Just as a single spark can start a fire, for many individuals a single bird sighting can ignite a passion. For Jessica Becker, a program specialist with the Forest Preserves’ Conservation & Experiential Programming Department, her “spark bird”—a term used by birders to describe that special bird sighting—is the sandhill crane.

The satisfying crunch of fallen leaves beneath feet and the feeling of cool, crisp air against skin are expected when enjoying an autumn walk in the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Throughout the Forest Preserves of Cook County, visitors can explore thousands of acres of woodlands, wetlands, prairies and savannas while traversing hundreds of miles of thoughtfully planned trails. Bordered by critical habitat, marked trails strike a careful balance between providing access to nature and protecting Cook County’s diverse flora and fauna.

As soon as LaVonte Stewart starts talking to the young people in Lost Boyz Inc. about upcoming outings to the Forest Preserves of Cook County, he sees the excitement on the faces of the boys and girls served by his nonprofit group.

As the snow melts and the days get longer, many Cook County residents are planning their home and community gardens. Whether looking for colorful flowers, stately shrubs or dynamic grasses, gardeners should consider native plants! There are numerous benefits of using native plants for both people and nature.

Sergeant Amanda Kennedy always knew she wanted to be a first responder. Growing up, she witnessed both her parents dedicated to serving others, her mother as a nurse and her father as a police officer. When deciding her future path, she thought she’d follow in her mother’s footsteps, but now 15 years with the Forest Preserves Police Department, she couldn’t be happier with her career choice.

“Nature is everything,” Cassandra Powell, founder of Light of Loving Kindness (LOLK), exclaims when discussing why a series like the Self-Love Bootcamp works well in a natural setting.

Equipped with multiple cameras affixed to a pole towering above the rider, the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Data Bike traversed every single mile of paved trail—twice—in both 2020 and 2021. The goal: better direct capital investment and aid long-term planning by using site-specific information.

Ebony Taylor always knew she wanted to serve her community. At the Forest Preserves’ Conservation Corps Career Fair last month, she explored how she could do that in a career in the conservation and environmental fields.

Ephemeral wildflowers come and go over just a few weeks every spring, taking their turn to attract pollinators by grabbing warmer sunlight before the tree canopy above fills in with leaves. Over the winter, beautiful flowers—like cutleaf toothwort, large-flowered trillium and bloodroot—are just waiting for opportunities to emerge and flourish.

Nearly 65,000 Native Americans representing more than 100 tribal nations live in Chicagoland, one of the largest urban Native American populations in the county.

Ecologists at the Forest Preserves of Cook County have gotten a surprise this year: More than a dozen species of native plants have been identified at locations in the preserves where they haven’t been seen for decades—in some cases, where they have been seen by Forest Preserves ecologists for the first time. Through restoration efforts by the Forest Preserves and volunteers, sites across Cook County are recovering their natural diversity.

I love craft beer. I love the creativity of flavor creation, the camaraderie that seems to follow craft beer, and the fact that there are so many different beers and breweries to experience.

Though winter has been mild so far, it has still been a little too cold to get outdoors. This past week, Tyler, Amy and I decided to visit JAK'S Warehouse in Schererville for a little friendly communication department competition. Read below to learn about some of our experiences.