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NORTHWEST
Tuesday, Oct 29 * 5:30-7pm
Camp Reinberg - 1801 N Quentin Rd, Palatine
Free hands-on workshop series teaching basic camping skills. No youth groups. All ages; children 16 & under w/ adult.
NORTH
Saturday, Oct 12 * 1-4 pm
Tower Road Boat Launch - Tower Rd, west of Forestway Dr, Northfield
Embrace the fall season with nature-based activities on and off the water. We will have canoe trips, guided hikes, archery, pumpkin painting, nature play and more.
Monday, Oct 14 * Noon-4 pm
Irving Park Road Canoe Landing - Des Plaines River Rd, north of Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park
Through funds provided by the Our Great Rivers program, this installation marks one spot of the Northwest Portage Walking Museum. Remarks, a drum and dance performance, and outdoor activities included in celebration. Parking is not available on-site; park at Schiller Woods-West Grove 1. Free shuttles throughout event.
Friday, Oct 18 * 5 - 8 pm
Skokie Lagoons-Erickson Woods-Willow Rd, east of I-94/Edens Expy, Winnetka
Join us for s'mores by the fire, storytelling and astronomy.
Sunday, Oct 20 * 10 am-4 pm
River Trail Nature Center - 3120 Milwaukee Ave, Northbrook
Join us as we celebrate the season with a special day of autumn fun. Storytelling, beekeeping demos, pumpkin painting, hayrides and more! Admission is free; there are small fees for some activities or bring a non-perishable food item to donate to The Greater Chicago Food Depository in exchange for activity tickets. 1 item=1 ticket
Wednesday, Oct 9 * 4-6 pm
National Grove-South - Groveland Ave, north of 31st St, North Riverside
Learn proper techniques and bow basics with one-on-one instruction from certified staff. All levels. Ages 10 & up.
Friday, Oct 11 * 5:30-8:30 pm
Trailside Museum of Natural History - 738 Thatcher Ave, River Forest
Join our partners, the River Forest Public Library and the River Forest Park District, at Trailside Museum for an evening of slightly spooky family fun featuring live music, pumpkin painting, native animals, marshmallows around a campfire and much more.
SOUTHWEST
Saturday, Oct 12 * 8:30-11am
Horsetail Lake - 104th Ave, north of McCarthy Rd, Palos Park
Join the Village of Palos Park and the Forest Preserves of Cook County for a family-fun day of fishing.
Saturday, Oct 12 * 11am-1pm
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center - 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs
¡La conservación y exploración está en nuestras raíces y cultura! Venga a las Reservas Forestales del Condado de Cook, donde organizaremos caminatas bilingües, encuentros con animales y talleres en el Centro de la naturaleza de Little Red Schoolhouse. Los participantes aprenderán sobre la historia de cómo varias culturas celebran y honran el fallecimiento de sus seres queridos. Creará flores de papel, estampados de animales y papel picado para exhibir en el altar de la comunidad.
Thursday, Oct 17 * 5:30-7:30pm
Camp Bullfrog Lake - 9600 Wolf Rd, Willow Springs
Learn to make meals over a fire using cast-iron and basic camping cooking techniques. Ages 14 & up. Registration required;
email to register.
Wednesday, Oct 23 * 4-6 pm
Rubio Woods - W Midlothian Turnpike/W 143rd St, west of S Ridgeland Ave, Midlothian
Learn proper techniques and bow basics with one-on-one instruction from certified staff. All levels. Ages 10 & up.
SOUTH
Saturday, Oct 12 * 7:30-10 am
Eggers Grove - E 112th St & S Ave E
Únase a nosotros para una excursión de aves para principiantes en esta excelente reserva forestal de Chicago. Le enseñaremos sobre las aves y la vida silvestre local aquí en nuestra ciudad.
Para inscribirse, use este enlace. Tendremos prismáticos (binoculares) disponibles que pueden usar. Póngase en contacto con jacobdrucker92@gmail.com si tiene alguna pregunta.
Saturday, Oct 12 * 11am-2pm
Sand Ridge Nature Center - 15891 Paxton Ave, South Holland
Bring the kids to spend time outside and have fun with activities including games, a nature scavenger hunt and more.
Friday, Oct 18 * 5:30pm
Camp Shabbona Woods - 15810 S Torrence Ave, South Holland
Join us for s'mores by the fire, storytelling and astronomy.
Sunday, Oct 27 * 2-5 pm
Eggers Grove - E 112th St & S Ave E, Chicago
Sponsored by the Forest Preserves and East Side Chamber of Commerce. Enjoy a family-friendly Halloween event, with candy.
For details and a full event listing including all regular events at our six Nature Centers, visit our Events page.
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Forest Preserve Foundation's 2019 Conservation Cup Exceeds Goal
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Thanks to numerous supporters, golfers and friends, the
Forest Preserve Foundation's 8th Annual Conservation Cup raised $206,000 during the event at George W. Dunne National Golf Course on September 12.
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Recycle plastic bags, corks at Forest Preserves' General Headquarters
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The Forest Preserves now has a
Trex plastic bag/film recycling receptacle and a
ReCORK cork recycling receptacle at our General Headquarters, 536 N. Harlem Ave in River Forest. The public can recycle wine corks and unwanted plastic materials including grocery, bread, produce and cereal bags; dry cleaning bags; newspaper sleeves; bubble wrap; and more.
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EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF FALL IN THE FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY
by Forest Preserves President Toni Preckwinkle
Throughout the Forest Preserves of Cook County, visitors will notice signs of the season changing. Soon the green forest canopy will transition to golds, reds and oranges, as we start another autumn-a wonderful time to enjoy cooler weather and beautiful scenery in the Forest Preserves.
Interested in experiencing a peaceful walk to view the fall colors? Check out
our events page for upcoming guided fall color walks or visit
our interactive web map to plan a self-guided walk in the woods.
In this issue, readers can learn about some of the many ways Cook County residents benefit from the nearly 70,000 acres in the Forest Preserves. In honor of National Public Lands Day, throughout the month of September the Forest Preserves talked to partners to hear their perspective on why our public lands are so important. From mental and physical health to climate change mitigation to youth development and access, the Forest Preserves are an integral part of our communities.
Also in this issue is a link to view the winning photographs from the Forest Preserves' popular annual photo contest. The images will be featured on the Forest Preserves 2020 Wall Calendar, highlighting some of the breathtaking scenery, wildlife and plants that can be viewed while exploring your Forest Preserves of Cook County. We hope these photos serve as inspiration to plan an outing to a nearby forest preserve. And to the winners, congratulations and thank you for sharing your talent and time in the preserves with us all.
Finally, don't miss the articles that feature events and programs for fall fun and Halloween happenings and the variety of volunteer opportunities going on throughout the county. Whether you're looking for free, family-friendly events and programs or new ways to give back to nature, there are endless opportunities in the Forest Preserves.
We hope to see you in your forest preserves!
Toni Preckwinkle, President
Forest Preserves of Cook County
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FIVE WAYS OUR FOREST PRESERVES BENEFIT COOK COUNTY RESIDENTS
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In honor of National Public Lands Day on September 28, throughout the month of September the Forest Preserves of Cook County and partners took to Facebook to highlight some of the ways Cook County residents benefit from local public lands.
- Natural lands in the Forest Preserves of Cook County keep our water cleaner and save taxpayers millions of dollars a year in stormwater abatement.
- Being out in nature offers health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, increasing brain activity, improving mental and physical well-being and even improving sleep quality.
- The Forest Preserves plays an essential role for the region's climate change mitigation capacity.
- Thousands of plants and animals live and thrive in the Forest Preserves-some of which can only be found here in Cook County.
- The Forest Preserves offers myriad ways for kids and young adults to learn about and help care for nature.
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FOREST PRESERVES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HONOR HEROIC ACTIONS
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In August, Forest Preserves employee Chris Cammon was on his way to work in the early morning when he witnessed a life-threatening car crash. The car involved in the accident started fire, and without hesitation, Cammon called for help from other bystanders and pulled the injured driver out of the burning vehicle. For his heroic actions, Cammon was honored during the September Board of Commissioners meeting.
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SAVE THE DATE: 2020 PERMIT SALES BEGINS NOVEMBER 15
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Forest Preserves of Cook County picnic and special event permits for the 2020 season will go on sale online and in person beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 15, 2019. Once open, o
nline sales remain available 24 hours a day. In addition to saving time by purchasing permits online, the public can view information such as site availability, grove maps and fees associated with grove rentals. Permits are also available for purchase in person at the Forest Preserves' General Headquarters, 536 N Harlem Ave. in River Forest.
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STUNNING PHOTOS HIGHLIGHT BEAUTY OF THE FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY
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The winners of the Forest Preserves of Cook County annual photo contest have been chosen. Thirteen submissions highlight the Forest Preserves' various habitats, which include forest woodlands, wetlands, prairie and savanna, as well as the native plant and wildlife that can be seen while exploring the preserves throughout the seasons.
Check out the winning photos...
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ENJOY FALL FUN, HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS IN THE FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY
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From pumpkin painting and fall color hikes, to costume-clad children and spooky stories around a campfire, there are numerous opportunities throughout Cook County for families and visitors of all ages to get outdoors this season and enjoy a variety of fun fall activities in the Forest Preserves of Cook County!
Throughout the fall, visitors can enjoy hikes through groves of golden sugar maples, relaxing paddles beneath a sky full of migratory birds, and an evening with family and friends around campfires while spending a night under the stars at the Forest Preserves' five
campgrounds. The Forest Preserves' six
nature centers are also a great place for free or low-cost fun, educational programs along with a number of other events and activities which are planned in the Preserves throughout the season.
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FALL TROUT FISHING SEASON OPENS OCTOBER 19
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The 2019 fall inland trout fishing season opens at sunrise on Saturday, October 19. The Forest Preserves of Cook County will be stocking approximately 1,000 pounds at Horsetail Lake, while the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is providing and stocking 850 pounds of rainbow trout at Sag Quarry East; 2,700 pounds at Busse Reservoir - North Pool; 1,255 pounds at Axehead Lake; 1,000 pounds at Belleau Lake; and 667 pounds at Green Lake. These are catchable sized rainbow trout, in the .5 -1 lb. size range.
For a list of all of the lakes and waters open to public fishing within the Forest Preserves, as well as fishing rules and regulations, visit
our Fishing Page
. Also available is a downloadable Fishing Guide, which includes maps that show the location and depths of each lake, and list principal fish species. For further information, the public can contact the Forest Preserves' Fisheries Section at 708-403-6951.
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CALENDAR PHOTO OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER
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OCTOBER 2019 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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"Since the first day volunteering for the Forest Preserves, I fell in love with it. I like seeing the progress we make and seeing the before and after. I always liked being outside, even as a little kid and recently I've started going outside just to sit out there. It's nice to sit in nature and just take in the air, the trees, and the birds. I don't like being on my phone. I realized I had nine hours of screen time each day and I wanted to change that. I didn't know how, but I tried this and it's working," says Leslie Gaeta, one of the Forest Preserves "People of the Preserves."
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