The year 2023 had some surprises for Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR). FOTFR was very busy with a full calendar of fun including its standard activities of in-stream experiences for youth, lots of cleanups, and many events for building a watershed community of caretakers. Two unanticipated circumstances developed this past year, which were more … Read more

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  As we enter the holiday season, the birding scene in the Fox River Valley has undergone some dramatic changes since the warmer months of summer and fall.  The leaves have fallen from the trees and most of the birds that migrate south for the winter have left … Read more

December’s holiday season brings friends, family, and others together to celebrate a joyful time of gathering, feasting, and sharing gifts. It is a time of kinship and community. We openly welcome each other into our spaces. We set aside differences and focus on our commonalities. A sense of community helps us thrive spiritually, and we … Read more

Culturally, we are entering a giving season. Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday, and religious holiday extravaganzas lie ahead. They are all performed with good intentions, as part of our traditional celebrations, and filled with gratitude. Our give-and-take exchanges are culturally oriented. Often the waste resulting from over-producing food, gift creation, and wrapping and decorations are problematic. In … Read more

I was hiking down the main trail to the Fox River observation platform in the Hoover Forest Preserve (one of my favorite outdoor activities) near Yorkville just a couple of weeks ago in early October when I heard several unfamiliar calls emanating from the crowns of some tall white oak trees about half-way from the … Read more

Since the very beginning of the organization in 1991, Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) has been advocating for dam removal. The mission of the Friends of the Fox River is to preserve, restore and protect the Fox River Watershed’s resources by connecting people with nature through education, research, restoration and advocacy. Restoring the health … Read more

The weather cooperated for a fantastic multi-faceted event. It’s Our Fox River Day (IOFRD) is a celebration of what the Fox River offers us every day in ecosystem and municipal services. Hundreds of folks joined in at over 50 different events to participate in their version of offering thanks to our Fox River. Thank You … Read more

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