DuPage forest district notes

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County will offer the following programs. No reservations are required and programs are free unless otherwise noted. For details, visit the Web site at www.dupageforest.com.

Farm Chores: Children will learn how 1890s children helped around the house and farm during chore days at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. with moms on Mondays and with Dads on Thursdays, June 2 to 30, at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. For details, call (630) 876-5900.

Story Hour: Children and their families can spread a blanket and hear an hour of popular children's stories of the 1890s from 10 to 11 a.m. Mondays, June 2 to 30 at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago. For details, call (630) 876-5900.

Wild Wednesdays: Walks with a naturalist for a brisk walk and heart healthy exercises is from 8 to 9 a.m. beginning June 4 at Fullersburg Woods, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook. Reservations are requested by calling (630) 850-8110.

Fishing for Catfish: Ages 8 and older will learn during the clinic from 6 to 8 p.m. June 6 at Songbird Slough Forest Preserve in Itasca. Anglers 16 and older must have a valid license; children younger than 16 must have an adult companion. For details or reservations, call (630) 933-7248.

National Trails Day: Celebrate the day by removing litter and cutting brush from 9 a.m. to noon June 7 at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien. Children must have adult companions. For reservations, call (630) 933-7681.

High tea: A traditional English high tea for ages 7 and older is from 2 to 4 p.m. June 8 at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook. Tea will be served in the living room of historic Mayslake Hall, and guests will be entertained by the First Folio Shakespeare Festival's reading of an English classic. Tickets are $30 per person and must be purchased in advance. For details or tickets, call (630) 206-9566.

A docent-led Restoration in Progress tour will be available after the tea for $5 per person.

Fishing derby: The 22nd annual Just for Kids Fishing Derby is from 8 a.m. to noon June 8 at Blackwell Forest Preserve, Butterfield Road west of Winfield, Warrenville. Anglers 15 years and younger may bring their own gear with bait provided while supplies last. Register the day of the event. For details, call (630) 933-7248.

Archery: An introduction to archery is offered with equipment provided for ages 5 and older with an adult from 6 to 8 p.m. June 11 and 10 a.m. to noon June 14 at Blackwell Forest Preserve, Butterfield Road west of Winfield Road, Warrenville. Reservations are required by calling (630) 933-7248.

Children's voices: The diaries of children of the 1890s will be explored during tours on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, June 12-23, at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. For details, call (630) 876-5900.

Mayslake concert: Mr. Nicky will present a kid's concert from 1 to 2 p.m. June 14 at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st Street, west of Route 83, Oak Brook. Tickets are $15 for groups of three to five, or $5 per person. Proceeds benefit the estate. For details, call (630) 206-9566.

FullersBird Fridays: Weekly naturalist-led hikes are for adults from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Fridays at Fullersburg Woods Nature Center, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook. For details or to register, call (630) 850-8110.

Blacksmith: The blacksmith will demonstrate repair of equipment and the tools of his trade from 10:30 to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 14 and 21 at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. For details, call (630) 876-5900.

Cranes' breakfast: Guests will meet the sandhill cranes, Willowbrook's newest residents , from 9 to 11 a.m. June 14 at Willowbrook Wildlife Center, 2S101 Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The event is for ages 16 and older. Tickets are $24 per person. For reservations, call (6300 942-6200.

Volunteer appreciation: The DuPage County Forest Preserve District recently honored 25 volunteers for outstanding contributions. Last year, more than 2,400 individuals donated a total of more than 68,000 hours at Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton, Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook, Kline Creek Farm in Winfield, Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook and Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

The volunteers hosted millions of visitors, brought history to life, cared for thousands of animals, and taught thousands of children about all things wild. Natural Resource Management volunteers stewarded thousands of acres and monitored animal populations, and Trail Patrol volunteers helped to ensure the safety of visitors.

This year's Director's Award recipients for contributing the most hours are Lesa Fijol of Lemont at Danada, Melinda Tury of Glendale Heights at Fullersburg Woods, Lawrence DuBose of Carol Stream at Kline Creek Farm, Susan Bonnevier of Western Springs at Mayslake, Jacquelyne Gleason of Western Springs at Natural Resource Management, Harry Holland of Wheaton for Trail Patrol and Nancy Mores of Wheaton at Willowbrook. These six individuals contributed a combined 2,287 hours.

This year's President's Award recipients for contributions to their facilities or programs are Judy Ficks of Glen Ellyn at Danada, Marlene Rosecrans of Glen Ellyn at Fullersburg Woods, Gerry Stratelak of Wheaton at Kline Creek, Annmarie Schulzendorf of Villa Park at Mayslake, Joe Kubal of Naperville at Natural Resource Management, Nickie Horton of West Chicago on Trail Patrol and Alicia Biewer of Lombard at Willowbrook.

In addition, several volunteers were recognized with special awards for programs where they volunteer: Danada - Carolyn Wackenhut of Lisle, Carrie Pieczynski of Downers Grove and Emelia Zuccheri of Wheaton, Jane Muklewicz of Naperville, Phil Ruscetti of Downers Grove and Lisa Zelman of Lombard; Mayslake - Betty Flynn of La Grange Park, Tim Gerk of Plano; Trail Patrol - Alan Busic and Marge Busic of Darien, Kay Richards of Lombard.

A Special Appreciation Award went to University HealthSystem Consortium in Oak Brook for eight years of volunteer workdays. The West Chicago Prairie Stewardship Group was recognized for decades of restoration work. For details, call (630) 933-7681 or visit www.dupageforest.com.

Grant: The DuPage County Forest Preserve has been awarded a grant of $252,000 by the Open Space Lands Acquisition Development program of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The grant will help fund the development of a recreational complex at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville b the archery range. Plans include enlarging to 40 targets, a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier and picnic area with shelter.

Injured baby wild animals: As homeowners and preserve visitors encounter baby wild animals that seem to be without parents, the Forest Preserve reminds visitors that "If you care, leave them there."

The majority of baby and juvenile wildlife are left alone for periods of time from a few hours to the entire day. Often well-meaning people bring these young animals to Willowbrook Wildlife Center in fear their parents abandoned them. However, these young animals' parents will most likely return after foraging for food. At Willowbrook, the most frequent cases of wildlife kidnapping by humans occur with eastern cottontail rabbits. After giving birth, the cottontail rabbit mother covers her young with grass and hair and usually returns only once a day to nurse the young.

Other young left alone include baby songbirds and baby squirrels. Baby songbirds without feathers or the ability to fly is helpless. If it has fallen from its nest, the parents won't be able to retrieve it, so human intervention is helpful. -Simply place the baby bird gently back in its nest. If necessary, a makeshift nest can be made and placed close to the original nest site. More often than not, the parents will find their baby and care for it.

A young bird on the ground with all its feathers can be left alone even if it is unable to fly. The parents still feed and care for it while it learns to fly and will often swoop at people getting too close to it. The only time to intervene with this age is if a dog or cat is neaby.

For baby squirrels, the mother will retrieve the baby on her own. If you find a baby and the parents aren't in sight, it is safe to place the baby back into its nest or a makeshift one in the same tree. If it has been left alone for 24 hours with no parents approaching, it may be time to take it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Do not attempt to care for it because it requires a special diet.

The staff and volunteers at Willowbrook Wildlife Center are available to answer questions about wild animal concerns. Call the center at (630) 942-6200 before handling or approaching a wild animal that may be injured or abandoned. The center's staff will advise the caller on what actions, if any, to take in order to assist the wild animal. Phone calls are answered from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and an automated phone system gives general information after-hours. The Web site is www.dupageforest.com.

It is illegal to keep wild animals without a permit, even for a short period of time. Willowbrook only accepts wildlife native to Illinois in DuPage County; however, the center can refer non-DuPage County residents to agencies in the caller's county of residence.

Greene Valley: The Greene Valley hill at the forest preserve will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends through Oct. 26 with access off Greene Road south of 75th Street in Naperville. The hill offers a space for model gliders and sailplanes to fly. A permit is required and can be obtained by calling (630) 933-7248.

Boating season: Visitors to DuPage County's Forest Preserve Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville and Herrick Lake at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton will be able to boat on the lakes.

Weekend-only boat rentals will be from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at both Blackwell in Warrenville and Herrick Lake in Wheaton. Blackwell is open now on weekends and Herrick Lake will open May 3. From Memorial Day, May 26, through Labor Day, Sept. 1, both lakes will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekends. After Labor Day, rentals will return to from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends only through Sept. 28.

A variety of boats can be rented for a fee by the hour or by the day. Canoes, kayaks and rowboats are $10 per hour or $50 per day. Rowboats with trolling motors are available only at Blackwell, and rental costs are $15 per hour or $75 per day.

Personal flotation devices, oars and paddles are provided with rental boats, canoes and kayaks. All boat rentals end one hour before the facility closes.

For details, call (630) 933-7200 or visit www.dupageforest.com.

Summer programs: The DuPage County Forest Preserve offers summer programs for kids at the following locations. Program fees vary. Registration forms are available online. For details, visit the Web site at www.dupageforest.com.

• Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton offers Horse Sense Camp for ages 10-14 to have hands-on experiences with horses and learn day-to-day stable activities. The camp includes crafts, games and supervised lead-line horseback rides. Four five-day sessions are offered from June through August. Fees are $203 for DuPage County residents, $232 for non-residents. For details, call (630) 668-6012.

• Children ages 9-12 can join the Roger Raccoon Club at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn. Participants will explore DuPage County's natural history during two four-day sessions in June and July. Each session includes an overnight campout at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien. Fees are $75; members of Willowbrook Wildlife Foundation receive a $10 discount. For details, call (630) 942-6200.

• Children ages 6-8 can enroll in Hodge Podge Lodge and learn about insects, reptiles birds and mammals via games, activities and stories at Willowbrook Wildlife Center. Three four-day session are offered in June, July and August and each session ends with a cookout at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton. The fee is $75 per session; members of Willowbrook Wildlife Foundation receive a $10 discount. For details call (630) 942-6200.

• Kline Creek Farm in Winfield offers Kline Creek Farmhands for ages 7-12 to experience life on a historic working farm including chores and games of the 1890s. Seven three-day sessions are offered from June through August. The fee is $75 per session. For details, visit the Web site at www.dupageforest.com or call (630) 876-5900.

Camping and picnics: Reservations are being accepted for the DuPage County Forest Preserve District's family campground, youth-group camping areas and reservable picnic areas.

The campground will open for Friday and Saturday nights through Sept. 28. Additional nights of camping will be available for holiday weekends of May 25, June 29-July 3 and Aug. 31.

There are 25 reservable shelters and picnic areas for family reunions and other gatherings for 25 to 300 people. Some have built -in grills and electricity.

More than 50 semi-private campsites are available at the family campground area north of Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville. Each campsite includes a gravel parking pad, fire ring and picnic table. Campsites are suitable for tents and a limited number of sites are available for trailers and motor homes. Electrical hookups are available at 19 campsites. There are restrooms with showers, running water and refuse containers. Each site allows a maximum of eight people and two tents. Senior citizens are allowed one free permit per household.

For DuPage County residents 21 years and older, non-refundable campsite rates are $15 per night for a site without electricity, $20 for a site with electricity. For out-of-county residents, rates are $25 per night for a site without electricity, $30 per night for a site with electricity.

• Youth-group campsites are available at the following preserves: Blackwell in Warrenville, Churchill Woods in Glen Ellyn, Greene Valley in Naperville, Pratt's Wayne Woods in Wayne and Waterfall Glen in Darien. The sites are suitable for activities ranging from jamborees to environmental education activities, and solely for use by recognized, non-profit youth groups. Open year round, all sites have picnic tables, fire rings, nearby latrines, firewood and water pumps, but no electricity. Sites vary in size for groups from 25 to 100. Fees vary and are based on the site capacity. A cabin at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Wheaton is also available to youth groups.

A permit is required for picnicking or camping reservations. Permit applications may be downloaded from the Web site at www.dpageforest.com and submitted by mail or fax. Applications also may be completed at the district office at Danada or by calling (6300 933-7248.

Reservations for campsites and picnic areas can be made by phone with Visa or MasterCard or in person at the district's visitor services office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Each permit holder must be at least 21 years old and remain on-site. Fees are non-refundable. Holiday weekend reservations should be made several months in advance. For details or reservations, call (630) 933-7248.

Nature workdays: In an effort to bring back once-abundant native grasses and forbs to DuPage County and restore the natural areas of several preserves to near pre-settlement conditions, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County invites volunteers to participate in upcoming weekend Nature Workdays.

Settlers to DuPage County began to change the face of the land at the beginning of the 20th century. As the county became more populated during the last 160 years, many non-native plants were introduced and flourished. Volunteers help restore these vital lands by cutting away unwanted brush and small trees and raking in native seeds. The undergrowth is eventually cleared away, and the land begins the transformation to a more open, natural condition, ready for native plants to thrive. An adult must accompany children under age 14. Groups of five or more must make reservations two weeks prior to the event. For details, call (630) 933-7681.

• 8 to 11 a.m. June 10, 14, 19 and 28 at Grounds and Resources complex at Blackwell off Mack Road in Warrenville.

• 9 a.m. to noon June 21 at Glacial Ridge area of Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn and Springbrook Preserve in Naperville.