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• Recipients hold a large check.

  ‘A mighty force’: Nature Foundation’s decade of support helps Forest Preserve flourish

  9/15/2024

  The Nature Foundation of Will County presented a $393,450 check to the Forest Preserve Board on Sept. 12 and also announced a $10K in 10 Days fundraising challenge that runs through Sept. 22. The donation check and fundraiser celebrate a decade of work by the Foundation to support the Forest Preserve's mission. 

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• Pelicans float in the water.

  See pelicans up close and in the wild at Sept. 28 Pelican Party

  9/13/2024

  There's a Pelican Party going on right here, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. The event will feature fun family activities, a food truck, live bird presentations, face painting, jousting and more. 

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• Collage of photos of people showing fish they caught.

  Fish Tales Photo Contest winners announced

  9/12/2024

  The annual Fish Tales Photo Contest has concluded and four winners have been announced. Each winner will receive a $50 Forest Preserve gift card. 

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• Bicycles lined up at Monee Reservoir's Recycle Your Bicycle collection event

  Fall Recycle Your Bicycle program begins Sept. 14 at two locations

  9/11/2024

  The fall Recycle Your Bicycle program will take place at both Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon and Monee Reservoir in Monee Township. Both programs will be offered from Sept. 14 to Sept. 29.

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• Image showing Indige-Facts logo

  Isle a la Cache presents Indige-Facts, a contemporary Native American exhibit

  9/9/2024

  A new traveling exhibit coming to Isle a la Cache Museum will help visitors educate themselves on contemporary Native life in the United States. The “Indige-Facts” exhibit runs from Saturday, Sept. 21, to Sunday, Dec. 8.

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• Cyclists ride down a trail.

  Rec Bike Club rides roll again; pedal all six to earn a T-shirt

  9/6/2024

  After taking 2023 off, the Rec Bike Club rides are back this fall. The first of six rides is Sept. 21 and the last ride is Oct. 23. Complete all six to earn a commemorative T-shirt. 

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• A swallow-tailed kite, with its white body and dark wing tips, flies in the air with a blue sky as a background.

  Rare bird alert: Swallow-tailed kite lands in Will County

  9/3/2024

  Fall bird migration is in full swing, and that means we can get some rarely seen birds in the area. Most recently, a swallow-tailed kite has been spotted in and around Hadley Valley. 

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• A view of kayak rental lockers next to a lake.

  Lake Chaminwood debuts new kayak rental station

  8/29/2024

  A new kayak rental station is available for public use at Lake Chaminwood Preserve in Channahon. Patrons can download the Rent.Fun app to pay for the kayaks, which include paddles and life vests. The cost is $25 for the first two hours and $15 for each additional hour. 

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• Two adults walking on a trail.

  Fly high with the 2024 Woods Walk challenge to earn an eagle medallion

  8/24/2024

  The 2024 Woods Walk challenge kicks off Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30. Participants who hike at least seven of 10 designated trails will earn a medallion. This year's medallion is an eagle to commemorate the four active eagle nests found in the Forest Preserve District this year. 

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• A yellow sign indicating where bikes are prohibited.

  Don't Be a Jerk Campaign: Illegal trails are ‘wounds slicing across the ecosystem’

  8/23/2024

  The Forest Preserve District is launching another Don't Be a Jerk campaign to get people to stop using or creating unauthorized trails in the preserves. The illegal paths harm the ecosystem and can cause safety issues. Signs are being installed now to keep people out of sensitive natural areas. 

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