Lake Chaminwood Preserve

06/08/2026

How much time do you need to spend outdoors to improve your health and well-being? Just two hours a week.

Research shows that spending 120 minutes in nature each week can have significant benefits for both physical and mental health. The best part? It doesn’t matter if you spend those two hours all at once or spread them throughout the week.

June is Great Outdoors Month, making it the perfect time to hit the trails, watch wildlife, attend a nature program or simply enjoy some fresh air. However you choose to spend it, your mind and body will thank you.

How will you get your 120 minutes this week?

We've long known time spent in the great outdoors is good for you, but now we know exactly how much time we have to spend outside to reap the benefits. According to a study, spending two hours outside each week is good for your health and well-being.

06/01/2026

Did you know Will County has lizards?

The six-lined racerunner is one of the fastest reptiles around, darting through sandy prairies with its long tail and bright stripes. These speedy little lizards even have the ability to drop their tails to escape predators.

Get to know a little about the six-lined racerunner, one of only two lizard species that live in Will County.

05/25/2026

Meet the pyrrhuloxia, often called the “desert cardinal.”

This striking southwestern bird is closely related to the northern cardinal and shares the same crest and thick bill, but trades bright red feathers for soft gray plumage with red highlights. Found in the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico, pyrrhuloxias are specially adapted to life in dry, scrubby habitats.

Despite their beauty and unique songs, their populations have been declining as desert habitats disappear.

The pyrrhuloxia is a bird that looks a lot like our familiar cardinals but the colors are all wrong.

05/18/2026

If you build it, they just might come.

Spring is the perfect time to add a birdhouse or nesting box to your yard as birds begin searching for places to nest. From bluebirds and wrens to chickadees and even owls, different species look for different styles and locations when choosing a home.

The right nesting box can help provide valuable habitat while giving you a front row seat to the busy spring nesting season.

Some birds can be easily attracted to your yard by adding a birdhouse nearby.

05/13/2026

When you see these containers, do not put garbage within them. They are meant for fishing line when you’re done using them. Fishing line can seriously harm or kill wildlife when left behind, so please dispose of it properly in these designated containers.

05/11/2026

Did you catch the full moon on May 1st? If not, you will get another chance.

May ends with a second full moon on May 31st, known as a blue moon, a rare event that only happens about every two and a half years.

A blue moon only happens once in a blue moon, and that time is now. May will have two full moons, one on May 1 and another on May 31.

05/04/2026

Have you ever seen the green spots on trees? That's lichen! Let's learn more about lichen and its Importance!

04/27/2026

Ancient and still going strong, the sandhill crane has been around for a long time, outlasting nearly every species to ever exist.

With fossils dating back millions of years and migration patterns that have barely changed, these birds are a true glimpse into the past—still gracing our skies today.

Sandhill cranes are the supermodels of the bird world, tall, elegant and eye-catching with their gray plumage and crimson eye patches. 

04/24/2026

It's time for a round of Name This Tree!

04/20/2026

Before you declare war on dandelions, consider this.

Those bright yellow blooms are one of the first food sources for bees in spring. Skipping the chemicals or mowing a little later can make a big difference for pollinators.

Sometimes letting your lawn be a little wild is exactly what nature needs.

As we prepare to declare war on dandelions, it's important to remember just how important these "weeds" are for bees.