Category: books

Goodbye 2022…Hello 2023!

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, books, camping, canoeing, Chicago, Chicago Parks, conservation, conservatories, fall colors, fens, fishing, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, kids activities, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, National Park Service, nature art, prairies, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2022. I continue to love writing this blog, and wish I had more time in my daily life to do so. I visited many nature destinations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West … Continue reading Goodbye 2022…Hello 2023!

Earth Day Essay Collection is a Great Read Any Time of the Year

by anders458, posted in books, conservation, holiday gifts, politics and the environment, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I was intrigued when I received a press release about David C. Mahood’s new book, Kings of a Lonely Kingdom: Earth Day Essays, Poems, and Musings on Nature (ISBN 978-0-9994876-2-4, 2021, 208 pages, $19, plus shipping). For 10 years on Earth Day, Mahood—a sustainability consultant, … Continue reading Earth Day Essay Collection is a Great Read Any Time of the Year

Goodbye 2021…Hello 2022! 

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, books, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, 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, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, Lake Michigan, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, waterfalls, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2021.  I visited 37 nature destinations in Illinois and Indiana last year, and 23 were new spots—including Rock Run Rookery Preserve, Buffalo Rock State Park, Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve, Casper Bluff Land & Water … Continue reading Goodbye 2021…Hello 2022! 

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

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in January 2021

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, Chicago, family and friends stories, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, local history, social issues, social justice, Uncategorized, winter activities

The wildest place in Cook County 12 tips for a successful winter hike and some destination suggestions The celebration of a high school friend taken too soon More than 20 amazing nature spots on Chicago’s South Side and in the Southland to check out this weekend and beyond. A midwestern region where you’ll be saying, … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in January 2021

Goodbye (and Good Riddance) 2020…Hello 2021!

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, canoeing, Chicago, conservation, fall colors, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Iowa, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, Michigan, National Park Service, nature art, nature calendars, nature centers, Nature Conservancy, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2020. In nearly 45 blog posts, I covered everything from buffalo "hunting" at Kankakee Sands; to exploring the remnant prairies that dot Chicagoland's landscape; to 14 of my favorite national parks and other … Continue reading Goodbye (and Good Riddance) 2020…Hello 2021!

New Book Shows That You Don’t Need a Car to Enjoy Chicagoland Nature

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, books, camping, Chicago, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, kids activities, Lake Michigan, National Park Service, spring wildflowers, train travel, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND The Chicago metropolitan area (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau) consists of nearly 11,000 square miles. In this vast area, there are a plethora of awe-inspiring nature destinations. There is Lake Michigan, our vast inland sea, which offers an amazing interplay of sky and … Continue reading New Book Shows That You Don’t Need a Car to Enjoy Chicagoland Nature

A Lake Michigan Calendar, Books Spotlighting Iconic Chicago Scenes and Destinations, and Nature Books to Fill Your Holiday Stockings

by anders458, posted in books, Chicago, Chicago Parks, conservation, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Lake Michigan, local history, museums, nature art, nature calendars, prairies, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND If you’re looking for holiday stocking stuffers, consider the following nature- or Chicagoland-oriented calendar and books. My friend TED GLASOE, an environmental advocate and an award-winning nature photographer and a champion of protecting Lake Michigan, offers a 2021 calendar and photographic prints that feature breathtaking images of our … Continue reading A Lake Michigan Calendar, Books Spotlighting Iconic Chicago Scenes and Destinations, and Nature Books to Fill Your Holiday Stockings

Author Discusses the Joys of Dragonflies and Damselflies

by anders458, posted in books, Chicago, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature art, Nature Conservancy, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I love dragonflies. They’re beautiful, colorful, and diverse—and great for our area's ecosystems. Did you know that there are nearly 310 species of dragonflies in North America alone? Dragonflies are master aviators despite spending most of their lives as larvae in the water. Seeing a … Continue reading Author Discusses the Joys of Dragonflies and Damselflies

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in April 2020

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, Chicago, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Iowa, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, National Park Service, Uncategorized

Finding peace and enjoying time with my son via neighborhood walks during COVID-19 The wildest place in Cook County 85+ places to visit in the Chicagoland area and beyond A good spot for hiking, running, biking, and otherwise recreating during COVID-19 Great hiking and biking and remnants of the Manhattan Project An interview with one … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in April 2020