You can find all of my articles under the “Nature Blog’ tab on the main page, but this method will require you to search for articles by month and year. This section provides a faster way to see all of the articles at Nature in Chicagoland (in reverse-chronological order). Click on the links to read the articles:
Buffalo Rock State Park: Awesome Views of the Illinois River, Earth Art, and Tranquility
Nachusa Grasslands: See Bison, Savor Solitude, and Hike Through Biodiversity Hotspots
Celebrating the Six-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Pine Dunes Forest Preserve: Birding, Biking, and Easy Hiking
Remembering Lin Brehmer and the Time I Made Him Laugh
Goodbye 2022…Hello 2023! (the most-popular stories in 2022 as selected by my readers)
The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2022
An Elegy for Chicago’s Walking Man
Remembering My Community of Saints on Día de los Muertos
Middlefork Savanna Nature Preserve: Great Blooms, Biking, Hiking, and Nature Experiences
Birding Blogger and Filmmaker Releases “The Magic Stump”—a Must-See Documentary
Bluff Spring Fen: A Fen-tastic Nature Experience in Far Western Cook County
Remembering David Fode (the story of one of my best friends, who passed away suddenly…a great artist and even better human being)
The Flight 93 National Memorial Commemorates Bravery and a Momentous Time in U.S. History
Art Exhibition Celebrates the Natural Beauty and Rebirth of Chicago’s Industrial Southeast Side
Earth Day Essay Collection is a Great Read Any Time of the Year
6 Great Products That Will Make Your Outdoor Life Easier
George’s Desk: A Story About My Dad on Father’s Day
“Good Night. I Love You, Liam. God Bless You. Have a Good Sleep.”
A Family Lies Dead in the Street…Thoughts and Prayers are Great, But the Ukrainian People and Others in Peril Around the World Need Our Financial and Other Support
Celebrating the Five-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Oak Park Conservatory: Visit the Mediterranean, Tropics, and Desert in a Matter of Minutes
Hidden Pond Woods: What if You Held a Nature Party and No One Came?
Spears Woods: Room to Roam Amidst Rolling Hills, Sloughs, and Oak Woodlands
Visit Sand Ridge Nature Center for a Wonderful Winter Experience
The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2021
Goodbye 2021…Hello 2022! (the most-popular stories in 2021 as selected by my readers)
Saying Goodbye to Our Lady of Victory and Hoping to Save an Architecturally Significant Building
Total Eclipse of the Heart: How a Lumpy Loveseat Led Me to Lunar Nirvana
Bell Bowl Prairie Will be Destroyed on November 1, 2021—Unless You Act Now
Thorn Creek Woods Nature Preserve: Ravines, Rolling Hills, and a Historic 1862 Church/Nature Center
Tour Guide Takes Clients on Restorative Nature Experiences in Chicagoland
Big Marsh Park: Spectacular Bike Tracks, Bountiful Birding, and Much More
Matthiessen State Park: Awe-Inspiring Canyons, Colorful Cliffs, and a Biodiversity Hotspot
Moraine Hills State Park: Rolling Hills, Top-Notch Hiking Trails, Winter Sports, and Much More
We Met in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico (poem)
5 Things to Do at Lake Renwick Preserve/Heron Rookery Nature Preserve
Visit to Lincoln Cemetery Reveals Rich African American Aviation History
7 Things to Do at Rock Run Rookery Preserve
The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2020
Goodbye (and Good Riddance) 2020…Hello 2021! (the most-popular stories in 2020 as selected by my readers)
Remembering Matt Lignell (a celebration of a friend taken too soon)
New Book Shows That You Don’t Need a Car to Enjoy Chicagoland Nature
Visit Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery Not Only for Spooks and Scares, But Also For Its Rich Local History
Author Discusses the Joys of Dragonflies and Damselflies
Indian Ridge Marsh Park: A Bird Haven and a Story of Environmental Rebirth
14 Amazing Nature Spots I Visited This Year That Should be on Your Chicagoland “Nature Bucket List”
A Vote for President Trump is a Vote for an Unhealthy Environment
Burnham Prairie Nature Preserve: A Birdwatching Hotspot
Kankakee Sands: Bison Hunting, Wide Open Spaces, and Great Hiking
Tips for Camping With Kids During and After the Time of COVID-19
Belmont Prairie and More Than 25 Other Prairies in Chicagoland to Visit and Enjoy
America 2020: Thoughts On the Murder of George Floyd, Marching for Justice, and Looting
Remembering My Third Set of “Grandparents” and a Special Friendship
Renowned Photographer Publishes New Book That Captures the Essence of Chicago
Try “The Ted” if You’re Looking for Some Nature in the Time of COVID-19
Batwatching Near White City, New Mexico (poem)
Neighborhood Walks During the Pandemic Bring Back Memories and Encourage a Bit of Hope
Eira Corral Sepúlveda: An Excellent Ballot Choice on March 17 if You Want Clean Water In Chicagoland
A Vote for Cam Davis is a Vote for Clean Water in Chicagoland
Celebrating the Three-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Local Nature Artist Discusses Her Work and Her Top Local Nature Picks
Fundraising Effort Aims to Preserve the Only Castle in Chicagoland
More Than 20 Museums, Nature Centers, and Other Destinations to Visit In Chicagoland on a Winter Day
14 Amazing National Park Service Destinations for Spring and Summer Road Trips
Goodbye 2019!…Hello 2020 (the most-popular stories in 2019 as selected by my readers)
The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2019
Need Gift Ideas for the Holidays and Beyond? I Have 16 Talented Friends
A Lake Michigan Calendar and Nature Books to Fill Your Holiday Stockings
Sand Ridge Nature Center: Indoor and Outdoor Education and Fun in All Seasons
Sad Thanksgiving News and the Celebration of a Great Life
REI Puts Employees Ahead of Profit and Encourages People to Get Out and Enjoy Nature
Author and Professor Discusses the Magical Driftless Area
Now Showing in Your Neighborhood, a Park, or a Forest Preserve Near You: A Fall Color Spectacular
Elegy for a 100-Year-Old Red Brick House
Indiana Dunes National Park: Our Nation’s Newest National Park
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Wilderness, Waterfalls, Great Hiking and Camping, and Much More
Nippersink Creek Provides a Great Kayaking or Canoeing Adventure Just an Hour From Chicago
Thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing and Why the Moon Still Makes Me Swoon
LEGO Exhibit at Morton Arboretum Helps Kids Connect With Nature
Indiana Dunes State Park: Beautiful Beaches, Peaceful Forests, and a Biodiversity Hotspot
West Ridge Nature Preserve: An Oasis in Chicago
Remembering My Father-in-Law Jim on Father’s Day
11 Things to Do at Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens
15 Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland
I Survived—and Thrived—on a 38-Hour Roundtrip Amtrak Journey
On the Death of A.J. Freund and Healing the World
Author Discusses the Joys of the Tallgrass Prairie
Spring Road Trip Idea: Head on Over to Nebraska to Watch the Great Crane Migration
15 Nature in Chicagoland Stories to Check Out on a North Pole-Like Day
12 Tips for a Successful Winter Hike
7 Stories About My Dad on the Anniversary of His Passing
Earthrise 1968: Thoughts on the Past and Future of the Environment and America
Throw Your Cares Away by Tossing an Axe
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian: A Great Place to Learn About the First Americans
9 Indoor Spots to Visit in Chicagoland During a Snowy Weekend
George Fell: A Tireless Advocate for Nature in Illinois
Votes for Cam Davis and Debra Shore are Votes for Clean Water in Chicagoland
Lamenting the Ugly Mood in America is a “Good Walk with My Young Son Ruined,” So I Left
Palmisano Park: A Hidden Gem in Chicago
8 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland During a Rainy, Fall Weekend
Keepataw Preserve: Wild Woods, Local History, and Breathtaking Views
Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve: The Wildest Place in Cook County
Forest Preserves of Cook County Offers Photo Contest, But You Need to Act Fast
14 Things to Do Outdoors in Chicagoland Before Summer Ends
Volo Bog: An Ice Age Remnant and the Only Quaking Bog in Illinois
Take a Drive to the Volo Auto Museum for Vintage Cars and a Blast of Americana
More Than 10 Nature Centers and Other Destinations to Visit to Beat the Heat
Black Partridge Woods: Cool Ravines, Great Hiking, and 6 Other Reasons to Visit
12 Wonderful, Interesting, and Fun Things About My Mom
Messenger Woods: Famous Spring Flowers and Year-Round Fun
The Field Museum: Dinosaurs, Mummies, a Bug’s-Eye View of the World, and Much More
8 Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland
Would You Travel 6,200 Miles to Fight Evil?
America 2018: Thoughts on School Shootings, Gun Control, Gerrymandering, and Kindness
First-Time Snowshoer Tells All: 10 Tips for Success and My Son’s Thank You
Ditch the Winter Blahs and Go Snowshoeing in the Cook County Forest Preserves
Visiting the Rose City in Jordan
Nature Photographer Discusses His Love of Lake Michigan and What We Can Do to Protect It
Need Gift Ideas for the Holidays and Beyond? I Have Some Talented Friends
Thanksgiving Day: On Escaping Chicago, Spending Time with Family, and Enjoying a Fire and the Stars
Why I Garden…And Thoughts on My Italian Ancestors, Farming, the Seasons, and What Not
REI Puts Employees Ahead of Profit and Encourages People to Get Out Into Nature
A Personal Ghost Story, Ghosts of Chicago’s Southwest Suburbs, and 11 Spots for Post-Ghost-Tour Fun
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center: Not Your Parents’ Little Red Schoolhouse
New Book Spotlights 111 Off-the-Radar Destinations in Chicago
Orland Grassland: A Respite From Malls, Motorways, and Modernity
On the Joys of Carrying My Son
4 National Park Service Destinations Within 0 to 220 Miles of Chicago
The Importance of Authenticity: On the Eclipse, Tom Skilling, Crying, and Being Oneself
Thoughts on The Great American Eclipse of 2017—and 10 Useful Websites to Learn More
Kohler-Andrae State Park: Camping, Surf and Sand, and Much More
River Trail Nature Center: Birdwatching, Hiking, and Much More
7 Places to See Bison in the Midwest
Red Gate Woods: Hawks and Hills, Sloughs and Snakes, and Ghosts and Buried Nuclear Waste, Oh My!
Celebrate National Park Week by Visiting a National Park—For Free!
Scilla and the Coming of Spring
Take a Nature Hike, President Trump
Loyola University Chicago’s Wealth of Environmental Majors Make Other Schools Green With Envy
Mississippi Palisades State Park—Great Views, Muddy Shoes, and Eagles in Twos
Nature in Chicagoland 