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
For this month’s column, I’ve decided to recount an incredibly unique experience I had along the banks of the Fox River last October (2022) on one of my frequent visits to the river observation platform at the Hoover Forest Preserve in Yorkville. As you might suspect, this experience revolved around the interaction of three different … Read more
On April 18, 2023, American Rivers released their 38th annual list of the 10 most endangered rivers in America (endangered rivers video). The objective of the list is to amplify the stories of each river to rally together the support necessary to address the threats they face. Currently, three factors have converged that threaten many … Read more
I frequently like to take drives along the Fox River where roads closely parallel the riverbank. One such road that I particularly like to take during this time of year (spring) is IL Route 25 from Aurora south to Oswego. This route passes by some great fishing areas, the sites of several water willow stands. … Read more
On April 22 many of us celebrate Earth Day by planting trees and attending festivals, but the first Earth Day in 1970 was a national bipartisan demonstration against the blatant disregard for environmental and human health. Prior to that, there was a lack of clean air and water standards. Industries fouled the air and water, … Read more
If Not You, Then Who? Spring is a period of transition. Cold one day and warm the next. But all the while new plant and animal growth is steadily emerging and soon to be blooming or birthing. Some of yesterday’s political candidates will be emerging as our new local decision and policy makers. Friends of … Read more
It’s an early morning, the sun is just up, and the water looks like a sheet of glass as you slide onto the surface. The only sounds are the birds, an occasional fish breaking the surface, and some droplets off your paddle as you move the blade to the front. It’s a memorable experience, one … Read more
It’s the first day of meteorological spring (March 1) as I write my column for this month’s Reflections on the Fox blog. Spring is an exciting season of “comebacks” in our Fox River Valley. As of this writing, great flocks of Sandhill Cranes have been seen flying overhead as they come back from their winter … Read more
Humans are generally social creatures. We survive and thrive by working together. We are all individuals. For a variety of reasons, we develop relationships. We find commonality with others as siblings, neighbors, classmates, partners, friends, colleagues and more. By cooperating and collaborating with others, we can better achieve our common interests and aspirations. These groups … Read more