Forest Preserve programs feature Black History Month, snowshoeing and owl painting

FILE – In this Sunday, May 31, 2020 file photo, Northbound Lake Shore Drive sits empty of motorists traveling to downtown Chicago as police force traffic off at the 31st Street exit, as part of a security perimeter around the downtown area. Chicago’s City Council voted Friday, June 25, 2021 to add the name of a Black recognized as a key settler of the city to an iconic road. In a compromise, alderman voted to change the name of Lake Shore Drive to Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive. DuSable, a native of Haiti, is considered Chicago’s first permanent, non-indigenous settler. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

The Forest Preserve District of Will County offers a wide variety of programs year-round. Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org. Here is the lineup:

Rivers of Colors – Winter Greens: 1-2:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon. Enjoy a short hike and discover the magic of mosses, and then head inside to make your own plant creation to take home. Free, ages 10 or older. Register by Feb. 10.

Snowshoe With You: 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, Isle a la Cache Museum, Romeoville. Learn about snowshoes and then don a pair to play a few games and go snowshoeing. Free, ages 16 or older. Register by Feb. 9.

Wander and Wonder Hike: 10-11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, Hickory Creek Preserve – LaPorte Road Access, Mokena. This slow, meandering hike is for those who hike for discovery over destination. Free, ages 10 or older.

Volunteer Morning: 9 a.m.-noon, Hadley Valley – Bruce Road Access, Homer Township. Activities will include removing invasive woody plants. Registration is required. Complete a waiver online at ReconnectWithNature.org. For information, contact Emily Kenny at 815-722-7364 or [email protected]. Ages 10 or older.

Little Explorers – Animals in Winter: 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon. Learn about animals in winter with a story, a hike, hands-on activities, crafts and free play. Free, ages 3-5. Register by Feb. 14.

Lunch and Learn – Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (Zoom Webinar): noon-12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, online. Explore the life of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable to mark Black History Month. Log in to learn who he is and why he is important. Learn about his life as a prominent trader and his legacy as a pioneer of the Midwest. Free, ages 13 or older. Register online for the Zoom link.

Nature Painting – Owls for Two: 5-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Bolingbrook. Grab your valentine, your BFF or maybe meet someone new and make an owl face painting that can be hung together or separately. All equipment will be included. Participants may bring their own adult beverages (beer or wine, please). Light refreshments will be available. Ages 21 or older; $20 per person. Register by Feb. 14.

For more information on the Forest Preserve District of Will County, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.