Current headlines

Parker takes over as Forest Preserve Board president

1/8/2024
Annette Parker and Meta Mueller
Annette Parker (left) and Meta Mueller (right)

Annette Parker of Crest Hill took over as president of the Forest Preserve Board of Commissioners in December.

She will serve a one-year term. She succeeds Meta Mueller of Aurora. 

During a Board reorganization meeting in December 2022, it was decided that Parker and Mueller would share the two-year presidential term, with Mueller serving first and Parker serving second. The term was split because there is a tie between Democrats and Republicans on the 22-member Board. Mueller is a Democrat and Parker is a Republican. 

Parker has been on the Board since 2014. She served as vice president while Mueller was president. Mueller will now serve as vice president. Sherry Newquist of Steger will continue to serve as treasurer and Raquel Mitchell of Bolingbrook will continue to serve as secretary.

News

Commemorate summer of the cicada with a Forest Preserve T-shirt

4/25/2024

Prepare 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. 

Read more

Healing With Nature: Combat veteran finds his ‘flow’ on forest preserve paths

4/22/2024

The 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.  

Read more