JUNE Explore! By Master Naturalist Pam Johnson June is the month I begin actively looking for Milkweed and Monarchs. Bird migration is over and the resident birds are raising their young. Fledging occurs soon. Monarch migration from Mexico started in April and takes...

Big sky nature reserve Main Parking Lot/5557 S Massbach Rd, Stockton, IL Valley of Eden Bird Sanctuary Lot/5559 E Rush Creek Rd, Stockton, IL The almost 900-acre Big Sky Nature Reserve is divided into two sections, the Valley of Eden Bird Sanctuary and the Home Farm...

Buehler Preserve 102 Jefferson St, Galena, IL.  Thanks to the generosity of former Galena Mayor, Robert Buehler, and his 1999 land donation, the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation owns this 25-acre property. The Galena River Trail, a favorite of bikers, hikers, and...

Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve 870 S Pilot Knob Rd, Galena, IL.  Not only does Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve boast some of the most commanding views of the Mississippi River and its backwater sloughs, it is also an archaeologically significant site. The...

Horseshoe Mound 1679 N Blackjack Rd, Galena, IL. Due to Jo Daviess County zoning regulations, Horseshoe Mound cannot be used as a wedding location. The preserve will be closed May 2-4 and May 9-11. Located at the eastern gateway to the historic city of Galena, the...