Words of the Woods

Special Edition: In Plain Sight

Wave hello to The Lake Plain Coastal Preserves—one of the rarest, most diverse ecosystems on Lake Michigan. The Lake Plain covers 15 miles of shoreline and over 4,500 ac

Special Edition: Take Flight

At first light, a wetland at Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve in Grayslake stirs to life. Red-winged blackbirds trumpet conk-la-REE-look-at-ME songs from swaying cattails

Special Edition: What a Hoot

Winter is a sleepy time in your Lake County Forest Preserves. Many songbirds have flown south. Snow drifts sand the edges off the landscape. But now is when Lake County’

Special Edition: Night Shift

When you settle into bed for the evening, another world awakens. Flying squirrels launch between trees, bats emerge from roosts and owls begin their silent hunts.   You

Special Edition: Step into Serenity

Imagine stepping into the woods, leaving behind the noise and stress of daily life.  As you pause and breathe, a sense of calm takes over. There’s no rush or destination

Special Edition: Tick Talk

If you live in Lake County, Chicagoland, the Midwest or the eastern U.S. and Canada, tick bites are a low-level but persistent consideration when spending time outdoors.

Resilience | Season 3, Episode 9

If you struggle with climate anxiety, volunteering for the Lake County Forest Preserves is a practical thing you can do to help address the future as well as feelings of

Charged Up for Change | Season 3, Episode 8

The building looks as if it’s always been there. As though the floodplain forests of Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods, Illinois summoned the smoky green walls, flo

Grow Your Garden | Season 3, Episode 7

In the U.S., more than 40 million acres of land are covered by lawn. To be sure, turfgrass produces oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide just like other plants. It prevents

Made in the Shade | Season 3, Episode 6

Chicagoland’s trees are some of the most hardworking plants around. The 172 million trees that make up the regional forest help regulate air temperature, create oxygen, s

Beating the Heat: Part 2 | Season 3, Episode 5

Mammals dominate our hearts and homes. Pets such as dogs, cats, hamsters, hedgehogs and others offer companionship and cuteness, of course. But mammals are also recogniza

Beating the Heat: Part 1 | Season 3, Episode 4

“Animals can react to climate change in only three ways: they can move, adapt or die.”   That statement comes from a 2018 article by Renée Cho, a contributor to the Col

Growing Through Change | Season 3, Episode 3

Think of a seed as “a self-contained baby with a lunchbox.”   Each seed contains unique DNA, unique genes, slightly different from other members of the same species. Ge

Current Events | Season 3, Episode 2

By all appearances, Lake Michigan is a steady, benevolent presence. An anchor for the northeastern corner of Illinois. The invincible resource that Chicago and its suburb

Past, Present and Future | Season 3, Episode 1

On the banks of the Fox River in the southwestern corner of Lake County, Illinois, you can almost see back through time. Not so long ago, at least on the 4.5-billion-year

Special Edition: 17 Years, 64 Degrees, 100 Decibels

The alarm clock is ready to ring for the periodical cicadas of Lake County. The previous mass emergence of these true bugs in 2007 set the alarm for 2024. During spring a

Short-Form 2: A Piece of News

Host Brett Peto is here with a bite-sized piece of good news. Music: Swoop by The Mini Vandals Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman Got an idea or a question for o

Short-Form 1: It's a Winter-ful Life

We’re back with a new short-form episode. It’s tempting to hibernate during winter. But there are good reasons to get outside. Your preserves are home to many winter act

A Childhood Spent Outdoors

Nature is one of the best classrooms around. Study after study shows that time spent outdoors fosters a child’s healthy development. It helps kids manage stress, stimulat

A Strong Foundation

The Preservation Foundation is the charitable partner of the Lake County Forest Preserves. What does that mean? When we undertake a project, the Foundation extends and a