I’ve always loved to come across a Green Heron when I’m on the river fishing or hiking in a riverside forest preserve. These interesting herons are less frequent sights than their larger cousins, the Great Blue Heron and the Great Egret in our area. These beautiful birds have been on the decline over the last … Read more
Join us Saturday, September 16th for It’s Our Fox River Day! We will be celebrating 50 years of restoration and the resulting recovery. Organize and host your own event or participate in one that fits your interest. Giving Back It’s Our Fox River Day (IOFRD) is pronounced “I offered” – a day intended to be … Read more
My sister and l recently took a ride out to the site of the Little Rock Creek Bald Eagle nest that I have written about in this space previously. While the eaglets had fledged a few weeks ago, I was hopeful that one or two of the juvenile eagles or their parents might be paying … Read more
Right now aquatic plants are thriving in our watershed! It is said that you can never step in the same river twice, since it is always flowing and thus changing. Weather conditions change with the seasons in temperate climates like ours. Plants and animals have developed their successful strategies to be in synch with the changes. Not blooming or … Read more
As I write this article in early July, I’m celebrating the beginning of a wonderful Independence Day weekend for our country, but also the emergence from the nest of a new-year-class of Bald Eagles. They are making their debut in the skies over the Fox River watershed! I have been closely following the progress of … Read more
I just returned from my annual faculty position at the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment. 300+ selected high school students convene for a week of personal and professional growth while exploring careers and understanding how environmental protection works. Students see that every day in Washington D.C., members of the public exercise our freedom to … Read more
Back in 2005, I wrote a column for the Friends of the Fox River’s newsletter entitled “How Green Is My River?” due to the incredible algae blooms that were going on that year. For much of that year, the river was a vivid pea-soup green: not healthy for river life and not very aesthetically pleasing … Read more
What is a friend? Someone with whom you have a bond of mutual affection and support is a friend. As each party learns about each other, the relationship develops over time, which creates a feeling of respect that grows into affection. Such a relationship has give and take and tangible reasons for the camaraderie. Sustenance to Profit … Read more
River protection comes in the form of education, advocacy, research, and restoration. Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is the local leader and invests heavily in watershed education. Jenni Kempf is now the Director of Educational Program Operations. Since 2009, FOTFR has employed part- time educators to lead students in boots-on and in-stream explorations. The … Read more
The Fox, Local Legend Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) is proud of our history of working to protect, maintain, and restore the Fox River Watershed. Our predecessor was the local (and internationally known), The FOX. The teacher-by-day, punisher-of-polluters-by-night character. He is often credited with educating the public through the media coverage of his capers … Read more