Thank you for reading. For many people, Nature starts with a capital N. When they think of meaningful experiences in the outdoors, their minds may turn toward grand vistas in national parks and long road trips to faraway destinations. But what might be most beneficial for our health and environment is finding nature, with a lowercase n, closer to home—such as the 31,000-plus acres that make up the Lake County Forest Preserves in northern Illinois.
This blog is an effort to keep readers informed of current natural events and offer suggestions for exploring nature in Lake County, Illinois.
About the author Jen Berlinghof is a graduate of Loyola University and The National Outdoor Leadership School, as well as a Certified Interpretive Guide through The National Association of Interpretation. Her work as an outdoor guide and naturalist has taken her from the canyon lands of Utah to the shores of Lake Superior. Since 2003, she has been discovering nature near her hometown and working as an Environmental Educator for the Lake County Forest Preserves in northern Illinois.
About the editor Brett Peto has served as Environmental Communications Specialist for the Lake County Forest Preserves in northern Illinois since 2017. A graduate of Elmhurst College in 2015, Peto edits copy, selects and retouches photos, and ponders the Latin roots of species names in his spare time. Ever since his first science column in the college newspaper, Peto has found fun in the broad accessibility and deep understanding of complex subjects that effective science writing requires.
Guest author Alyssa Firkus joined the Education Department of the Lake County Forest Preserves as an Education Manager in October 2018. She became Director of Education in 2023. Alyssa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Humboldt State University and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education from Western Washington University. Her work in environmental education has taken her around the world, from Australia to Alaska. She now enjoys going on local adventures with her family.
Guest author Pati Vitt joined the Natural Resources Department of the Lake County Forest Preserves in late 2018. She holds a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Connecticut, an M.S. in Botany & Plant Pathology from the University of Maine, and a B.A. from College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. Having grown up botanically in Maine, she considers plants that are found in boreal forests as old friends, and is happy when she finds them and other new friends in Lake County. Prior to joining the Forest Preserves, Pati worked for nearly 20 years as a Conservation Scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Guest author Eileen Davis, Environmental Educator, has variously served the Lake County Forest Preserves as an intern, volunteer and staff member since 1997. She earned her B.S. in Zoology and Environmental Biology from Eastern Illinois University, and an M.S. in Environmental Education and Interpretation from University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Eileen teaches people of all ages about Lake County’s diverse ecosystems, and the plants and animals that call them home. In her free time, she enjoys tending her home garden and traveling in search of new nature adventures.
Guest author April Vaos has been an Environmental Educator with the Lake County Forest Preserves since 2004. She holds a degree in Environmental Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College and focuses on scout, school and boating programs. Since childhood, April has lived in many places—from the rural areas of Minnesota to the city—and loves finding nature all around her, from the prairies of Illinois to a patch of grass on the road.
Guest author Kim Mikus has been the Media & Community Relations Specialist at the Lake County Forest Preserves since 2018. Prior to that, she spent 20 years as an award-winning journalist and editor at the Daily Herald newspaper. Her passion for writing began at a young age, sparked by penning letters to her grandparents in Canada. During Kim’s school years, she contributed to Libertyville High School’s newspaper, Drops of Ink, and Eastern Illinois University’s paper, The Daily Eastern News, where she also earned her journalism degree. Today, Kim enjoys exploring the forest preserves in Lake County and sharing insights about the area’s hidden treasures with readers.
Guest author Nicole Stocker has worked as a Museum Educator with the Lake County Forest Preserves and Dunn Museum since 2008. She received a B.A. in History, a B.A. in Anthropology and a Secondary Teaching Certification from the University of Michigan. Nicole also received her M.A. in Public History from Loyola University Chicago in 2017. In her role, she researches and teaches about a variety of local history topics and helps lead interpretation at some of the Forest Preserves’ historic sites. Passionate about history education, Nicole loves traveling to visit museums and local coffee shops, and to check more National Parks off her list.
Guest author Heather Johnson has worked at the Dunn Museum for over 15 years. In her current role as a curator, she cares for collections, assists researchers and connects the public to history by helping develop many of the Museum’s exhibits. With an interest in archives and museums, she graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Public History. One of Heather’s favorite parts of her job is learning new things—whether from someone asking a question, from a research request or when something in the collections catches her interest.
Other guest authors include former Public Affairs Manager Allison Frederick, former Wildlife Ecologist Andrew Rutter, former Environmental Educator Jenny Sazama, former Director of Education Nan Buckardt and former Restoration Ecologist Ken Klick.
You may contact us at jberlinghof@LCFPD.org and bpeto@LCFPD.org.
Lake County Nature 