Words of the Woods

On the banks of the Fox River in the southwestern corner of Lake County, Illinois, you can almost see back through time. Not so long ago, at least on the 4.5-billion year arc of Earth’s history, a wall of ice between 700–2,000 feet tall covered everything in view today. Today, 691 acres near the Fox River’s eastern shore make up Grassy Lake Forest Preserve in the town of Lake Barrington.

Subtle glimpses of the area’s glacial history are visible in the landscape there and elsewhere in the county. They’re remnants from the most recent Ice Age, which ended 10,000–12,000 years ago.

We’re on the precipice of another major shift in climate, both globally and locally in Lake County.

By all appearances, Lake Michigan is a steady, benevolent presence. An anchor for the northeastern corner of Illinois. The invincible resource that Chicago and its suburbs, not to mention other communities in Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan, are built around.

Yet Lake Michigan is not invincible. And Fort Sheridan in Lake Forest, Illinois has a front-row view.

The Lake County Forest Preserves typically buys native seed from within a 250-mile radius of Lake County. But as Illinois’ climate gets warmer and wetter, it’s possible seed from farther away—say, from Missouri or Kentucky—might do better in Lake County than seed from up north.

Dr. Pati Vitt, director of natural resources, is testing this idea with a groundbreaking research project called Growing Through Change at Grant Woods Forest Preserve in Ingleside, Illinois.

“Animals can react to climate change in only three ways: they can move, adapt or die.”

That statement comes from a 2018 article by Renée Cho, a contributor to the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University in New York City.

How much an animal will need to react depends on its species and individual traits. Lake County’s wildlife are particularly vulnerable to climate change compared to elsewhere in Illinois due to the county’s perch in the northeastern corner of the state. This is part 1 of what climate change could mean for wildlife, and how animals may already be adapting.

Mammals dominate our hearts and homes. Pets such as dogs, cats, hamsters, hedgehogs and others offer companionship and cuteness, of course. But mammals are also recognizable as close kin, not too far away on the tree of life.

About 70 mammal species are native to Illinois. Eastern chipmunks, red and gray foxes, eastern cottontail rabbits, American beavers, raccoons, white-tailed deer, Virginia opossums, groundhogs, mice, voles, coyotes, striped skunks and American bison all call the state home.

While climate change affects all animals, it’s small mammals such as chipmunks that could struggle the most. This is part 2 of what climate change could mean for wildlife, and how animals may already be adapting.

Releasing: January 15

Chicagoland’s trees are some of the hardest-working plants around. The 172 million trees that make up the regional forest help regulate air temperature, produce oxygen, soak up stormwater, store carbon and reduce energy bills with the shade they cast. They also clean the air, removing more than 18,000 tons of pollutants from car exhaust and industrial emissions every year.

Increasingly, scientists and doctors are even viewing trees and time in nature as public health tools to help prevent and treat disease. The benefits of trees clearly extend far beyond their branches.

But not everyone has the same access to them.

Releasing: January 22

In the U.S., more than 40 million acres of land are covered by lawn. To be sure, turfgrass produces oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide just like other plants. It prevents soil erosion by wind and water. It creates curb appeal—a neutral, nearly universal surface.

But lawns crowd out the many gorgeous, hardy, unique native plants that call Illinois and other parts of the country home. Most grasses used in lawns were imported. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) isn’t from the American South; it hails from Europe, Asia and northern Africa. Native animals don’t use it for food and shelter. The lawn may as well be an ecological dead zone.

There’s a solution: landscaping with native plants. Here’s your guide to getting started.

Releasing: January 29

The building looks as if it’s always been there. As though the floodplain forests of Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods, Illinois summoned the smoky green walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek roof. But the new Ryerson Education Center (REC), opened spring 2024, is the culmination of three years of planning and an ambitious goal.

Create a net-zero energy building that produces as much power as it consumes each year. And it’s not alone. The Lake County Forest Preserves now has three buildings designed to achieve net-zero, and it’s purchasing more energy-efficient vehicles and battery-powered equipment.

Look inside the ongoing transition to an electric future.

Releasing: February 5

If you struggle with climate anxiety, volunteering for the Lake County Forest Preserves is a practical thing you can do to help address the future as well as feelings of worry and fear.

Individuals, couples, families and friend groups can all volunteer. So can corporate groups, civic groups, scout troops, religious institutions, book clubs and just about any other organization. Opportunities include removing invasive species, planting trees and collecting native seed.

When it comes down to it, the ultimate source of resilience is all of us.