The Illinois Department of Natural Resources delayed the traditional April 1 opening of the lake because of unusually low water levels caused by drought conditions this spring

Aaron Rybski, environmental health services director for the Kendall County Health Department, said testing has found 40% to 50% of deer ticks collected in the area carry Lyme disease.

Illinois Free Fishing Days are June 19 to 22, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources invites families throughout the state to enjoy the opportunity at a lake, pond, river, state park or private fishing hole near them.

Outdoor farmers markets offer plenty of opportunities to shop local and support regional growers and vendors in the Will County area.

When summer heats up out outside, pet owners need to remember to keep their dogs, cats and any other beloved pets cool.

Snowy egrets have yellow legs and feet, can occasionally be spotted migrating through the state, to where they spend summers in southwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River.

The Conservation Foundation’s McDonald Farm, 10S404 Knoch Knolls Road in Naperville,is hosting Music on the Farm 4 to 6 p.m. , Sunday, June 14, 4 to 6 p.m. Live music, food trucks and free admission.

Youth in the Sauk Valley will have the opportunity to explore the outdoors and learn about the natural world this summer through Junior Master Naturalist Camp, offered by University of Illinois Extension in partnership with local nature centers.

Celebrate Illinois Free Fishing Days weekend with free fishing pole rentals and giveaways throughout the weekend.

“Pollinator Party is one of the most interactive and exciting events hosted at Isle a la Cache,” said Jen Guest, facility supervisor for the museum.

In celebration of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie's 30 years of restoration, the U.S. Forest Service will host a 30th Anniversary “open house” across the prairie on Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. with informational booths along the trail on Saturday, June 6.

The Village of Bourbonnais is hosting a series of free summer events from June through September, including art classes, live music, yoga, and family activities at local parks and gathering spaces.

Sometime before the 11th century, Chinese breeders domesticated wild peonies, including tree peonies, and bred herbaceous peonies, those we now know as garden peonies. T

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has announced its program schedule for the week of June 1.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Plum Creek Nature Center will host a “Winged Ambassadors” art display from June 3 through Sept. 6.

They can live in many different habitats, such as woodlands and meadows, but generally prefer taller vegetation like grasses. They are also found in both urban and suburban areas.

The goal is to make it easier for commercial fishing companies to remove the fish and prevent them from reaching Lake Michigan.

Discuss nature-inspired novels while walking the grounds of Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

The Kids n Nature program has been offered during spring and fall semesters as well as a summer session by University of Illinois Extension volunteers.

Rock Falls Tourism is pleased to announce two calls for artists for the 2026 Art in the Park Sculpture Walk and Outdoor Art Gallery, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, in the RB&W District in Rock Falls.

People may think they’re helping by taking possession of young animals that appear to be orphaned or abandoned, but most often, human intervention does more to hurt animals than to help, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said.

“It was just a magical moment, with that light and the bluebells. Something extra special," Michelle Wendling said of her award-winning photo taken at O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville.

Guests can stroll the gardens around the Hornbaker Gardens property to view various plants in different stages of maturity to get an idea of what they’ll look like in their own space.

Lone Star ticks have historically been found in the South and Eastern portion of the U.S., but have been rapidly migrating into the Midwest over the past few years, due to climate change and rising temperatures, health officials said

The Forest Preserve District of Will County said it has documented multiple cases of wildlife harmed by discarded fishing line.

The new system offers park users a more user-friendly system for making reservations and securing permits, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said.

Kendall County offers excellent paved and limestone-screened trails ideal for biking.

An outdoor “social district” around Joliet's new City Square is still early in discussion, city officials said.

Two Oswego favorite spring events will be coming back this weekend to Prairie Point Community Park.

Bloom Lockport and the Lockport Township Park District are the latest Will County community organizations to launch a community garden initiative, designed to help residents grow their own produce.

Backpack Biologists meets 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, May 1-31, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook:

The photo was captured at Whalon Lake in Naperville. Laurie Lasseter captured a dramatic moment between a bald eagle and a herring gull.

Free, all-ages activities will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 at the Will County forest preserve.

Will County’s best bike trails are for casual riders or serious cyclists.

Downtown City Square will be the site of live music, story times for kids, community celebrations, Star Wars Day and the return of Race Fan Rally.

Illinois youth turkey hunters set a new record, harvesting a preliminary total of 2,318 birds during the 2026 Illinois youth season.

From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Hoover Forest Preserve, located at 11285 W. Fox Road, Yorkville, will host a Earth Day event. Earth Day was started on April 22, 1970, to show the importance of protecting the planet’s resources.

The presenter for the Those Were The Days program at the Oregon Depot on Saturday, April 25, will be Oregon resident Mark Herman, a Nachusa Grasslands volunteer.

A plan to build five flexible amenity areas in downtown Downers Grove appears to have the support of the majority of the Village Council with opponents raising some concerns about cost.

The three Will County forest preserve projects and engineering for the Lockport Trail are being funded by the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, was able to secure $250,000 in federal funding for the Bentley Road Pathway Connection, which is part of the DuPage River Trail

Search for spring wildflowers on Tuesday, April 21 at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook. Check out Birding for Beginners on Saturday, April 25, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center.

A limited number of free oak tree saplings will be given away to Ogle County residents at the Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County purchased almost 106 acres north of Bruce Road and east of Cedar Road around Messenger Woods Nature Preserve in Homer Glen.

Online training is again being offered starting June 30. The self-guided course is for Illinois residents and can be taken from the comfort of home on a desktop, laptop or tablet.

The annual Kids’ Fishing Day is set to return for the opening morning of spring trout season this Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Bird Park quarry, sponsored by the Northern Illinois Anglers Association.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources staff will continue to monitor the lake and will reopen it once it reaches safe navigation levels, the department said in a Monday.

The Natural Land Institute on March 17 closed on 149 acres of land surrounding its 4-acre Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve in Ogle County.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has announced its program schedule for the first week of April.

Work is nearing completion on the Mary M. Subat Nature Center in the Subat Forest Preserve in Plano and the Hoover-Fox River Bluffs trail connection.