Background

The Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary is a part of the Schaumburg Park District, and is considered a living museum for the plants and animals where people can get closer to nature. The sanctuary contains around 135 acres of meadows, woods, and wetlands with 3 1/2 miles of trails. Much of the land has been replanted with native wildflowers and grasses so that the land is more like it was when the first settlers came to the area. This is a really good place to go to see a large variety of plants, birds, and wildlife. In addition, the Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary provides access to the Vokening Heritage Farm, which is a 1880's living history museum.

Fall in the Midwest is a great time for morning walks. On this particular day, we got up early, packed a bag with a camera, magnifying glass, notebook, guide books, and binoculars and set out for a ramble around the sanctuary.

The sanctuary has 3 different trails to follow: Wetland, Prairie, and Woodland. We followed the Wetland trail that winds through some portion of prairie, through woods, and around marshes and ponds.