Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve

"Pretty much everywhere along the trail and throughout the prairie are the bright yellow sunflower-like blooms of the short statured lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata). The cheery flowers of this plant are very inviting to our native pollinators"

Click the link below to read the rest of this week's Ripples Article:
https://woodlanddunes.org/ripples-6-25-2026/

🦋 Happy pollinator week! 🐝

From butterflies to bumble bees, moths to flies, hummingbirds to beetles, pollinators are out there helping us every day (and night!)
What is your favorite pollinator species? 🔍

Top Row: Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Soldier Beetle, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Middle Row: Monarch, Silver-spotted Skipper, Sweat Bee
Bottom Row: Virginia Ctenucha, Red-spotted Purple, Hoverfly
Images by Kennedy Zittel, Naturalist

Our staff’s favorite series for June is… Our Favorite Trail 🥾

Max (Land Manager): Black Cherry Trail

“There is so much native plant diversity along this trail. You can see large hemlock, white pine, beech, red maple and yellow birch (amongst others). One of our boardwalks goes past a large cedar tip-up where you can stop and appreciate the massive scale of their root systems and their incredible ability to keep growing even when they’ve fallen over. It’s also a great trail to see spring wildflowers and enjoy fall color.”

🥾0.8 mi
🥾Black cherry and Trillium Trail meander, often concurrently, through the ridges and swales of an ancient beach. You’ll pass through upland mixed hardwoods and a wooded swamp, catching glimpses of birds and amphibians in the spring, summer, and fall. Several small bridges cross these seasonally wet swales. Trillium Trail also connects with the the Ice Age Trail before looping back to Black Cherry Trail. Parking is available at the end of Goodwin Road, please do not block the green gate.

Our Dunes Treasure Adventure Summer Camp was a success... we found the hidden treasure! 🔍 (Session 2)
6 & 7 year old campers deciphered hidden clues that led us through various camp activities... and to the treasure map! Campers learned how to use a compass to guide us on our journey down Willow Trail. We found hidden map pieces, the key, clues left behind by the animals around us, and the hidden treasure chest - full of treasures that campers got to keep to help them on future adventures! 😎