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To call something an urban oasis or a suburban oasis might seem like an overused phrase, but it certainly does seem to be an apt description for O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville.

The yellow-bellied sapsucker is the only woodpecker in the eastern United States that is fully migratory, so their time in northern Illinois can be fleeting. Look for them in the spring and fall as they migrate through our area.

Combat veteran and former Marine sergeant says being in nature reduces his anxiety and provides pure enjoyment.  

You can define Earth in many ways, but above all else it is home. Here is your chance to learn all about our home planet.

Gardening with your kids can be a great way to make them good stewards of the environment.

An adaptive all-terrain wheelchair is now available for public use at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. 

Are the birds waking you up before dawn? There's a good reason for their morning concert. 

Meet Michelle Cipiti, an interpretive naturalist at Hidden Oaks Nature Center.

Northern flickers look a little different than most of our local woodpecker species, and we see them on the ground much more than you might expect for a woodpecker.

Off-leash dogs are not allowed in the forest preserves other than inside the dog parks. If your dog is loose, you could be ticketed. 

Several birds are known for their aggressive behavior, but perhaps none as much as the red-winged blackbird, a bird that isn't afraid to pick on creatures much larger than itself. 

Meet Jess McQuown, a program coordinator at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center.

Among rodents, mice, rats, squirrels and chipmunks are all well known. Voles, however, often fly under the radar, either because they aren't known or because they are confused with another species.

Those long, thin clouds trailing behind airplanes are called contrails, and here's a look at the science behind them.

Common goldeneyes arrive in northern Illinois each winter. Look for them strutting their stuff on our local lakes.

Forest Preserve staff who regularly have to battle the elements offer their recommendations for staying warm from head to toe.