Whistler Woods Volunteer Workday

Whistler Woods contains oak trees up to 300 years old, but invasive brush prevents their acorns from sprouting. Join a volunteer group that is cutting back invasives and improving the habitat at this preserve. Learn what it takes to restore health to our forest preserves and river system, by nurturing diverse wildlife, trees, and wildflowers. […]

Bird Walk at Whistler Woods

As we get ready to welcome spring and as the weather warms up (hopefully!), we begin to make our way back to Whistler Woods to check out the birds residing and passing by. Whistler Woods borders the Little Calumet River and is host to an oak woodland, so you are able to see birds such […]

Forest Glen Woods – Get to Know the North Branch Hiking Series

ALL HIKES IN THIS SERIES ARE FREE AND FAMILY FRIENDLY. The second hike in our series is at Forest Glen Woods, just up the river from LaBagh. Forest Glen is another urban forest preserve and it has many similarities to LaBagh Woods. Most of the site has been altered by human activities that included cattle […]

Bird Walk at Whistler Woods

As we welcome spring and the weather warms up, we head to Whistler Woods to check out the birds residing and passing by. Whistler Woods borders the Little Calumet River and is host to an oak woodland, so you are able to see birds such as the Great Blue Heron, Double-Crested Cormorant, Red-Headed Woodpecker, among […]

Whistler Woods Volunteer Workday

Whistler Woods contains oak trees up to 300 years old, but invasive brush prevents their acorns from sprouting. Join a volunteer group that is cutting back invasives and improving the habitat at this preserve. Learn what it takes to restore health to our forest preserves and river system, by nurturing diverse wildlife, trees, and wildflowers. […]

Watersmeet Woods Volunteer Workday

The Skokie River and Middle Fork of the Chicago River come together to give Watersmeet Woods its name. But Watersmeet is also a wet place with numerous special types of wetlands that support rare plants and wildlife, including the only “calcareous seep” on the North Branch preserves. This seep environment is fed by cool groundwater […]

Blue Star Woods Volunteer Workday

Help restore habitat for plants and wildlife at this historic forest preserve. Blue Star Woods was once the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp and a WWII Prisoner of War Camp. During that period, most of the site was converted to barracks and buildings. Since then, the camp has been demolished and nature has […]

Bird Walk at Whistler Woods

As we welcome spring and the weather warms up, we head to Whistler Woods to check out the birds residing and passing by. Whistler Woods borders the Little Calumet River and is host to an oak woodland, so you are able to see birds such as the Great Blue Heron, Double-Crested Cormorant, Red-Headed Woodpecker, among […]

Whistler Woods Volunteer Workday

Whistler Woods contains oak trees up to 300 years old, but invasive brush prevents their acorns from sprouting. Join a volunteer group that is cutting back invasives and improving the habitat at this preserve. Learn what it takes to restore health to our forest preserves and river system, by nurturing diverse wildlife, trees, and wildflowers. […]

Nature Exploration at Beaubien Woods with Donisha Reed

There are so many different ways you can enjoy being out in the forest preserves! Join us at Beaubien Woods as Donisha Reed, of Wealthy Living Coaching and Consulting, LLC, guides us in a meditation and gentle yoga by Flatfoot Lake. We will then take a short walk to observe the natural space around us. […]

Watersmeet Woods Volunteer Workday

The Skokie River and Middle Fork of the Chicago River come together to give Watersmeet Woods its name. But Watersmeet is also a wet place with numerous special types of wetlands that support rare plants and wildlife, including the only “calcareous seep” on the North Branch preserves. This seep environment is fed by cool groundwater […]

Spring Ephemerals

Spring ephemerals are wildflowers that appear for only a few weeks each year, so you need to be alert if you're going to sneak a peek. You can find them throughout the forest preserves in Cook County at various times from early April through early June. Look for spring beauty, blood root, Virginia bluebells, and […]