The buzz
All Buzz Articles
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A spider web in a tree.
Nature curiosity: Why is spider silk sticky?
9/9/2022Read moreHave you ever walked face first into a spiderweb and cursed the spider that spun it? Find out why those webs are so sticky.
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A blue jay in the grass with a peanut in its mouth.
Seen a bird looking a little worse for the wear? It's probably molting
9/2/2022Read moreIf you've spotted a bird that looks sickly or just downright strange, there's a good chance it's molting and will be back to its stylish self soon.
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A crayfish in the water.
Lobsters in Illinois? Maybe not, but we have plenty of their miniature relatives, crayfish
8/30/2022Read moreWe, of course, have no lobsters here in landlocked Will County, but their miniature-sized relative, the crayfish, populates our waterways.
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A snapping turtle on a trail.
Five fast facts about those not-so-ferocious snapping turtles
8/25/2022Read moreThe imposing-looking snapping turtle is nothing to fear, but they are pretty interesting creatures.
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A Native American longhouse and a wooden canoe.
Love local history? Make sure to check out these preserves
8/25/2022Read moreYou may think of the preserves as places to connect with nature, but some preserves are also great locations to learn about our local history.
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A jellyfish in the water.
Jellyfish in Illinois? You better believe it
8/16/2022Read moreJellyfish in Illinois? They do exist, although they're so small you might never notice them.
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A mourning dove perched on a ledge.
Celebrate Urban Birds project aims to introduce birding to underserved populations
8/12/2022Read moreWe're never too far away from birds, and that's why Celebrate Urban Birds project aims to use some of our most common birds to introduce traditionally underserved communities to birds and birding.
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A stony ground contain fossilized remains of an animal.
Fossils are a link to the past, but how do they form?
8/11/2022Read moreFossils provide us with a link to the past. Without them, we might not know that dinosaurs, woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers ever roamed the Earth. But how do they form?
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A barred owl sleeping on a tree branch.
Nature curiosity: How do birds sleep?
8/11/2022Read moreBirds aren't exactly deep sleepers, but they do manage to get some shut eye every night.
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A colorful sunset.
What's the difference?: Lake vs. pond
8/8/2022Read moreWhat makes a lake a lake? Or how about a pond a pond. Technically speaking, nothing.
Current Headlines
Joliet Junction Trail section to close in December for Interstate 80 work
A section of the Joliet Junction Trail is scheduled to be closed for several days in December due to an Interstate 80 improvement project. The trail will be closed from McDonough Street to Moen Avenue.
Healing With Nature: Crete man battling cancer finds health and hope on paths at Goodenow Grove
Tom Scott of Crete is giving thanks this year for the people in his life who pushed him to start walking at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve as he was recovering from cancer. The daily hikes have given him better health, hope for the future and a new appreciation of nature.