Words of the Woods

Resilience | Season 3, Episode 9 Feb 05, 2025

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.

Another way to contribute is by making a gift to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves, the charitable partner of the agency. The most significant effort in the Foundation’s history is in progress: a five-year fundraising campaign to create a $20 million endowment for the Forest Preserves. Returns from investing that principal are expected to be $800,000 annually, which will exclusively support ongoing habitat restoration.

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

Guests:

Kelly Burdick, native seed nursery program manager, Lake County Forest Preserves
Nels Leutwiler, former president of the Preservation Foundation
John Nelson, chief operations officer, Lake County Forest Preserves
Kelly Schultz, stewardship ecologist, Lake County Forest Preserves
Rebekah Snyder, director of community engagement and partnerships, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned:

Selected Links and Sources:

2024 Lake County Forest Preserves referendum

“The average adult spends more than seven hours online – here’s how you can manage your screen time,” Allconnect

“Become a community scientist,” Jen Berlinghof, Lake County Nature Blog

Blanding’s Turtle Recovery Program

“The butterfly effect: how tiny actions unleash global consequences,” Farnam Street

Commemorative gifts

Community science monitoring

Group Volunteer Projects

Horizons subscriptions

Horizons (Summer 2024)

“If climate change keeps you up at night, here’s how to cope,” Harvard Medical School

Lake County Seed Collection Guide

“Majority of US adults believe climate change is most important issue today,” American Psychological Association

Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves

Restoration Workday Calendar

Restoration Workday Sites

“Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World,” General Stanley McChrystal

Volunteer Interest Form

Volunteer With Us

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If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Jen Berlinghof, Kelly Burdick, Nels Leutwiler, John Nelson, Kelly Schultz and Rebekah Snyder. Script editing by Jen Berlinghof, Kelly Burdick, Alyssa Firkus, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kim Mikus, Matt Mulligan, John Nelson, Kelly Schultz, Rebekah Snyder, Erika Stergos, Matt Ueltzen and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto. Episode cover art © Liz Rose Fisher.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Charged Up for Change | Season 3, Episode 8 Jan 29, 2025

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. It’s not alone. The 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.

Guests:

Jen Berlinghof, education site specialist, Lake County Forest Preserves
Dave Ingoldsby, preserve maintenance crew chief, Lake County Forest Preserves
Becky Mathis, landscape architect, Lake County Forest Preserves
John Nelson, chief operations officer, Lake County Forest Preserves
Rebekah Snyder, director of community engagement and partnerships, Lake County Forest Preserves
Greg Walenter, preserve planner, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned:

Selected Links and Sources:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Eileen Davis, Alyssa Firkus, April Vaos and Becky Mathis. Script editing by Eileen Davis, Alyssa Firkus, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Becky Mathis, Kim Mikus, Matt Mulligan, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen, April Vaos and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Grow Your Garden | Season 3, Episode 7 Jan 22, 2025

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.

Guests:

Eileen Davis, environmental educator, Lake County Forest Preserves
Alyssa Firkus, director of education, Lake County Forest Preserves
Becky Mathis, landscape architect, Lake County Forest Preserves
April Vaos, public program specialist, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned

Selected Links and Sources:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Eileen Davis, Alyssa Firkus, April Vaos and Becky Mathis. Script editing by Eileen Davis, Alyssa Firkus, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Becky Mathis, Kim Mikus, Matt Mulligan, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen, April Vaos and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Made in the Shade | Season 3, Episode 6 Jan 15, 2025

Chicagoland’s trees are some of the most hardworking plants around. The 172 million trees that make up the regional forest help regulate air temperature, create oxygen, soak up stormwater, store carbon and reduce energy bills with the shade they cast. They also clean the air, removing 18,600 tons of pollutants from car exhaust and industrial emissions every year.

Increasingly, scientists and doctors are viewing trees and nature as a public health tool to prevent and treat disease. The benefits of trees clearly extend far beyond their branches.

But not everyone has the same access to them.

Guests:

Matt Ueltzen, Manager of Restoration Ecology, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned

Selected Links and Sources:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from The Morton Arboretum, the Brushwood Center, Eileen Davis, Rebekah Snyder and Matt Ueltzen. Script editing by Eileen Davis, Alyssa Firkus, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kim Mikus, Matt Mulligan, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto. Episode cover art © R. Scott McNeill.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Beating the Heat: Part 2 | Season 3, Episode 5 Jan 08, 2025

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.

In today’s episode, the second of two parts on what climate change could mean for wildlife, and how animals may already be adapting. Our focus today: mammals, frogs and pollinators.

Guests:

Gary Glowacki, manager of conservation ecology, Lake County Forest Preserves
Eric Ness, former wildlife ecologist, Lake County Forest Preserves
Kathryn McCabe, wildlife ecologist, Lake County Forest Preserves

Selected Links and Sources:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Gary Glowacki, Kathryn McCabe and Eric Ness. Script editing by Jen Berlinghof, Gary Glowacki, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kathryn McCabe, Kim Mikus, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen and Dr. Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto. Episode cover art © John D. Kavc.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Beating the Heat: Part 1 | Season 3, Episode 4 Jan 01, 2025

“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.

In today’s episode, the first of two parts on what climate change could mean for local wildlife, and how animals may already be adapting.

Guests:

Gary Glowacki, manager of conservation ecology, Lake County Forest Preserves
Eric Ness, former wildlife ecologist, Lake County Forest Preserves
Pati Vitt, director of natural resources, Lake County Forest Preserves

Selected Links and Sources:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Dr. Trent Ford, Gary Glowacki, Kathryn McCabe, Eric Ness and Dr. Pati Vitt. Script editing by Gary Glowacki, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kathryn McCabe, Kim Mikus, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto. Episode cover art © Callie Klatt Golba.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Growing Through Change | Season 3, Episode 3 Dec 18, 2024

Think of a seed as “a self-contained baby with a lunchbox.”

Each seed contains unique DNA, unique genes, slightly different from other members of the same species. Genes give an individual plant its traits, no different than how human genes code for height, hair color, eye color and so on.

Habitat restoration projects, which the Lake County Forest Preserves specializes in, tend to spread a lot of seeds. It’s one of the least labor-intensive ways to reintroduce native plants to an area, boost existing populations and increase biodiversity.

The Forest Preserves typically buys 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 Minnesota.

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.

Guests:

Gary Glowacki, manager of conservation ecology, Lake County Forest Preserves
Pati Vitt, director of natural resources, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned:

Selected Links and Sources:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Dr. Trent Ford, Gary Glowacki, Ken Klick, Matt Ueltzen and Dr. Pati Vitt. Script editing by Trent Ford, Gary Glowacki, Kevin Kleinjan, Ken Klick, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kim Mikus, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Current Events | Season 3, Episode 2 Dec 11, 2024

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 Forest Preserve in Lake Forest, Illinois has a front-row view.

Guests:

Jim Anderson, retired director of natural resources, Lake County Forest Preserves

Pati Vitt, director of natural resources, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned:

Links and Sources Mentioned:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves.

Featuring research and expertise from Jim Anderson, Diana Dretske, Dan Egan, Dr. Trent Ford and Dr. Pati Vitt. Script editing by Diana Dretske, Alyssa Firkus, Gary Glowacki, Kevin Kleinjan, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kim Mikus, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto. Episode cover art © Jeff Goldberg.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Past, Present and Future | Season 3, Episode 1 Dec 04, 2024

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.

Average temperatures were only 7–13 degrees colder then compared to today. Already, Illinois’ average daily temperature has risen 1–2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 120 years. Depending on current and future levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions, “by the end of the 21st century, unprecedented warming of 4–9 degrees or 8–14 degrees is likely in Illinois.”

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

Guests:

Jim Anderson, retired director of natural resources, Lake County Forest Preserves
Dr. Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist
April Vaos, Public Program Specialist, Lake County Forest Preserves

Forest Preserves Mentioned:

Links and Sources Mentioned:

***

If you like what the forest preserves do for you, please consider donating to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves’ endowment campaign. Your gift will help provide a perpetual, dependable funding source and ensure every acre of habitat we restore remains ecologically healthy. Learn more and give at LCFPD.org/donate.

Have questions or comments? Send them to WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

This episode of Words of the Woods was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto, Environmental Communications Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves. Featuring research and expertise from Jim Anderson, Dr. Trent Ford and April Vaos. Script editing by Alyssa Firkus, Dr. Trent Ford, Ty Kovach, Jeanna Martinucci, Kim Mikus, Rebekah Snyder, Matt Ueltzen, April Vaos and Pati Vitt. Music and sound effects from Storyblocks. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Special Edition: 17 Years, 64 Degrees, 100 Decibels Mar 19, 2024

The alarm clock is ready to ring for the periodical cicadas of Lake County. The previous mass emergence of these true bugs in 2007 set the alarm for 2024. During spring and summer 17 years ago, millions of cicadas tunneled out of the soil, crawled up trees, sang, mated and completed their life cycle. This will be a magical year for their offspring.

In this special-edition episode, host Brett Peto discusses the 2024 emergence of periodical cicadas in Illinois.

Links mentioned:

Sign up for Horizons, the Forest Preserves' award-winning quarterly magazine. Print subscriptions are free, and issues are always available online.

This episode was written, hosted and produced by Brett Peto. Featuring research and expertise from Mark Hurley, April Vaos, Samantha Gallagher and Dr. Gene Kritsky at Mount St. Joseph University. Script editing by Rebekah Snyder, Jeanna Martinucci and Kim Mikus. Music from Soundstripe. Cicada audio copyright Dr. Gene Kritsky and SongsOfInsects.com. Audio editing and mixing by Brett Peto.

Have questions or comments? Send them to ⁠WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org⁠.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Episode cover art © Samantha Gallagher

Short-Form 2: A Piece of News May 11, 2021

Host Brett Peto is here with a bite-sized piece of good news.
Music:

Swoop by The Mini Vandals
Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Short-Form 1: It's a Winter-ful Life Mar 09, 2021

We’re back with a new short-form episode.
It’s tempting to hibernate during winter. But there are good reasons to get outside. Your preserves are home to many winter activities, including sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and, yeah, good ol’ walking.
We aren’t the first generations to discover the loads of fun these activities provide, though. Drawing from the Dunn Museum’s collection and archives, Museum Educator Nicole Stocker is here to give us a snapshot of how Lake County residents enjoyed winter outdoors in the past.
Music:
Covid Come Not Near by Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum
Everything Where it Needs to Be by Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum
Swoop by The Mini Vandals
The Slow Rabbit by Nat Keefe & Hot Buttered Rum

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

A Childhood Spent Outdoors Nov 17, 2020

Nature is one of the best classrooms around. Study after study shows that time spent outdoors fosters a child’s healthy development. It helps kids manage stress, stimulates their imaginations, and improves their social skills.

Alyssa Firkus, Education Manager, and Jenny Sazama, Environmental Educator, have seen these positive effects firsthand. Hear how they like to connect kids with nature—and how nature connects with kids.

Season 3 debuts in 2021. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/education

Music:

Fwends by Reed Mathis

Playdate by The Great North Sound Society

Swoop by The Mini Vandals

Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

A Strong Foundation Nov 10, 2020

The Preservation Foundation is the charitable partner of the Lake County Forest Preserves. What does that mean?

When we undertake a project, the Foundation extends and accelerates it. Take the Green Youth Farm at Greenbelt in North Chicago, for example. Or the Dunn Museum in Libertyville. The summer concert series at Independence Grove. Our Adopt-a-Turtle program benefitting the state-endangered Blanding’s turtle. Habitat restoration efforts. And so much more.

They wouldn’t be the same without the foundation that, well, the Foundation gives them.

Ty Kovach, Executive Director; Rebekah Snyder, Chief Development Officer; Nels Leutwiler, President of the Preservation Foundation; and Karen Hunter, Chair of the Development Committee, discuss how supporting the Foundation supports all of the Forest Preserves’ work.

Season 2 runs now through November 17, 2020. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/donate

Music:

Coffee Stains by Riot

Swoop by The Mini Vandals

There Are Chirping Birdies In My Soul by Reed Mathis

Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Technolo-Tree Nov 03, 2020

What do trees need computers for? Well, the people working to preserve them do. Our team of IT professionals manages technology that supports hundreds of staff across Lake County. Not only desktop computers, but smartphones, servers, databases, laptops, projectors, and more.

Debbie Boness, Information Technology Officer, and Rian Crowley, Database Developer, discuss how we turn technology into technolo-tree.

Season 2 runs now through November 17, 2020. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org

Music:

Coffee Stains by Riot

Swoop by The Mini Vandals

There Are Chirping Birdies In My Soul by Reed Mathis

Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Hello, Halloween Hikes Oct 27, 2020

Crisp fall air. Cider and donuts. Funny, nature-themed skits. An evening in the woods. All of these elements combine into a successful run of Halloween Hikes, our annual autumn event that’s become a tradition for many families.

To protect the health and safety of all, we decided not to hold Halloween Hikes in its typical, in-person format this year. Instead, we’re bringing it to you in a new way with a new focus: how exactly do we create a better-than-the-last iteration each year?

Eileen Davis, Environmental Educator; Jill Stites, retired Environmental Educator; and Janice Aull, volunteer, reveal behind-the-scenes stories of pumpkin carving, scriptwriting, costume creation, and more.

Season 2 runs now through November 17, 2020. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/education

Music:

Campfire Song by Chris Haugen

Swoop by The Mini Vandals

Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Walk the Dog by Coyote Hearing

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

The Value of Nature Oct 20, 2020

We all know nature has value. Perhaps you love its beauty, its serenity, its creatures great and small. On an economic level, it’s recently become possible to quantify some of nature’s beneficial effects—what we call ecosystem services. Carbon storage, flood mitigation, water and air purification.

Jim Anderson, Director of Natural Resources, shares his insights into how nature supports human existence, and how we humans can support nature.

Season 2 runs now through November 17, 2020. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/GreenStrategy

Music:

Almost August by Dan Lebowitz

On the Windy Road by Dan Lebowitz

Swoop by The Mini Vandals

Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Season 2 Trailer: Welcome Back to the Woods Oct 13, 2020

The woods are back with even more to say. From the value of nature and ecosystem services, to how we turn technology into technolo-tree, and the benefits of a childhood spent outdoors, plus more, here’s a taste of what you’ll hear this October and November.

Music:

Swoop by The Mini Vandals

Trail of Breadcrumbs by Lyle Workman

Got an idea or a question for our podcast team? Email us at WordsOfTheWoods@LCFPD.org.

Words of the Woods is a production of the Lake County Forest Preserves in Libertyville, Illinois.

Fragment 2: Snowflake Anatomy Jan 27, 2020

There's magic in a snowflake. But if someone asked you how snowflakes form, could you explain it to them? Jen Berlinghof, Environmental Educator, can help. She's here with an adaptation of one of her posts ("Snowflake anatomy") from our Lake County Nature blog. Read more: https://bit.ly/38IsCFX

Fragment 1: Voice of the Creek Dec 23, 2019

The holiday season is hectic. North Mill Creek at Ethel's Woods in Antioch isn't. Take a moment of zen with the soothing sounds of flowing water. And look for another fragment in January 2020. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/ethels-woods

Find Your Trail Nov 19, 2019

Exactly 204 miles of trails thread through nearly 31,000 acres in the Lake County Forest Preserves. Many are gravel, some are paved, some are mowed grass, and some are woodchip trails. Making connections between communities is key. Helping visitors map their adventures is important, too. Michael Haug, Landscape Architect, and Nick Spittlemeister, GIS Analyst, discuss how these trail systems allow thousands of people to access nature on a daily basis. Season 2 premieres in 2020. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/trails

Pondering Plants Nov 12, 2019

Thousands of native plant species call Lake County’s nearly 31,000 acres of forest preserves home. All of these plants are unique and interesting in their own ways. Pati Vitt, Manager of Ecological Restoration, and Ken Klick, Restoration Ecologist, each have decades of botanical experience, studying and appreciating plant communities in Lake County and elsewhere. They discuss big trends, big patterns, and big ideas. In short, they ponder plants and why they matter. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/conservation/plant-monitoring/

The World of Wildlife Monitoring Nov 05, 2019

The 2020 U.S. Census is approaching. But scientists at the Lake County Forest Preserves take a different kind of census year-round—an animal census. Gary Glowacki and Andrew Rutter, both Wildlife Ecologists, and John Vanek, a doctoral candidate at Northern Illinois University, highlight how they collect data about local animals and what insights they’ve drawn so far. Learn more: https://www.lcfpd.org/conservation/wildlife-monitoring/

Looking into the Archives Oct 29, 2019

Among the collections of the Dunn Museum in Libertyville are 1,000 linear feet of archival materials, securely housed in an environmentally controlled care and storage facility. Many have never been on display before. What tales do these letters, postcards, and journals tell? Diana Dretske and Heather Johnson, both Curators at the Dunn Museum, discuss their top three most memorable materials and why these in particular stick out in their minds. Learn more: www.LCFPD.org/museum/collections/

Goodbye, Buckthorn Oct 22, 2019

Fall is a great time to think about removing the invasive shrub buckthorn from your yard. But how do you get rid of it and make sure it stays out for good? Matt Ueltzen, Restoration Ecologist II, and Allison Frederick, Assistant Public Affairs Manager, offer their advice on how to say goodbye to buckthorn. Learn more: LCFPD.org/Buckthorn

Welcome to the Woods May 21, 2019

What are the woods telling us? Have you ever stopped for a moment to listen?

Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, the Lake County Forest Preserves protects nearly 31,000 acres of land. There are just about as many stories from both humans and nature. This series dives into the diverse projects we undertake to improve quality of life for all Lake County residents and visitors.

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