Why Choose Native Trees & Shrubs for Your Yard?

Why Choose Native Trees & Shrubs for Your Yard?

Over the past week, I have been watching a pair of Downy Woodpeckers take care of their young. They are incredibly dedicated. They are up early in the morning flying back and forth to bring food to their babies, who never stop peeping, and they are still at it in the evening. They also have to worry about a squirrel that seems interested in their nest, and they expend a lot of energy protecting their babies from this marauder.

Audubon: Bird Lovers Flocking to the Cause on Climate Change

Audubon: Bird Lovers Flocking to the Cause on Climate Change

Over the last 60 years, Audubon Society members have not only been dedicated bird watchers, but also citizen scientists, collecting data on bird sightings and activity. Audubon’s scientists have used that wealth of data and top climate models to put together a sort of “field guide of the future,” based on the birds’ ideal climatic ranges and how those would shift due to expected greenhouse gas emissions.

How to Make Friends and Influence People in an Age of Climate Change

How to Make Friends and Influence People in an Age of Climate Change

How many neighbors do you know? If you're the average American, maybe not too many. Recent studies have shown that loneliness is on the rise across the country. A 2014 study showed that more than 1 in 4 Americans have no one to talk to when they feel sad, or even when they feel happy.

Do It Your Way with DIY Green Block Parties

Do It Your Way with DIY Green Block Parties

Summer is upon us and with it the annual block party season. Block parties are a special part of celebrating community and our wonderful outdoor spaces. It’s also a great way of recognizing and celebrating the many sustainability initiatives and resources in our community – whether it’s native or edible gardens, backyard or curbside composting (offered through the villages of Oak Park and River Forest), solar panels or learning about the awesome trees on your block. By shining a light on these important community assets, we encourage one another and help to build a more resilient future for our children.

Summer Green Guides theme: Healthy Lawn, Healthy Family

Summer Green Guides theme: Healthy Lawn, Healthy Family

Join us for refreshments, conversation and to learn how residents are getting beautiful lawns that are healthy for pets, children and all living things. Lawn care seems to be an ongoing challenge -- whether it's a battle with creeping charlie or the challenge of reaching agreement with your spouse about who and how lawn care is done -- you'll hear stories and tips from professionals and residents on their experiences and recommendations.

What's That New Building in Austin Gardens?

What's That New Building in Austin Gardens?

On Saturday June 11, the Park District of Oak Park will hold a community celebration to mark the opening of Oak Park's new, state-of-the-art Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center, located north of the intersection of Forest Avenue and Lake Street.

Native Gardens for Schools and Congregations

Native Gardens for Schools and Congregations

This presentation will include discussion on how Oak Park and River Forest schools and congregations can install their own native plant/butterfly gardens and be a part of the “Wild Ones 200” Native Garden Corridor in Oak Park and River Forest. Learn how to get involved, what support Wild Ones will provide and when and how to get started. Learn about native plants and why they are so valuable in designed landscapes, and how they benefit institutions and the broader community.

Karen's Garden Provides Space to Grow

Karen's Garden Provides Space to Grow

On April 2, to mark the beginning of the season, the Oak Park Area Edible Gardening Cooperative will launch a unique community garden project dubbed “Karen’s Garden.” Oak Park resident Allen Green has graciously made his yard available to members of the Cooperative as a shared space for growing food and creating native habitat, at 213 Thomas St., in Oak Park.