Executive Director, Steve Barg, will address the membership on the eve of his retirement. Kay Weibel will be recognized as the recipient of the 2026 Nancy Hamill Winter Conservation Leadership Award.  Board Chair Alan Wenzel will recap JDCFs accomplishments over the past year and lead the election and re-election of board members.  Heavy appetizers and […]

One of the first signs of spring is the sound of frogs waking up and calling. Join JDCF staff at the Meeker Street Footbridge in downtown Galena for our annual, family-friendly frog walk. We will head down the Galena River Trail towards Buehler Reserve, giving everyone a chance to find and catch the frogs themselves! […]

It's time to celebrate migratory birds on International World Migratory Bird Day. To commemorate this occasion, as well as Galena’s designation as an Illinois Bird City, JDCF invites you to enjoy a walk down the Galena River Trail with Tom Clay, former President of the Illinois Audubon Society, to see and hear birds returning to […]

Join us for a walk in the woods and prairies at the Rutherford Refuge Nature Preserve to discover early spring ephemerals in bloom. Free and RSVPs not needed. This event is proudly sponsored by the Apple River State Bank/First Community Bank of Galena.

You are invited to join Chicago Field Museum insect educators and scientists to see their amazing collections of local and non-local insects. There will also be insect displays collected by local entomologists on hand for viewing. Learn how to use a sweep net to see what weird and wonderful insects you can find in the […]

JDCF invites everyone to Meteors on the Mound for a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower from atop Horseshoe Mound Preserve, which is one of the highest points in Jo Daviess County and offers spectacular views of the tristate area from several different outlooks. This is the only time of the year that the preserve […]

Join JDCF staff and volunteers are we explore the prairie to catch and tag monarch butterflies who are beginning their fall migration back to Mexico. This event will give people of all ages the chance to become one of thousands of volunteers across North America who monitor the health and dynamics of monarch butterfly populations. […]

This 2-day course is certified through the Safety and Woods Working (SAWW) training program and is part of a four-level series designed to increase safety and efficiency of chainsaw use. Registration is through the NW IL Forestry Association. Level 101 is geared toward participants with little or no experience running a chainsaw, covering Level 1 […]

This 2-day course is certified through the Safety and Woods Working (SAWW) training program and is part of a four-level series designed to increase safety and efficiency of chainsaw use. Registration is through the NW IL Forestry Association. Participants in Level 1 training will spend most of the morning in the classroom, and the remainder […]