Forest Preserve Hosts History, Hiking Programs

Explore Forest Preserve District of Will County offerings and register for programs on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org. Here are some upcoming programs to consider.

•Zoom Webinar; Will County Works – In Quarries, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 3: Join Donald G. Mikulic for a fascinating look at quarrying – an industry that helped build not only the county, but the region. Mikulic was a senior paleontologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and now serves as the curator at Weis Earth Science Museum in Menasha, Wisconsin. He received his doctorate in geology from Oregon State University. In 2020, he was recognized by the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers for Distinguished Service to the Mining Industry, General Public and Government Agencies of Illinois, and as a founding member of the Illinois Teachers Workshop – Rocks, Minerals and Mining in Today’s Society. This webinar is one in a series of lectures highlighting industries shaping Will County and are offered in conjunction with “The Way We Worked,” an exhibition at Isle a la Cache Museum. Free, ages 16 or older. Register online for the Zoom link.

•Romeoville; Vocation – Voyageur, from 3-4:30 p.m, Friday, April 1, Isle a la Cache Museum: Looking for a fun challenge for spring break? Think you could you be a voyageur? In the 18th Century, French fur traders paddled down to Illinois Country in hopes of making it big. Do you have what it would take to succeed – paddling skills, savvy trading abilities, and physical endurance? Come to Isle a la Cache Museum for a job interview. Complete all the tasks, with the help of museum staff, to become a voyageur for the day! Free, ages eight-12. Register by March 30 online, or call 815-886-1467.

•Channahon; Scout Day – Spring Exploration, from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 2, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center: Exploring the outdoors is what being a Scout is all about! Bring your Scouts to Four Rivers Environmental Education Center to enjoy a day just for them. Groups will move through fun and educational stations, focusing on the natural world in springtime. Stations will be both indoors and outdoors, so please dress for the weather. Register by March 31 online, or call 815-722-9470.

•Romeoville; Going The Distance – Five-Mile Walk, from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 2, Centennial Trail – Schneider’s Passage: Dust off those walking shoes to really get moving during a five-mile group walk. This active program helps get a jump on the “Spring Ninety-Fiver Challenge” – a 95-mile recreational challenge program to celebrate the Forest Preserve District’s 95th anniversary. Join this fun walk, whether or not you plan to do the 95-mile challenge. The program begins at Centennial Trail’s Schneider’s Passage on 135th Street in Romeoville. Additional parking is available nearby at Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E. Romeo Road (135th Street). Centennial Trail is a paved surface and stroller friendly. Free, all ages. For more information, call 815-727-8700.

For more information on the Forest Preserve District of Will County, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.