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DuPage Forest

@dupageforest

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We've connected people to nature for more than 100 years at 60 forest preserves containing nearly 26,000 acres in DuPage County, Illinois.

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In nature, mussels occur in far higher densities—sometimes up to 60 per square meter—without competing for space or food. Different species even complement each other by filtering different types of algae. A diverse mussel bed is a sign of a healthy, balanced ecosystem.

#conservation #waterconservation #riverconservation by @dupageforest

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7 days ago

We monitor our released mussels regularly, checking on them at least twice every five years. That’s just the minimum—our team usually surveys them even more often to make sure they’re healthy, growing, and thriving in the river.

#conservation #waterconservation #freshwatermussels by @dupageforest

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8 days ago

Freshwater mussels are small but mighty! They filter impurities from the water, stabilize river sediment, create habitat for fish and insects, and even serve as food for wildlife like river otters. These incredible creatures quietly keep our waterways healthy every day. 🌊🐚💙 by @dupageforest

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9 days ago

At Herrick Lake, we’re looking at how native oak trees support an entire food web. Oaks can host over 550 caterpillar species, providing essential food for birds raising their young.

Compare that to invasive buckthorn, which offers almost no food value and blocks acorns from growing into new oaks.

This is why restoring oak ecosystems matters. It keeps our woodlands thriving from the ground up. 🌳✨

#oaktrees #oakwoodland #conservation #nativeplants by @dupageforest

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14 days ago

At Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, the Forest Preserve District is restoring one of the region’s most vital ecosystems by helping old-growth oak woodlands recover. Oaks are the foundation of Midwestern biodiversity because they support more than 550 species of caterpillars, which provide essential food for birds and many other wildlife species.

Many of these 250-year-old oaks are reaching the end of their life cycle, and invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle have prevented new oaks from growing. District crews have been clearing invasives, opening the canopy, planting native seed, and using controlled burns to rebuild the landscape. As a result, oak seedlings are returning, prairies and wetlands are thriving, and the preserve is becoming stronger for wildlife, for visitors, and for the future of the region.

#conservation #oaktrees #woodlandrestoration #nativeplants by @dupageforest

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15 days ago

Releasing Blanding's turtles as hatchlings gives them a much better chance at survival by protecting them from nest predators. Today, with the help of our awesome volunteers, we’re releasing a new group of hatchlings into the wild. Their support helps make the Blanding’s head-start program what it is!

#turtles #turtletuesday #turtleconservation by @dupageforest

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a month ago

Thanks to the completion of construction at DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, we now have a dedicated space to head-start state endangered Blanding’s turtles. By caring for these young turtles during their first year, we greatly increase their chances of surviving in the wild.

#turtles #turtletuesday #turtleconservation by @dupageforest

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a month ago

Thanks for the question! By the time our ecologists return to the mussel release site for a survey, the mussels will have burrowed into the riverbed.

#waterconservation #conservation #conservationmatters taken in Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve & Nature Center by @dupageforest

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a month ago

Last week, we released our 50,000th native freshwater mussel raised at the Urban Stream Research Center into Salt Creek. These hardy filter-feeders play a huge role in cleaning our rivers and streams — one adult can filter up to 18 gallons of water a day!

This release marks a major milestone for the Forest Preserve District’s freshwater mussel propagation and reintroduction program. Releasing them into Salt Creek is possible thanks to years of water-quality improvements by the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup and @mwrd_of_greater_chicago, whose efforts have helped transform the creek into a healthier waterway where native mussels can once again thrive.

#waterconservation #conservation #conservationmatters #freshwatermussels #illinoisconservation taken in Fullersburg Woods by @dupageforest

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a month ago

We're challenging you to spend 30-minutes screen free each day, and there's no better place than your DuPage Forest Preserves! View helpful tips and resources on our website https://www.dupageforest.org/unplug-to-recharge by @dupageforest

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2 months ago

For decades, freshwater mussels couldn't survive in this stretch of Salt Creek because of a 90-year-old dam that blocked the creek's natural flow. But today, our ecologists are returning thousands of these important and imperiled aquatic animals to a healthier, restored waterway with oxygen-rich riffles.

This milestone wouldn't have been possible without the support of the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

Thank you, @mwrd_of_greater_chicago and Dupage River Salt Creek Workgroup, for helping make this mussel milestone possible!

#WaterConservation #freshwatermussels #conservationmatters taken in Fullersburg Woods by @dupageforest

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2 months ago

Staff and volunteers at the Urban Stream Research Center are busy tagging mussels collected from Rice Lake. Tagging helps us track how the mussels are doing during future surveys and ensures we don’t accidentally reuse propagated mussels later on. Stay tuned — we’ll be releasing them into Salt Creek soon!

#freshwatermussels #ConservationMatters #WaterConservation taken in Urban Stream Research Center by @dupageforest

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2 months ago