Since around 1975, folks in the Chicago region have been organizing conferences to celebrate and learn about conservation efforts and challenges in the area known as Chicago Wilderness. It is for volunteers, professionals, and anyone interested in local nature.
These conferences bring together the region’s best experts, professionals, dedicated volunteers, and all those who care about nature. Presentations and workshops explore the latest in natural areas conservation and advocacy, wildlife protection, and monitoring. They showcase Chicago area places from backyards to refuges. A special focus is on empowering citizen scientists, stewards, and advocates with information, networking, and good ideas.
For conference resources and handouts given out by presenters for the conference years 2007 through 2015 and organized by the primary subject area (rather than by the session time slot), please refer to Wild Things Conference Materials.
Although the records of older conferences have not made it to the digital age, here is a lovely perspective by Stephen Packard.