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Image showing Indige-Facts logo
Isle a la Cache presents Indige-Facts, a contemporary Native American exhibit
9/9/2024Read moreA 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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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
9/3/2024Read moreFall 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
8/29/2024Read moreA 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
8/24/2024Read moreThe 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.
Illegal trails are ‘wounds slicing across the ecosystem’
8/23/2024Read moreThe Forest Preserve District has launched a 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 have been installed to keep people out of sensitive natural areas.
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A pedestrian bridge over canal connects two trails.
Lake Chaminwood project is complete, trail extension now open
8/20/2024Read moreBarricades were removed Tuesday, Aug. 20, signaling the end of construction work at Lake Chaminwood Preserve in Channahon. The project included two new accessible fishing piers and the extension of the lake's loop trail to the I&M Canal State Trail via a new bridge over the canal.
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Rock Run Greenway Trail reopens along Essington, remains closed at Olympic Blvd.
8/13/2024Read moreA section of the Rock Run Greenway Trail that had been closed from Paul V. Nichols Access on Essington Road to Theodore Street has now reopened. But the trail remains closed at Olympic Boulevard.
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The large entrance sign indicating people are entering McKinley Woods.
Board approves acquisition of key parcel to expand McKinley Woods
8/9/2024Read moreMcKinley Woods in Channahon will expand by 57 acres after the Board of Commissioners voted on Aug. 8 to approve the acquisition. The purchase will make the preserve easier to maintain and restore by expanding access in a hard-to-reach area.
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Various nature-themed backpacks arranged in a display, each open to reveal its contents.
Nature backpacks lead to exploration at Isle a la Cache
7/25/2024Read moreIsle a la Cache Museum has four new colorful backpacks chock full of activities and helpful nature information that will guide outdoor exploration. The Bugs, Birds, By the River and Tree backpacks are free to use during museum hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
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"Two beekeepers, a man and a woman, standing in front of their beehives.
Couple’s honey-producing passion was meant to bee
7/22/2024Read moreHoney being sold at Hidden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook comes from bees that sip a wide variety of nectar to produce many different varieties of the sweet stuff. The Bee All About It honey ranges from buckwheat to wildflowers.
Events
Fall Migratory Bird Hike
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with a hike through the woods to see some of Will County’s favorite migratory birds.
Pumpkin Fun Run
Celebrate the fall season with the Pumpkin Fun Run, open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.
The Buzz
Nature curiosity: How do snakes slither?
How do snakes slither? It turns out it depends on the snake and several other factors.
Five fun facts about the season's much-anticipated color show
Taking in the fall foliage has become such a thing that it's even generated its own term — leaf peeping. Here's your chance to learn more about the dazzling display.