Category: Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation

5 Things to Do at Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, conservation, Driftless Region, fall colors, Galena Illinois, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, Native American History, prairies, settlers and Indians, spring wildflowers, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve is an amazing spot that features rolling hills, Native American mounds (including the only thunderbird effigy mound in Illinois), great birdwatching, and stunning views of the Mississippi River and its backwaters (known as the Harris Slough). It’s located … Continue reading 5 Things to Do at Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve

My Favorite 32 Photos That I Took Last Year

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, astronomy, birdwatching, Chicago, Chicago stories, conservation, Driftless Region, far, far away from Chicago, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, gardening, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Ireland, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, kids activities, Northern Lights, photography, prairies, skywatching, spring wildflowers, winter activities, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG I love photography and took a gazillion photos last year. Okay, I don’t have a firm number but take my word for it that I took MANY photos—of nature, family, friends, concerts, bars, bands, cool architecture, art, historical spots, you name it. I’m sure most … Continue reading My Favorite 32 Photos That I Took Last Year

Celebrating the Eighth Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, astronomy, biking, birdwatching, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, bouldering, camping, canoeing, canyons, cemeteries, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, Chicago River, Chicago stories, climbing, conservation, conservatories, cross-country skiing, Des Plaines River, Driftless Region, election candidates, eskers, fall colors, family and friends stories, far, far away from Chicago, farms, fens, fiction, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, gardening, ghost hunting, glacial kames, hiking, holiday gifts, horseback riding, Iceland, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, insects, Iowa, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, Jordan, Kansas, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lee County (IL), local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, meteorology, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, museums, music, National Park Service, Native American History, nature art, nature calendars, nature centers, Nature Conservancy, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, orchids, Pennsylvania, pets, photography, poems, politics and the environment, prairies, presidents, product reviews, Rockford, Illinois, settlers and Indians, skywatching, sledding, snowshoeing, social issues, social justice, South Dakota, spring wildflowers, train travel, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. history, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, volunteering, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin, zoos

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” Today is the eighth anniversary of the founding of my blog, “Nature in Chicagoland,” and I’m so happy to have written nearly 300 articles about woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I’m pleased that my articles on … Continue reading Celebrating the Eighth Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland

7 Things to Do at Horseshoe Mound Preserve in the Driftless Region

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, astronomy, birdwatching, conservation, Driftless Region, fall colors, Galena Illinois, hiking, Illinois, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, kids activities, prairies, spring wildflowers, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED AUGUST 2025 To many, a visit to Galena, Illinois, means shopping, restaurants, and ice cream on the historic town’s beautiful main street. Visitors revel in the packed streets, stores, and restaurants in high-summer or on crisp fall weekends.   While I certainly … Continue reading 7 Things to Do at Horseshoe Mound Preserve in the Driftless Region

6 Things to Do at Witkowsky State Wildlife Area

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, birdwatching, Driftless Region, fall colors, Galena Illinois, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, kids activities, prairies, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED AUGUST 2025 Looking for an adventure just 2.5 hours from Chicago? If so, check out Witkowsky State Wildlife Area, a 1,000-acre natural area that is located in far northwest Illinois in the Driftless Region. It’s just nine miles southeast of the historic … Continue reading 6 Things to Do at Witkowsky State Wildlife Area

Big Sky Nature Reserve: Great Birding, Wide-Open Spaces, and Enjoyable Hiking and Cross-Country Skiing

by anders458, posted in Illinois, birdwatching, conservation, cross-country skiing, Galena Illinois, hiking, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, prairies, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” UPDATED AUGUST 2025 Beautiful hilly grasslands. Big skies. Enjoyable hiking trails. The opportunity to see more than 120 bird species. If these phrases catch your attention, you should visit Big Sky Nature Reserve in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The almost 900-acre preserve is divided into … Continue reading Big Sky Nature Reserve: Great Birding, Wide-Open Spaces, and Enjoyable Hiking and Cross-Country Skiing