It’s time for the Carpentersville Dam’s retirement to be celebrated. It retired years ago when it no longer worked to move water into the race areas. The dam was constructed to provide mechanical power and later ice. They were very important jobs for local industrial development, but electricity and refrigeration have rendered them obsolete. The Carpentersville … Read more
An Informed Public Voice Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is an advocacy organization that relies on public education to build a watershed community of caretakers. We live in an era of rampant misinformation. As demonstrated on our own social media posts, people can comment negatively as experts without evidence for their fears and claims. … Read more
Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is the leader in providing watershed experiences for children. Since mid-April, FOTFR has delivered our services to over 2500 youth. The standard format is hosting students in their local streams to collect physical, chemical, and biological data. It is real science with a real purpose. But FOTFR meets residents … Read more
July 4th is a celebration of American independence from a monarchy and transition to a democratic system of governance. The words “We the People” give us the responsibility of not only choosing our leaders but also voicing our opinions and ideas. Friends of the Fox River works to be a voice for the Fox River … Read more
Kermit said, “It’s not easy being green.” Indeed, it must be difficult to be a frog. Hatching from an egg underwater into a plump tadpole with tiny arms, no legs, and a wiggling tail probably is a welcome sight to a long list of potential predators. Then as with other amphibians they transform gills to … Read more
Spring is in full swing. Those spring ephemerals are in glorious bloom, and folks are getting more active with outdoor activities. Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) just wrapped up the spring friend-raising and fundraising drive. Many Friends took the prompt to spring forward with their financial support and others to sign up to emerge … Read more
The first day of spring is a day on the calendar, but we know that it is a long process requiring good timing and resilience if you are an emerging plant. Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) has selected the onset of spring to be our period of emerging growth. For FOTFR, April and May … Read more
Join the exciting world of environmental education with Friendsof the Fox River (FOTFR)! We are currently seeking enthusiastic individuals to join our education team as paid staff, interns, and volunteers. Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is a leader in providing watershed education for youth and restoring the Fox River through advocacy, cleanups, and public … Read more
Can you resist watching young puppies and kittens play? Their pouncing and wrestling reflect instinctive drives that once were important for survival but are no longer required for our furry pets since the advent of reliable “bowl feeding” by humans. In the wild, adult animals pass on knowledge to offspring to guide their behavior to … Read more
February offers several reasons to celebrate, such as, Ground Hog Day, President’s Day, Chinese New Year, and Mexico’s Constitution and Flag Day. The big winner though is Valentine’s Day. Like many holidays, the actual honoring of the date has been stretched but the essence is the heart symbol and love messages. As a fourth grader, … Read more