Play is Essential

Play is Essential

By Mac Dawson, Seasonal Nature Educator Unstructured outdoor play, once a defining feature of childhood, has significantly diminished over recent decades due to societal changes of debatable degrees of logic. This decline has serious implications for our kid’s...
Shared Spaces

Shared Spaces

By Chelsea Jandreau Recently, on a sunny late afternoon, a couple friends and I were walking through Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. As we moved along, we crossed the path of several other people, a tour group, and a few large groups of sparrows. The people and...
Working Bees

Working Bees

By Katie Finch When I arrive to work at the Nature Center each morning, one of the first things I do is check on the hundreds of other ladies in the building. They are usually already working by the time I get there. Some are cleaning while others build, work...
Mosquitoes: What are they Good For?

Mosquitoes: What are they Good For?

By Emma Roth One of my favorite places to be is outside, whether that is hiking, camping, kayaking, or just sitting under a tree and relaxing in the fresh air. And while I love being outdoors, it’s not always a comfortable experience. Summer brings hot sun and...