Forest Preserve, Homer Glen Partner For Recreation Programs

HOMER GLEN, IL — The Forest Preserve District of Will County is partnering with the Village of Homer Glen to offer a series of free programs that will encourage area residents to enjoy nature and outdoor activities at both Forest Preserve and Village locations, the preserve said in a release.

"The partnership will help increase awareness of the District and encourage visitation to local forest preserves including Messenger Marsh, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve and Hadley Valley,” said Lynn Kurczewski, the Forest Preserve’s director of visitor services.

Homer Glen has championed the goal of community and nature in harmony since the village's inception in 2001, said Amy Blank, the village's communications and recreation coordinator.

"What better way to celebrate that ideal, especially during the Village’s 20th Anniversary year, than with programs that get residents communing with nature," she said in a release. "With this partnership, the Forest Preserve District has generously come up with an amazing roster of programs that we know our residents will love."

Registration is required for each program. To sign up, call 815-727-8700. Program attendees do not have to be residents of Homer Glen, the preserve said.

April

• Wildflower Walk: 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 24, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve. Ages 10 or older. Explore Messenger Woods Nature Preserve’s spring wildflower diversity and abundance. Meet at Hawthorn Grove Shelter.

May

• Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring: 1-2 p.m., May 2, Village of Homer Glen’s Heritage Park Pavilion. Ages 18 or older. Offered as part of the Village’s Heritage Park Anniversary Picnic, this program will introduce you to easy steps to start a vegetable garden.
• Family Bike Ride: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., May 15, Hadley Valley – Gougar Road Access. Free, all ages. Registration is required by May 13. Enjoy an afternoon of biking and various family-based activities along the 2.5-mile crushed limestone route.

June

• Creeker Seekers: 9:30-11:30 a.m., June 22, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve. Ages 5 or older. Bring your boots and a sense of wonder as we search for aquatic critters big and small in Spring Creek. Wear long pants and proper footwear. No flip-flops allowed.

July

• LEGO Gone Wild!: 9:30-11:30 a.m., July 20, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve. Ages 5 or older. Search for pollinators and discover how important they are, and then get building with LEGO blocks.

August

• Planting Natives: 3-4 p.m. ,Aug. 7, 319 Garden at Heritage Park, Homer Glen. Ages 18 or older. Learn why native plants are a better fit for your yard and their importance to birds, bees and butterflies, and then identify natives that are growing in the 319 Heritage Park garden. The 319 Garden is located along the concrete sidewalks, just off the parking area at Heritage Park. This program is offered as part of the Village’s Sidewalk Art Chalk Event.
• Nature Explorers: 9:30-11:30 a.m., Aug. 17, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve. Free, ages 5 or older. Become a nature detective and investigate signs of animal activity to determine who’s living in the forest. A naturalist will be guiding you off trail, so be prepared by wearing long pants and proper footwear. No flip-flops allowed.

September

• Gardening for Monarchs: 7-8:30 p.m., Sept. 29, Homer Glen Village Hall. Ages 18 or older. Learn which natives to plant and how to grow them in your yard to provide valuable nectar sources and habitats for these important pollinators. This program is presented by longtime Forest Preserve volunteer and University of Illinois Certified Master Gardener Phyllis Schulte.