Summer days have an intense energy. For us, it’s easy to pack a lot of activity into long, sunlight-filled days. The atmosphere is packed in a different way, with thick, heavy humidity and sun-baked heat. You have probably experienced one of these particularly sweltering days where periods of calm are interrupted with a sudden summer storm. One moment you are relaxing, the next, you hear the rumbling of thunder, and it begins to rain, instantly cooling the hot ground and taking the stickiness from the air. You don’t have long to take in the scene as the intensity of the heat gives way to an intense storm. This is a different kind of energy in the air; this is a summer storm.

Nature holds the answers for how to be more efficient with managing our supplies of earth’s natural resources. In fact, nature serves as the inspiration and blueprint for many structures and objects we use every day! Biomimicry is a practice of engineering that creates designs based on structures and sequences from the Earth’s natural world, including but not limited to plants, animals, and geographies. Biomimicry designs are meant to imitate functions that already exist and occur in nature. These designs are being transferred over and scaled up to provide solutions to human caused problems. There are three main core principles that make up biomimicry: recreating natural shapes, processes, and entire ecosystems.

*please note: This blog was adapted from a blog series authored in 2023.

How to Safely dispose of common corrosive and hazardous household materials

When you think of summer in Illinois, you might picture swaying prairie grasses, tall oak trees, and, if you’re outside long enough, bugs. From the fireflies that light up July evenings to the pesky mosquitoes biting your ankles during a bonfire, insects are an inescapable part of our landscape. But they’re not just a buzzing background, bugs play essential roles in our ecosystems, gardens, and food systems. While some invasive insects threaten local biodiversity, most bugs are crucial contributors to a healthy environment. Insects are often overlooked– or worse, feared–but many are performing essential ecological services every day, and they deserve our thanks!

As a New Yorker who has had the opportunity to be in the Midwest for the first time since I moved here in October, there has been no shortage of environmental wonders to explore to my heart’s content. Here is my list of the wonders of the Midwest, which includes a few places I have visited and a few places I have yet to check out. All of these gardens and parks are within Rockford or a 3-hour drive of Rockford, perfect for a day trip!

Please note: This blog was originally published by Jillian Neece on August 10, 2023, but has been updated to reflect numbers as of June 2, 2025. This summer, like every summer at Severson Dells, has been filled with laughing campers, stunning prairie wildflowers, and explorations in the creek. But this summer has also brought record breaking heat and some of the worst air quality the area has ever seen due to wildfires in Canada and the western United States. There are currently 174 active wildfires burning throughout Canada, and 44% of those are considered “out of control.” In the United States, there are currently 7 fires burning throughout 6 states, and only 3 are considered contained. Most experts predict that many of these fires will continue throughout the summer and fall. So, I figured it was time for a deep dive on wildfires!

Encouraging children to spend time outside is essential. However, this is not a new concept; in fact, many people are already aware of the benefits of kids spending time outdoors! Examples, including getting vitamin D from sun exposure, exercise, and educational opportunities, have been highlighted in articles that urge parents to take action. But many more reasons can be used to convince further nature skeptics. Spending time outside is great for fostering curiosity and autonomy in children. These are both valuable traits that kids carry with them into adulthood. Going outdoors also builds resiliency and critical survival skills. Who knew that letting kids play outside can help improve their safety! Finally, allocating some of a child’s day to being outside can further connections with the real world, such as deepening understanding of a sense of place, and relationship development with food systems.

Take a look outside. Most of the flowers, trees, and plants you see exist because of a special group of insects and animals that transfer pollen from one plant to another. These insects and animals are referred to as pollinators, and they are essential for plant reproduction. Around three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and about one-third of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce! Pollinators do a lot for life on earth, and without them, our earth would look vastly different.

Impacts on Members, the Community and Severson Dells

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