Chapter Events

Located in northern Illinois, Nachusa Grasslands is a premier restored tallgrass prairie boasting over 700 native plant species. Join naturalist and author Cindy Crosby as she takes us on a photographic tour of some of the native wildflowers growing among the wild bison of Nachusa Grasslands, a 4,000 acre Nature Conservancy site in Franklin Grove, IL..

Join us for a June bird walk at Lakewood Forest Preserve! As the largest forest preserve in the district, Lakewood contains various habitats that are home to many breeding bird species. Lake County Audubon Society’s Matt Tobin will be leading the walk. Please bring a pair of binoculars if you have them. More specific details about the walk and parking information can be found through the registration link. 

Register for Lakewood Forest Preserve Bird Walk

Ready to turn your kitchen scraps into garden gold? Join us for "Tips and Tricks for Successful Home Composting," an interactive workshop on making composting work for any home. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a small apartment, you’ll learn about different methods, including indoor systems like Bokashi and Vermiculture.

Seeds are key for restoring our ecosystems and adding native plants to our yards. As diverse as our native plants are, they are equally diverse in how they disperse their seeds. We'll look at different approaches for seed collection, equipment and techniques to clean that seed, and sowing to get the best results out of those seeds.

Speaker:  Luke Dahlberg, Native Seed Program Manager at Citizens for Conservation

Join us for a leisurely hike along the enchanting trails of Reed Turner Woodland, a dedicated IL Nature Preserve since the 1980's. This 50-acre preserve is home to over 500 different plant and tree species.  Our walk will focus on native woodland goldenrods and asters, how to identify the different species, and which species work well in home landscapes.   Space is limited.  Registration is required, 

Details coming soon! 

Please join us as we explore one of Aldo Leopold’s most famous stories about native landscaping;  A Prairie Birthday. In this story, Leopold compares the diversity of native plants on his ‘backwards’ farm to those found on the suburban university campus. With poetic flare and pointed observations, Leopold calls into question the landscape ideals that we use to build our communities.

Speaker: Jeff Hoyer, veteran biology and environmental science teacher.

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!