The Nature Foundation of Will County

10/10/2026

The Forest Preserve District’s Be a Trailblazer program is back for the fall! We’re proud to support a program that connects you with Will County’s incredible preserves, where you can discover wildlife and experience the natural beauty these open spaces have to offer. It’s a great way to keep kids active, curious and learning while enjoying the cooler days of fall. Get outside, start your adventure and see where the trails take you!

There’s a great, big world out there, and the forest preserves are the perfect place to start exploring it. Join our Be a Trailblazer campaign to win some prizes along the way.

10/07/2026

We sponsor the Forest Preserve District’s Preserve the Moment photo contest to provide a little incentive to get you into the preserves. Check out September’s winner! One judge noted the beauty in the starkness of the photo stood out. “It captured something that would be such an inconvenience to us — standing in the rain — but it was no bother to the gull. It was a nice reminder that as much as we admire and appreciate the wildlife we see every day, they live very different lives than we do.”

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10/02/2026

Hear that unmistakable rattling call overhead? Sandhill crane migration is underway! Their activity through Illinois picks up in October and November so keep your eyes on the sky for large flocks flying high overhead, often in V-shaped formations. Sandhill cranes play an important role in wetland and grassland ecosystems. As omnivores, they eat everything from seeds and grains to insects and small animals, helping nutrients move through the food web. And if you hear them before you see them, you’re not alone. Their loud, rolling calls can carry for miles!

(Photos courtesy of Joe Viola)

09/29/2026

We’re proud to help make meaningful learning opportunities possible! Our donors are supporting the Forest Preserve District’s important Indigenous-led professional development workshop on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center. Presented by the Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, participants will gain foundational knowledge of Native American history, contemporary experiences, cultures and Tribal Sovereignty. Registration is $20 per person and includes a catered lunch and 6 CEUs.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is inviting educators to spend a day learning about Native peoples’ history and contemporary culture in a professional development workshop aligned with Illinois teaching mandates.

09/26/2026

Goldenrod is buzzing with activity this time of year! These bright yellow native flowers are an important late-season food source for many of our local pollinators. Take a closer look at a patch of goldenrod and you might spot bumble bees, sweat bees, wasps, beetles, monarchs, painted ladies and other butterflies stopping by for nectar and pollen. And the activity doesn’t end when the flowers fade. Goldenrod also provides food and shelter for a variety of insects, which in turn support birds and other wildlife. Next time you pass a patch of goldenrod, stop for a moment and see who’s visiting. You may be surprised by just how much life one native plant can support.

(Photos by Anthony Schalk)

09/22/2026

We’re proud to support exhibits and experiences that inspire discovery! “The Stick” Traveling Exhibition by artist and author Clay Rice is coming to the Forest Preserve District’s Isle a la Cache Museum Sept. 23 through Dec. 13. Inspired by Rice’s children’s book, the exhibit uses his beautiful hand-cut silhouette artwork to tell a story about adventure, imagination and the possibilities that can begin with something as simple as a stick. We hope you’ll be inspired by the exhibit’s message about the joy of giving!

9/23/2026-12/13/2026: This traveling exhibition, developed by South Carolina silhouette artist Clay Rice and the South Carolina State Museum, follows a young boy who embarks on an exciting journey after finding a stick.

09/20/2026

September brings a welcome burst of purple to our prairies and gardens! New England aster is a native perennial that blooms from late summer into fall, providing an important source of nectar for bees, butterflies and other pollinators when many other flowers have finished blooming. Keep an eye out for these colorful native blooms and the pollinators visiting them.

(Photos by Chad M***a)

09/18/2026

A special thank you to the JTHS transition students and staff! We’re incredibly grateful for your helping hands in preparing and mailing The Monarch. Your support is greatly appreciated! Thank you for helping The Monarch take flight! 🦋

09/16/2026

Check out the Forest Preserve District’s picks for August! The Preserve the Moment photo contest beautifully captures the incredible nature and wildlife in our local preserves. Each photo is a reminder to slow down, look around and notice the beauty that surrounds us every day. We’re so grateful to support a contest that celebrates our local landscapes, talented photographers and the natural places that make our community so special.

Winning image captures three deer on a foggy morning at Rock Run Preserve

09/11/2026

Big news! We have been awarded a $10,000 Green Region Grant to support restoration work at the Forest Preserve District’s Lockport Prairie East Preserve and neighboring Joliet Township Park District’s Dellwood Park West. The funding will help restore 59 acres of rare dolomite prairie habitat, protecting endangered plants, supporting vital pollinators and helping native species thrive. Grants like this help stretch conservation dollars further and protect the high-quality natural areas that make Will County special.