Volo Bog Blog | friendsofvolobog

All Posts

The Mystery of Catfish in the Study Pond

Pauline pond-dips This week, while preparing for a pond-dipping program at Volo Bog’s study pond, our Conservation Education Representative Pauline noticed schools of little black critters swimming around in the pond. At first we assumed they were tadpoles, but the schooling behavior was unusual - upon further inspection, we realized they had little fins and whiskers. She hadn’t found hundreds of tadpoles, she’d found baby catfish! Northeastern Illinois is home to a few diffe

H. Gibson

Jun 262 min read

The Trails Less Traveled

Everyone who comes to Volo Bog has seen the interpretive boardwalk, but what about our other 3 trails? While the interpretive boardwalk is the best way to appreciate the bog itself, Volo Bog State Natural Area also protects the surrounding hills and woods. Keeping these areas wild is integral to the health of the bog, but they also provide valuable wildlife habitat. Three trails - Tamarack View, Deerpath, and Prairie Ridge - offer a look at the lesser-known parts of this site

H. Gibson

Jun 181 min read

A Rainy Day at the Bog

June is a lovely time to visit the bog, but some may be deterred by the recent heat waves and thunderstorms. Thankfully there’s plenty of things to do inside the visitor center! The second level of the Volo Bog visitor center has plenty of exhibits to see. Right at the top of the stairs you’ll be greeted by our simulation floating mat, which you can walk across to see how it feels to walk in the bog. Volo Bog is a “quaking bog”, meaning many of its plants grow on a ring of pe

H. Gibson

Jun 112 min read

Meet the 2026 Scholarship Winners

We are so pleased to announce our 2026 Environmental/Natural Science Scholarship winners. Committee members Dan Haller, Dave LeMieux, and Caryn McAndrews always feel honored to be able to help such students through Friends of Volo Bog. There are three students who will be entering college in the fall: Nivedya Nair is from Lincolnshire and has graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School. She plans to pursue a degree in Environmental Science. She was greatly affected by catas

Caryn McAndrews

Jun 42 min read

New in Town: Meet VBSNA's Summer Intern

Hello! My name is Heidi Gibson and I’m the first summer intern with Friends of Volo Bog. I’m thrilled for this opportunity and I can’t wait to spend my next couple of months here! A little about me: I’m studying Environmental Science at Taylor University in Upland, IN, where I just completed my sophomore year. In my free time I enjoy birding, reading, making art, and working backstage for theatre productions. After school, I’d like to work in environmental education, park int

H. Gibson

May 261 min read

Come Meet The Marsh Moat: New Interpretive Panel at Volo Bog State Natural Area

Next time you're on Tamarack View Trail, stop by the observation blind. There's something new waiting for you! Friends of Volo Bog are excited to share The Marsh Moat , a beautiful custom interpretive panel that brings the story of Volo Bog's marsh ecosystem to life. Friends funded the replacement blind and its professional staining (read more in our earlier post, New Observation Blind Gets Professional Finish ), and invested $3,600 in the design, fabrication, and shipping of

jkdenne

Feb 152 min read

Honoring Stacy Iwanicki | Native Plants of Volo Bog: Tamarack

We continue our tribute to Stacy Iwanicki, the DNR naturalist who has devoted over 35 years to Volo Bog and will be retiring at the end of February. This time, we're featuring Stacy's article on Tamarack (American Larch) from the Bog Log. Although it's winter now, Stacy's article takes us through the tamarack's remarkable journey across all four seasons from soft green needles in spring to summer clusters, golden autumn splendor, and finally stark winter silhouettes awaiting

jkdenne

Feb 74 min read

Celebrate Snow at Volo Bog

Snow has transformed Volo Bog into a tapestry of white, red, brown, and black. On Sunday, I joined Stacy Iwanicki, our DNR naturalist, for a walk on the boardwalk covered with several inches of snow. Wearing snowshoes, Stacy created a path for others to follow. This fluffy snow begs for creativity. Look how it perches on railings and branches, inspiring imagination. What creatures do you see? Against the white landscape, winterberry hollies glow like scarlet beacons, their br

jkdenne

Dec 8, 20251 min read

2025 Friends of Volo Bog Bird Seed Sale

A Note from Bill and Linnea Lindh We were very pleased with this year's annual FOVB Bird Seed Sale results thanks to many people. Besides the help we received from Harvard Egg, Feed & Produce and Volo Bog volunteers including Caryn McAndrews, Amy Runkle, Bobby Long, Lisa Nadler, Dan and Danny Jr. Graham, sales from you were at an all-time high!! All of us want to take care of wildlife, especially during the cold, winter months. This sale proved how passionate all of you are t

jkdenne

Nov 13, 20251 min read

Honoring Stacy Iwanicki | Native Plants of Volo Bog: Winterberry Holly

We continue our tribute to Stacy Iwanicki, the DNR naturalist who has devoted over 35 years to Volo Bog, with our third post in this series. This time, we're featuring Stacy's article on Winterberry Holly from the Bog Log. Perfect timing: winterberry holly is at its peak right now at Volo Bog! The brilliant red berries are pressed against the stems in the tall shrub zone, creating stunning splashes of color against the fall landscape. Stacy's article offers wonderful insight

jkdenne

Nov 5, 20254 min read