Headlines

The summer session of the Be a Trailblazer experience wrapped up with participants winning prizes and making memories. 

As Mark Twain once said, "Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get." 

Wildlife ecologist Becky Blankenship has spent months scouring Will County preserves for the elusive smooth greensnake, a species in decline.

Hummingbirds are here in Will County for a good portion of the year, but knowing when they migrate can help determine when to have hummingbird feeders out. 

Barred owls are a distinctive-looking forest bird, but it's the unique call that will likely get your attention first. 

Skippers are tiny, fast-flying butterflies. Look for these tiny treasures from spring through fall. 

The Forest Preserve District and Openlands celebrated 20 years of restoration at five sites, including Hadley Valley and Messenger Woods.

Scarlet tanagers are beautiful birds with a striking red color, but they prefer life in the treetops, making them difficult for us to see for ourselves.

Thanks to their nocturnal lifestyle and preference for cool, dark places, salamanders are mysterious creatures to many people.

Wander through this prairie preserve, where wildflowers bloom and summer stillness surrounds you.

Australia is full of marsupials, including the sugar glider, a curious-looking creature that is reminiscent of the tree squirrels we are familiar with. 

Bamboo growing in Illinois? If you find a plant that looks like bamboo, you've probably discovered horsetail, a plant that goes by many different names.

Liz Lyons of New Lenox has turned the Forest Preserve District’s Be a Trailblazer challenge into a fun-filled family tradition. 

Monee Reservoir is among the most popular Will County preserves — a great place to spend some time fishing or out on the water in a boat. As popular as it may be, it’s probably a little underrated when it comes to hiking.

Forest preserve staff from Will and DuPage counties recently searched a Will County creek for rare mussels to support a native species restoration project.

A hybrid box turtle was removed from a Will County preserve to protect a threatened species. It now lives at Isle a la Cache Museum, serving as an animal ambassador.