Category: Lake Michigan

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

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!

Illinois Beach State Park: Beautiful Dune, Lake, and River Views; Hiking; Biking; Camping; and Other Great Outdoor Recreational Activities

by anders458, posted in biking, birdwatching, camping, canoeing, fall colors, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature centers, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND There are only 63 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in Illinois (as opposed to 3,288 miles in Michigan), and much of this land has been developed as part of city lakefronts, heavy industry, and private beachfront property. That’s why Illinois Beach State Park (1 Lake … Continue reading Illinois Beach State Park: Beautiful Dune, Lake, and River Views; Hiking; Biking; Camping; and Other Great Outdoor Recreational Activities

Meet Yumeka Brown: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

by anders458, posted in Chicago, Chicago River, Des Plaines River, Illinois, Lake Michigan, politics and the environment, social issues, Uncategorized

This is my third interview with candidates for the board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago. The election will be held on November 8, 2022; early voting is ongoing. You can also read my interviews with board candidates Patricia Theresa Flynn and Daniel Pogorzelski. You might ask…why is the MWRD important … Continue reading Meet Yumeka Brown: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Meet Daniel Pogorzelski: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

by anders458, posted in Chicago River, Illinois, Lake Michigan, politics and the environment, Uncategorized

What is the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago, and why should it matter to you? The MWRD plays a major role in treating wastewater, reducing flooding (increasingly important as Illinois’ climate becomes wetter due to global climate change), and reducing the amount of stormwater (which collects and transports animal waste, garbage, pesticides, … Continue reading Meet Daniel Pogorzelski: A Candidate for Election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Chicago Anymore: 10 Nature Destinations Where You’ll Swear That You’re Not in the City

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, Chicago, Chicago Parks, conservation, fall colors, fishing, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Chicago has a population of nearly 2.7 million people, more than 4,000 miles of streets, and large industrial areas with factories spewing pollution into the air, the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan. Like most U.S. cities, it also has problems with crime, racial inequity, poverty, lack of … Continue reading Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Chicago Anymore: 10 Nature Destinations Where You’ll Swear That You’re Not in the City

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

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