Will County Forest Preserve Programs
Here are the Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of Feb. 26. Register online on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
Spring Break Safari: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays, March 1-April 30, Plum Creek Nature Center, Crete Township. You won’t need to travel far for a spring break adventure. Pick up an adventure pack and use safari gear – including binoculars, critter containers, magnifying lenses, a journal, a critter net, reference books and more – to discover the hidden gems that our natural areas hold. Free, all ages.
Raising Riverview Exhibit: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sundays, March 1-May 31, Isle a la Cache Museum, Romeoville. Raising Riverview is a new temporary exhibit that focuses on Thomas Clow and his family, who started their own farm in the 1800s along the DuPage River in southern Naperville. The exhibit explores the tools, grit and resources needed to build a successful farm, to build a community in Wheatland Township and to build a legacy that lives on with the Forest Preserve District. This exhibit was developed by museum staff, with the support of The Nature Foundation of Will County.
Cruise the County: Grab your bike for the Forest Preserve’s annual spring preserve challenge. Use a smartphone to track four rides on designated trails and submit your routs online at ReconnectWithNature.org Complete the challenge between March 1 and May 31 and receive a promotional giveaway. The trails and the roundtrip mileages are: Lake Renwick Bikeway – Turtle Lake Access in Plainfield (5 miles), Hickory Creek Bikeway and Old Plank Road Trail to Prairie Park in Frankfort (13.4 miles), DuPage River Trail to Vermont Cemetery Nature Preserve in Naperville (18.3 miles) and Wauponsee Glacial Trail in Joliet to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Jackson Township (15.2 miles). Join a Celebrate Trails Day on April 27 for a group ride on the Wauponsee, which will include a presentation at Midewin. (The group ride is eligible for submission but is not required.) Free, ages 12 or older.
Life Unplugged: 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 2, Isle a la Cache Museum, Romeoville. Set aside your devices for the day and reconnect with nature. Take the pledge, make a cozy sleep sack for your device and go out for a hike and learn about plants and animals that are just starting to peep out for spring. Free, all ages. Register by Feb. 29.
World Wildlife Day at Four Fivers: noon-4 p.m. Sunday, March 3, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon. Celebrate World Wildlife Day with this drop-in program. Learn about the native wildlife of Will County and how they are connected to animals around the world. Explore hands-on materials and create a memento to remind you of your favorite native animal. Free, all ages.
Meet a Beekeeper: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Sundays, March 3 and April 14. Plum Creek Nature Center. Meet local beekeeper Mike Rusnak, who has more than 18 years of beekeeping experience, to learn all about bees and discuss the art of beekeeping. Ask questions, chat and troubleshoot. Free, all ages.