RecRegion

02/12/2021

❄️Warning❄️ these trail grooming updates from DuPage Forest Preserves might make you drool if you enjoy playing in snow. Be sure to follow their page for the latest and greatest this weekend!

Ranger crews just completed grooming the trails out at Waterfall Glen and Meacham Grove. More snow on the way, happy skiing!

Here is a shot of the groomer early today, at Waterfall Glen.

07/01/2020

It's so wonderful that people are seeking more ways to play outside this summer. 🌳🛶⛺️ Folks are wanting to find nature spaces that they haven't experienced before, but they don't know where to look. Here are some top favorite resources that Rec Region has gathered through research and experience to help you find your way. Let us know what else you need, we're here for you! 🤓

06/07/2020

📚📖 Highly recommended articles from black and brown community perspectives on enjoying time outdoors in nature:

https://www.melaninbasecamp.com/around-the-bonfire/2019/4/10/why-black-people-should-take-up-space-outdoors

https://wamu.org/story/17/04/17/black-bodies-green-spaces/

https://www.thecut.com/2020/06/interview-corina-newsome-co-organizer-of-black-birders-week.html

🚣🏿‍♀️🚴🏿‍♂️ Resources and representation for black and brown outdoor communities:

https://outdoorafro.com

https://www.melaninbasecamp.com

https://www.theblackoutdoors.com

https://blackgirlstrekkin.com/2019/01/24/a-black-girls-guide-to-hiking-in-the-rain-by-tiffany-tharpe

https://www.browngirlsclimb.com

https://www.diversifyoutdoors.com

🖤🌳 Support diversity and inclusion outdoors:

https://www.insolidarityproject.com/the-pledge
In Solidarity "connects leading outdoor brands with inclusion advocates to advance representation for people of color across the industry." Check out their list of partners and brands who have signed THE OUTDOOR CEO DIVERSITY PLEDGE.

05/13/2020

Stressed 😟 about how to keep life in Chicago moving on in the midst of a pandemic? Me too. It had been 2 weeks since my last outdoor adventure while I focused on work behind the scenes, and the exploding panic attack 😨😤🤯🥴 from basic life management was the final straw. I had to get out and absorb some peace in nature 🌻 or I'd fully lose my mind!

Isolating from COVID-19 while trapped inside small apartments 🌆 with no private yards, no trees, no nature views, no lakeside or riverside parks or trails 🚫 to exercise on… the concrete jungle in Chicago has felt confining and suffocating and stressful these past couple months. 🏙🏙🏙 "City dwellers have a 20 percent higher risk of anxiety disorders and a 40 percent higher risk of mood disorders as compared to people in rural areas" say experts at Stanford University, and that's during "normal" world conditions!

Health scientists have been analyzing a growing body of research on the positive mental effects of spending time in nature (ecotherapy). 🌳😊🌳😊 Studies are repeatedly showing that spending time in natural outdoor settings can boost our moods and break that relentless, negative thought loop that takes over our minds when we're stressed, anxious and depressed. 🔁 Now couldn't we all use a break from that! 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

You probably don't need Stanford or Harvard experts to prove that spending time in nature helps us feel better 🤔 but check out the article links below for some compelling encouragement to play outside.

So anyway, I've had my eye on these Poplar Creek trails for a while, 😍 waiting for the right time to enjoy. Somehow, I just knew they'd be special and boy was I right! A combination of vitamin D soaked green grass trails, 🌞 hushed rolling woodlands 🌳🌲 and violet wildflowers 🌷 under budding spring blossomed trees… after 9 miles of pure bliss, my heart and mind were healed. 🦋

Sources:
https://news.stanford.edu/2015/06/30/hiking-mental-health-063015/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/sour-mood-getting-you-down-get-back-to-nature

04/22/2020

Leave the boots at home. 🥾 As soon as you pull into the parking lot of Middlefork Savanna preserve, you'll know you won't be having a "rugged" nature experience. 🌼 Beautifully manicured, wide path, crushed gravel trails, adorned with wrought iron bridges over the North Branch Chicago River, welcome you in. This land is clearly well cared for by the Lake County Forest Preserve and local community. 💚💙💛

Ironically, the bounds of this carefully curated landscaping protect a rare plot of black soil oak savanna, closely representing the native, untouched, wild soil before North American settlers plowed it all down for farming. While strolling 🚶‍♀️ or biking 🚴‍♀️ (6 feet apart please!) along the 4 miles of open trails with ease and comfort, try to imagine vast swaths of this untouched oak savanna land, expanding miles upon miles across the Midwest. 🤔 How times have changed!

Speaking of preservation and environtmental protection, happy 50th birthday to Earth Day! 🌎 Thanks to all the scientists, naturalists, lobbyists and enthusiasts that support efforts to make sure we continue to have beautiful spaces to play outside. 👏

04/07/2020

It's happening! 🌷 Spring is here, buds are popping and we are finally feeling some sun. 🌞 It can be so hard to stay at home on days like these but it's imperative to follow safety guidelines. ✨Staying home today saves lives.✨

If you are relying on your local public parks and trails for exercise and sanity, here are some tips to keep in mind:

🏠 Stay close to home. We all know we will recover faster by reducing the spread of COVID-19.

🌱 Seek out lesser known trails that are typically light traffic.

🍃 Consider choosing a loop trail vs. out and back to minimize chances of crossing paths with others.

🌦 Plan to visit during off-peak hours, such as weekday mornings. Rainy days can be excellent times to play in the elements without crowds.

🌳 Check the respective park service website to make sure the trail or park is open or accessible.
🚫 All facilities are closed and many popular trails and parks have blocked access.
🚫 Some Chicagoland counties have closed all parking access to parks & trails to prevent drivers from traveling far from home.

🍀 Have several back-up plans. If you arrive at a trail and the parking lot is crowded or you see a lot of people, leave. This is not the trail for you, try another option.

🌬 Respect everyone's desire to stay healthy and find peace & solace while on trails. Maintain substantial distance and enjoy your own space of fresh air.

Rec Region pledges to support Chicago residents through this pandemic with the wellness properties of nature and time outdoors. However during this critical time, please follow official health guidance and refrain from leaving home to the best of your ability. Stay well. 💚💛💙

04/03/2020

Upright, standing dead trees (snags) play an important role in the forest for many forms of wildlife. Woodpeckers, bluebirds, wood ducks, red squirrels, hawks, eagles, owls, bats and more, all utilize snags for cozy shelters, perches for hunting or a source for nutritious meals of ants and beetles. 🦅🦉🦇 Learn more about the role of dead trees in our local forest preserves here: https://fpdcc.com/did-you-know-dead-trees-play-an-important-role/

📷 Snags are excellent photography subjects, offering a uniquely complex contrast against their environments. This compilation was snapped at Bemis Woods along the orange 🟠 red 🔴 and yellow 🟡 trails.

Bemis Woods, beautifully managed by the Forest Preserves of Cook County, is located less than 30 minutes by car from downtown Chicago.

03/30/2020

Wow Chicago, that was a tough first weekend with our city parks and paths closed down. How are y'all holding up? Rec Region virtually enjoys nature videos, photos and education to keep the nature connection strong. Today's focus is frogs!

Can you identify which type of frog we hear at Swallow Cliff Woods? Check out this USGS catalog of Midwest frog calls and comment below if you find a match! https://umesc.usgs.gov/terrestrial/amphibians/armi/frog_calls.html

Fun 🐸 Fact #1: Some species of frogs can survive winter by letting their bodies freeze. No breathing, no blood flow, not even a heart beat! Then they thaw in spring and hop right back into action. Learn more about how this is possible from researchers at Northwestern University. https://helix.northwestern.edu/blog/2016/04/natures-mysteries-frog-freeze-thaw

Fun 🐸 Fact #2: A group of frogs is called an Army. 🐸🐸🐸

03/26/2020

Let’s all do our part to stay healthy and safely distant so we can meet on the trails again soon.

03/24/2020

Take a break from the news chatter and let some creek chatter wash away your worries for a moment.

03/19/2020

It’s the first day of spring! The sun continues to rise. Our hours of sunlight are officially becoming longer than darkness. And even though we’re enduring gloomy days, there is peace and beauty within our reach.

Stay safe, stay healthy, please stay put for now when you can. 💙💛💚