo will compete with other monthly finalists for overall contest honors via online voting on Facebook. 

If you go eagle watching this year, remember to give these amazing creatures a wide berth so you do not disturb their turf.