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Man on a trail with his bike
Earin Land’s 'Happy Place': Melting Away the Pounds and the Past on the Wauponsee
12/10/2019The latest installment of the Forest Preserve District's "Happy Place" series features a retired Will County Sheriff's Police sergeant who made riding a bike on the Wauponsee Glacial Trail a key part of his retirement plan.
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Woman on a trail with her camera
Debi Shapiro’s ‘Happy Place’ – making memories with her mom at Rock Run Rookery Preserve
9/24/2019Rock Run Rookery Preserve was one of Shapiro's favorite places to take her ill mother so she could get out of the house and enjoy nature.
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Woman holding a monarch butterfly
For Barb Ferry, raising monarchs is more than a hobby
8/9/2019Barb Ferry has been raising monarch butterflies at home and releasing them into the wild, with the ultimate goals of helping sustain their population and educating the public of their importance.
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Cyclist on a the Old Plank Road Trail
Greg Duffner’s Happy Place: Commuting on the Old Plank Road Trail is ‘good for the soul'
4/10/2019In the past four years alone, Greg Duffner has racked up more than 19,000 miles on his bike commuting to work and riding in charity events around the country.
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Woman on a trail
Barb Parisi’s Happy Place: The healing powers of McKinley Woods
2/22/2019For Barb Parisi, hiking and photographing birds at McKinley Woods helped heal the scar left by the suicide of her father, a Vietnam veteran who suffered mental and physical health issues for many years.
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Mother and son on a trail
Weber family's 'Happy Place': Hiking at Hammel Woods
12/28/2018After a health scare two years ago, the Webers cherish their nature outings now more than ever before.
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Dog walking on a trail
A primer for bringing your pooch to a preserve
5/18/2018Follow these rules to protect your dog and the preserves.
Events
Nature Play Day: Snakes
Join us for our monthly nature-themed program for tots ages 3 to 5 years old. This month we will be all about snakes.
BYOB Bingo
Let’s socialize while playing bingo outdoors in the beautiful setting of Hickory Creek Preserve!
The Buzz
The dog days of summer are here, but it doesn't mean what you think
The dog days of summer are here, both literally and metaphorically. Be sure to stay safe outdoors during periods of high heat and humidity.
Mosquitoes driving you indoors? Attract dragonflies to your yard
Dragonflies can eat dozens of mosquitoes a day, so attracting them to your yard might help make your time outside more enjoyable.
Wish upon a shooting star: July a good month for meteor activity
Meteor activity will be heating up in July, with three meteor showers sending shooting stars streaking across the night sky.