The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A person standing on a wooden bridge with a lake in the background.
Preserves We Love: Lake Chaminwood, for its transformation to tranquility
8/29/2023Read moreDirector of planning and land preservation Colleen Novander tells us why she loves Lake Chaminwood Preserve.
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A man standing in front of a courtyard full of hanging hummingbird feeders.
Meet a Naturalist: Bob Bryerton, a naturalist from his earliest days
8/28/2023Read moreMeet Bob Bryerton, the program coordinator at Plum Creek Nature Center and Monee Reservoir.
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A woman standing in a prairie
Preserves We Love: Kankakee Sands, for its parallels to parenthood
8/24/2023Read moreRestoration program coordinator Juli Mason tells us why she loves Kankakee Sands Preserve.
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A differential grasshopper on a leaf.
Hop to it with these five grasshopper facts
8/22/2023Read moreGrasshoppers are one of our more familiar insects, and this is your chance to learn all about them.
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A ruby-throated hummingbird drinking nectar from a feeder.
Hummingbirds have started migrating, but don't pack away your feeders quite yet
8/22/2023Read moreRuby-throated hummingbirds migrate in waves, and some have already departed for their wintering grounds. But we'll continue to see the birds in Will County for weeks, so keep filling your feeders.
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A ruby-throated hummingbird at a feeder.
Hummingbird feeders abuzz with bees and wasps? Here's why — and how to fix it
8/21/2023Read moreIf you are seeing more bees than hummingbirds at your hummingbird feeders lately, you're not alone. Learn why we see them more at this time of year and how you might keep them away from your hummingbird feeders.
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A reddish-pink water lily in bloom, next to a whitish-yellow American lotus in bloom.
What's the difference?: Water lily vs. American lotus
8/15/2023Read moreNot all those big green leaves growing on the water's surface are lily pads. American lotus can also be found in Illinois waterways. Learn to tell the difference between these two plants.
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A person standing next to a bridge on a trail.
Preserves We Love: McKinley Woods, because there's something for everyone
8/14/2023Read moreGuest services associate Kylee Beckwith tells us why she loves McKinley Woods — Frederick's Grove.
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An American coot standing on a log over the water.
Odd duck out: Coots share space with ducks, but aren't closely related
8/8/2023Read moreIs that a funny-looking duck or a chicken you saw by the water? It might be neither. American coots are a common sight by our waterways during breeding season, but they might have you doing a double take.
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A person standing along a dirt trail in a forest.
Preserves We Love: Raccoon Grove, for its fairy-tale feel
8/3/2023Read moreInterpretive naturalist Heather Van Zyl tells us why she loves Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve.
Current Headlines
Start your autumn with family-friendly fun at Fall on the Farm event on Sept. 14
Fall on the Farm is set for Saturday, Sept. 14, at Riverview Farmstead Preserve. Attendees can explore the 19th-century buildings, visit a petting zoo, try their hand at farm chores, view antique tractors and enjoy live bluegrass music.
Visitor centers to close on Labor Day, bait shops will be open
Forest Preserve visitor centers will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2, for the Labor Day holiday, but concession stands will be open at Monee Reservoir in Monee Township and Hidden Lakes Trout Farm at Hidden Oaks Preserve in Bolingbrook.