Once an improbable sighting, wild swans have returned to the Fox River Valley and across Kane County. Local environmental efforts over the decades have helped the resurgence.

Dog park users and their pups are invited to warm up with coffee, cocoa and social time at Lower Rock Run Preserve in Joliet

The Rock Run Greenway Trail from Black Road to Essington Avenue in Joliet will be closed on Thursday due to a prescribed burn.

Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon invites families out to family movie night on Friday. Registration is required.

There is a fatal neurological disease that makes deer lose their fear of humans. As the brain and central nervous system deteriorate, the deer “wastes” away.

Bison returned to Kane County native prairie late last year, and the forest preserve district's programs to see the animals have generated strong interest.

Monthly winners receive prizes and advance to the final round for a shot at top honors in the forest preserve district's “Preserve the Moment” photo contest.

Learn about the courtship behaviors of birds at the Subat Forest Preserve in Kendall County.

Learn what makes snakes unique, explore common species found in Will County and meet Ramen, the resident snake ambassador at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook.

The restoration of more than 600 acres at Lockport Prairie and Prairie Bluff preserves took six years of work by the Forest Preserve District of Will County, the Army Corps and Resource Environmental Solutions LLC.

Sample different mocktails, learn about their connection to the Will County forest preserves, enjoy activity stations and more at Isle a la Cache Museum.

Learn about the important and often misunderstood coyote, including where they live, how they communicate, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook on Friday.

The Kane County forest preserve district was awarded a $600,000 grant as part of a $2M project to build an elevated wildlife observation overlook at Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve.

The exhibit features entries from the annual Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest, along with 55 pieces created by students. Select entries become collectible stamps.

The cold weather Saturday was a fitting context for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County's Polar-Palooza, which offered nature-inspired activities like games, crafts and learning stations outdoors and indoors at Creek Bend Nature Center in St. Charles.

Volunteers are needed for the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service events.

Space is limited and registration required. Forest Preserve District volunteer morning programs are held from 9 a.m. to noon and are for ages 10 and older.

Participants complete nature-themed challenges at Will County forest preserves throughout the year and are entered into random prize drawings.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has announced its schedule of programs for the week of Jan. 12.

This year’s free, all-ages bald eagle celebration is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has announced its 2026 event calendar, featuring a year of art exhibits, festivals, live music, educational programs and outdoor experiences across Will County.

Harper was a renowned American illustrator known for his minimalist approach. His art has been featured in Ford Times magazine and Golden Books.

DuPage County forest preserve officials have adopted a $151 million budget that calls for new or continuing habitat restoration projects, improvements to one of the district’s historic properties and a golf course revamp.

Permits are required for groups of 25 or more and encouraged for smaller groups that want to ensure the use of a specific shelter location.

Join the Will County forest preserve district for Trail Club, a winter walking series that promotes fitness and community.

Forest preserve visitor centers also will be closed starting at noon on Wednesday and all day on Friday.

A person was transported to a local hospital after a snowmobile crash in Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve in Kane County.

Take time for yourself during a mindful, naturalist-led hike, followed by warm beverages and views of the Des Plaines River.

For the first time in more than 200 years, the thunder of bison hooves can once again be heard on a Kane County forest preserve prairie. The triumphant return of American bison to Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve in Sycamore represents something deeper.

Start your holiday shopping now while giving back to nature

The exhibit reveals the unseen journey of water—from your faucet to the river and back again.

Start your morning viewing resident and winter birds from the comfort of the exhibit room and Grand Hall while enjoying warm beverages and muffins Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon.

Forest Preserve District pays $4.3 million for expansion of Plum Creek Greenway in Crete Township.

Fall is a bold time for young coyotes. As sightings increase during “dispersal season,” here’s what you need to know to ensure you co-exist peacefully with our canine neighbors.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has taken another step toward replacing a charming but rickety bridge that once led to a religious retreat house.

The programs honored included a major restoration project at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve and the Be A Trailblazer campaign, according to the forest preserve district.

Here are Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of Nov. 3. Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.

More than 2,000 people have participated this year in the forest preserve district's Be a Trailblazer program, completing over 60,000 nature-themed missions.

The meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hartman Recreation Center will include discussion of future uses for the Joliet Correctional Center property.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has announced its schedule of programs for the week of Oct. 13. Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at reconnectwithnature.org.

Visitors will discover the wildlife that called the area that would become Will County home and view these creatures from the past through their fossils.

The preservation of natural areas has become a winning mission in Winnebago County, where there are more than 40 places to get away and enjoy the flora and fauna thrive – in forests, wetlands and along the county's winding rivers.

The funding from the Nature Foundation of Will County’s will support the forest preserve district's preservation, conservation, education and recreation priorities.

Volunteers can help maintain lakes and creeks at Will County forest preserves during a the National Public Lands Day observation on Saturday, Sept. 27.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is throwing a free party for the pelicans that stop by McKinley Woods preserve as they migrate south this fall.

There’s still time to find a secret orb during the Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s annual Great Orb Hunt.

The program invites people of all ages to explore 10 scenic trails across the county, ranging from a half-mile stroll to a three-mile adventure.

Drum circles, kayaking, bird watching also on the Forest Preserve District of Will County's upcoming program schedule. Online registration is available at reconnectwithnature.org.

Learn how the city of Joliet earned the nickname City of Stone and Steel during a tour of the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site.

Celebrate summer break’s end with science experiments, trail walks, nature art and more at this three-day family program at Four Rivers Education Center in Channahon.