Eileen Davis and Jan Ward, Environmental Educators, recently conducted separate water quality studies of two ponds in Lake County. Take a look at what they found.
A Tale of Two Ponds: Eileen
A Tale of Two Ponds: Jan
Stay curious and learn about local nature with Jan Ward, Environmental Educator.
Art, Arches and Forts
Fall Leaf Hunt
Imagination
National Pollinators Month: Jan’s Garden
Pond Scooping
Rocks
Senses
A bimonthly Q&A series featuring a panel of educators excited to share their expertise about Lake County nature and history.
July 20, 2022: Net-Zero Buildings
June 15, 2022: Caring for Trees
May 18, 2022: An Inside Look at the Lake County History Archives
April 20, 2022: Threatened and Endangered Species
March 16, 2022: Landscaping for a Changing Climate
February 9, 2022: Controlled Burning—Life from the Ashes
January 12, 2022: Winter Ecology
December 8, 2021: Behind the Scenes at the Dunn Museum
November 10, 2021: All Things Nature
October 13, 2021: Dinosaurs
September 22, 2021: Buckthorn Removal and Healthy Hedges
September 8, 2021: Singing Insects
August 11, 2021: Raptors and Hawkwatch
July 20, 2021: Ask an Educator Hits the Trails
July 14, 2021: Bonner Farm and Early Settlers to Lake County
June 23, 2021: Fishing Hotspots
June 9, 2021: All Things Turtles Fundraiser
May 12, 2021: Rivers and Streams of Lake County
April 14, 2021: Sustainable Landscaping
March 10, 2021: Maple Syruping
February 10, 2021: The Last Ice Age
January 13, 2021: Winter Tracking
December 9, 2020: Enjoying Winter in the Forest Preserves
November 25, 2020: All Things Preserves
October 30, 2020: Adlai Stevenson II
October 14, 2020: Play in the Preserves
September 30, 2020: Buckthorn Removal and Healthy Hedges
September 2, 2020: Nighttime Insects
August 19, 2020: Hummingbirds and Monarchs
August 5, 2020: Paddlesports
July 22, 2020: Turtle Talk
July 8, 2020: Weather
June 24, 2020: Semi-Aquatic Mammals
June 10, 2020: Nocturnal Animals
May 27, 2020: Birds and Native Plants
May 20, 2020: Backyard Birds and Native Plants
Photos, facts, and videos straight from the backyard bird feeder of Mark Hurley, Environmental Educator.
Dark-Eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Brown Creeper
American Robin
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Enjoy scenes from our Blanding's Turtle Recovery Program, an effort to boost local populations of the state endangered Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii).
Good Luck, Turt Reynolds!
Welcome to the Founders Circle
Learn timely facts and tidbits once a week about the wildlife you might see in the preserves, and in your yard or neighborhood.
Katydid
We are stewards. Storytellers. Educators. Explorers. We are dedicated to sharing the entwined stories of people, events and nature through exhibitions, education and community engagement.
2021 A Year in Review, What’s Next for 2022
Behind the Scenes: Bill Sienkiewicz Exhibit Installation
Bill Sienkiewicz: Pop Culture Revolution Exhibition
Bonner Heritage Farm Cider Press
Breaking Barriers | Women in the Military Exhibition Development
Cameras from the Collection
Civil War Frontlines
Civil War Homefront
Collections Care | Applying Accession Numbers to Recent Donations with Paraloid B-72
Collections Care: Digitizing the Signal Hill DAR Grant
Discover Bonner Heritage Farm
Dryptosaurus 101
Dunn Museum and College of Lake County “Latinx Community Engagement Project”
Dunn Museum Holiday Gift Shop Sale
Dunn Museum Holiday Sale 2020
Dunn Museum Store: Shop Local!
Glaciers and Lake County, Illinois
Growing Up in Lake County, Illinois
History Minute: Bess Bower Dunn
History Minute: Early Settler Toys
History Minute: The Heroic Iron Lung
Historymakers | Amos Bennett
Historymakers | Introduction
Historymakers | Mettawa
Historymakers: Susie Smith Minto
How We Study the Past: Adlai Stevenson
Historymakers: The Booker T. Washington Progressive Club of Zion
How to Visit the Dunn Museum on a Field Trip
Installation of the Photography Exhibition, Ansel Adams: Early Works
Mother Rudd
Museum Exhibit Design
Native People Today
Not DUNN Yet: Caramel Cake
Not DUNN Yet: Hominy Bread
Not DUNN Yet: Parker House Rolls
Not DUNN Yet: Soft Ginger Cookies
Our Voice is Black History Panel Discussion with the College of Lake County
Our Voice is Black History—Words For the Future
Rondout Train Robbery
Settlement
Spotlight on Collections Care
The Atlatl
The First People
The Silurian in Lake County, Illinois
Tour Our Replica Potawatomi Wigwam
Travel Through Prehistoric Lake County, IL
True Crimes of Lake County: Introduction
True Crimes of Lake County: Prohibition and the Fox Lake Massacre
True Crimes of Lake County: Rondout Train Robbery
Waukegan Artist Reima V. Ratti (1914-1945)
Waukegan’s Motion Picture Industry of the 1890s
Welcome Back! Welcome to DunnTV
Women Artists Commemorated the Civil War
Enjoy peaceful winter scenes from the triple bird feeders of Mark Hurley, Environmental Educator II.
Bluebirds
Dark-Eyed Juncos
House Sparrows
March 29. 2021
March 22, 2021
March 15, 2021
March 8, 2021
February 22, 2021
February 8, 2021
February 1, 2021
January 25, 2021
January 11, 2021
January 4, 2021
Mourning Doves
December 28, 2020
December 14, 2020
See how staff takes care of our education animals behind-the-scenes.
Fox Snake Shed
Hope You’re Owl Doing Well
Join Jenny Sazama, Environmental Educator, for fun nature activities designed for children ages 2–4.
Blanding's Turtles
Hawks
Water
Woolly Bear Caterpillars
Tag along with Mark Hurley, Environmental Educator, on his nature walks through the preserves to learn about the common and not-so-common plants and animals he finds.
Part One
Part Two
Enjoy 60 seconds of serene scenes from the preserves.
Fort Sheridan
Fox River
Hastings Lake
Heron Creek
Independence Grove
Lakewood
Lyons Woods
MacArthur Woods
Maple Syrup
McDonald Woods
Old School
Pine Dunes
Rollins Savanna
Ryerson Woods: Part One
Ryerson Woods: Part Two
Van Patten Woods
Has quarantine meant spending a *lot* of time testing new recipes? Try stretching your child’s imagination with a different culinary space: a mud kitchen.
Creating a Mud Kitchen
Creating with Mud
Stocking a Mud Kitchen
Tag along with April Vaos, Environmental Educator, as she explores nature in her backyard.
Whose Scat is That?
Frogs and Toads
Want to walk in a preserve, but can’t get there right this moment? Try a soothing One-Minute Walk video to tide you over.
Ryerson Woods
Other Resources
A Changing Climate: Global Challenge, Local Response—Strong Roots
Ask An Educator
Cardinal Cam
Controlled Burn: Fall 2021
Coyote Choir Practice
Earth Week: Garbage Ball Activity
Earth Week: How You Can Help the Earth
Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchids
Ethel Untermyer Conservation Forum: Building with a Light Touch
Every Last Drop–Episode One of a Special Webinar Series
Forest Preserve Careers: Environmental Education
Forest Preserve Careers: Fundraising
Forest Preserve Careers: Golf Course Superintendent
Forest Preserve Careers: Information Technology
Forest Preserve Careers: Landscape Architecture
Forest Preserve Careers: Restoration Ecology
Halloween Hikes Through the Years
Happy National Reptile Appreciation Day
Happy National Trails Day
Happy Thanksgiving from Tom Turkey
Happy World Environment Day
Happy World Frog Day
How to Identify Poison Ivy
How to Properly Plant a Tree
How to Remove Garlic Mustard
Make Snow Ice Cream
National Pollinators Week
Virtual Program: Fishing at Independence Grove
Virtual Program: Profiles in Excellence
Welcome to Summer Adventures
People love to paddle. Our staff know a lot of places to paddle. Sounds like a match.
Independence Grove Canoe Launch
Russel Road Canoe Launch
Sedge Meadow Canoe Launch
Sedge Meadow to Gowe Park, Part One
Sedge Meadow to Gowe Park, Part Two
Van Patten Woods
Hear seasonal messages from Angelo Kyle, President of the Lake County Forest Preserves.
A Message from President Kyle
Embracing Diversity
Take a Breather
Take a break with short, relaxing nature videos.
Double Rainbow
Fort Sheridan
Sycamore and Sky
Listen to children’s stories read by our educators.
National Tell a Story Day: Stellaluna
Story Time with April: “Jump!”
Learn more about Lake County's beautiful, native wildflowers with Eileen Davis and Mark Hurley, Environmental Educators.
Wildflower Walk at Ryerson Woods: Part One
Wildflower Walk at Ryerson Woods: Part Two
We love wildlife. Especially on Wednesdays.
Mating Monarchs
Slow-Mo Hummingbird
Snowberry Clearwing Moth
Two Cranes and a Colt
Western Chorus Frogs Calling
What are the woods telling us? Have you ever stopped for a moment to listen? Our podcast, Words of the Woods, can help.
A Piece of News
Season 2 Trailer: Welcome Back to the Woods
Words of the Woods Season 2: It's a Winter-ful Life
Learn more about our 2021 virtual summer camp offerings from our Education staff.
Spiders, Slugs and Really Cool Bugs Camp
Welcome to Pondering Plants Camp
Welcome to Virtual Fishing Camp
Welcome to Virtual History Summer Camp
Welcome to Virtual Summer Camp