Category: Wisconsin

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in March 2026

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, breweries, camping, canoeing, Chicago, fall colors, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake County Illinois attractions, local history, Minnesota, nature centers, prairies, spring wildflowers, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG In case you missed them, these were the seven most-popular articles last month at my blog, Nature in Chicagoland, based on reader viewing statistics. Click on the links below to access the articles.  1. 10 Places to See Bison in the Midwest 2. Palmisano Park: A … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in March 2026

Author of Beer Hiking Minnesota, Wisconsin, & the Upper Peninsula Discusses Great Nature and Hops Spots

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, birdwatching, books, breweries, fall colors, hiking, holiday gifts, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Michigan, Minnesota, National Park Service, nature centers, pets, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG AND BOOK Kristen and and her dog Lu on the Sandstone Bluffs Loop Trail, © Kristen Radaich The Upper Midwest (e.g., Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Peninsula) is a wild and wonderful place that offers some of the best hiking trails and pristine (or semi-pristine … Continue reading Author of Beer Hiking Minnesota, Wisconsin, & the Upper Peninsula Discusses Great Nature and Hops Spots

Co-author of Beer Hiking Chicago Discusses Great Nature and Hops Spots

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, breweries, canyons, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Indiana, kids activities, spring wildflowers, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG AND BOOK Jessica Sedgwick and her son Selden at Indiana Dunes Exploring natural areas in the Chicago area is fun in itself, given the wide range of our natural habitats (e.g., prairies, forests, canyons, lakes, rivers). But, it's even better when you can … Continue reading Co-author of Beer Hiking Chicago Discusses Great Nature and Hops Spots

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

Author and Professor Discusses His New Book, “Midwest Bedrock: The Search for Nature’s Soul in America’s Heartland”

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, books, glacial kames, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, prairies, South Dakota, Uncategorized, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG The Midwest is often viewed as flyover territory by East and West Coast elites. They think: “Flat, boring, miles and miles of farmland.” In short, “nothing to see or learn about.” But Midwesterners who love nature know better. They know that the ecosystems … Continue reading Author and Professor Discusses His New Book, “Midwest Bedrock: The Search for Nature’s Soul in America’s Heartland”

Celebrating the Artistic Excellence of My Beloved Friend, David Fode

by anders458, posted in family and friends stories, Illinois, music, Uncategorized, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the one-year anniversary of the sudden passing of my friend, David Fode, a talented artist, who was an even better person. We were friends for nearly 40 years. Beyond simple friendship (which is really never that simple and which takes a lot of … Continue reading Celebrating the Artistic Excellence of My Beloved Friend, David Fode

Celebrating the Six-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, camping, canoeing, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Chicago River, Chicago stories, fall colors, 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, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, kayaking, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake Michigan, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, National Park Service, nature centers, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the six-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland, and I'm so happy to have written more than 225 articles about the woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas that make up Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I'm pleased that Nature in Chicagoland has … Continue reading Celebrating the Six-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland

Prairie Enthusiasts Executive Director Discusses Why It’s Vital to Save Prairies (Including Bell Bowl Prairie) and Celebrates the Expansion of Mounds View Grassland Preserve

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, conservation, fall colors, hiking, Illinois, Iowa, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities, Wisconsin

Debra Behrens is the Executive Director of the The Prairie Enthusiasts, a grassroots environmental organization that has 11 chapters in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. I recently talked with her about the expansion of its land holdings (a wonderful development in an age where we have to fight to preserve every last bit of the natural … Continue reading Prairie Enthusiasts Executive Director Discusses Why It’s Vital to Save Prairies (Including Bell Bowl Prairie) and Celebrates the Expansion of Mounds View Grassland Preserve

A Blog Post of Thanks to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown, Local Bookstores, and Others Who Helped Make Nature in Chicagoland a Success

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, canoeing, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Chicago River, conservation, fall colors, 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, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, Michigan, National Park Service, Native American History, nature centers, Nature Conservancy, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, AUTHOR of NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND It’s been a good year…at least for the owner (me) of a small book publishing company that does not have the power of the Big Four “digital-paper-industrial complex” publishers, who can sell tens of thousands of books in a matter of minutes with a perfectly-timed Tweet about … Continue reading A Blog Post of Thanks to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown, Local Bookstores, and Others Who Helped Make Nature in Chicagoland a Success