'Party for the Preserves' in Cook County Sept. 26
The Forest Preserves of Cook County is throwing a party, and everyone is invited. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, visitors can enjoy numerous self-guided activities and guided programs at various Forest Preserves locations to celebrate National Public Lands Day. In a year where more than ever we appreciate being outside and being in nature, Party for the Preserves is a way to discover new activities in the Forest Preserves, with free activities ranging from live native animal encounters and scavenger hunts to building nature crafts and making s'mores.
The schedule of activities is as follows:
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Crabtree Nature Center, 3 Stover Road, Barrington Hills: Help collect native seeds, view seed cleaning demonstrations, join in a scavenger hunt, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Sagawau Environmental Learning Center: 12545 W. 111th St., Lemont: Observe bird banding demonstrations, view pollinators such as bees and butterflies, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Trailside Museum of Natural History, 738 Thatcher Ave., River Forest: Read nature poetry, meet native animals, learn about wetlands and build a boat craft, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, 9800 Willow Springs Road, Willow Springs: Join a guided walk or the self-guided scavenger hunt; meet native herbs, birds of prey and pond critters; take home winter crops; and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• River Trail Nature Center, 3120 Milwaukee Ave, Northbrook: Tour the new pollinator garden, meet live native animals, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Sand Ridge Nature Center, 15891 Paxton Ave, South Holland: Join a guided walk or the self-guided scavenger hunt, play plant and animal bingo, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
2 to 6 p.m.
• Forest Way Grove, Forest Way Drive, south of Dundee Road, near Glencoe: Search for a Golden Tree Cookie for a prize, take a bike ride and learn about trail etiquette, enjoy nature journaling, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Bemis Woods-South, Ogden Avenue west of Wolf Road, near Western Springs: Search for a Golden Tree Cookie for a prize, join guided nature walks or a self-guided photography scavenger hunt, build a terrarium to take home, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Kickapoo Woods, Halsted Street, south of W. 144th Street, Riverdale: Search for a Golden Tree Cookie for a prize, join guided nature walks or a self-guided photography scavenger hunt, build a terrarium to take home, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
6 to 9 p.m.
• Camp Bullfrog Lake, 9600 Wolf Road, Willow Springs: Make s'mores, join guided night hikes or a self-guided interpretive color walks, check out a crayfish trapping demo, learn the basics of camping, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Camp Reinberg, 1801 N Quentin Road, Palatine: Make s'mores, join guided night hikes or a self-guided interpretive color walks, learn the basics of camping, and give back to nature by helping clean up the preserves.
• Camp Shabbona Woods, 15810 S. Torrence Ave., South Holland: Enjoy an interactive evening by the fire and learn more about the key elements of earth, wind and fire. Event begins at 7 p.m.
All participants are required to wear masks and practice physical distancing. The number of participants may be capped for activities to allow for physical distancing. Many activities require registration; visit fpdcc.com/events/category/party to learn more about specific events and programs and for registration information. Visit fpdcc.com to start planning your nature outing.