La Vista Ecological Learning Center

Especially on a sunny day one can stand atop the bluffs at La Vista and feel linked to eagles, hawks, or vultures riding thermals rising...

Who doesn't love a foggy day when Earth is wrapped in mystery? In late January dense fog unfolded during the night and filled sinkholes,...

On December 6, 2023, John Surette, SJ, died peacefully, leaving a legacy of inspiration in his book The Divine Dynamic: Exploring the...

This month creation beckons us to silence, inviting us to be still. Woodchucks and chipmunks sleep in underground dens, crickets have...

Last month was Oaktober in Illinois, a time for celebrating the beauty and importance of oaks, our state tree. Although there are many...

During fall the pollinator garden at La Vista brings to mind Mary Oliver’s delightful poem “Goldenrod”. She describes these ubiquitous...

When I observe sunsets, especially from the Crow’s Nest at La Vista, I am drawn into what Thomas Berry calls the great cosmic liturgy of...

It was toward the end of June, and I had just come home from the Urban Farm Tour which showcased unique farms in the city of Alton and...

Early in June as I sat on the porch in the morning listening very carefully to the outdoor bird symphony, I heard an unusual sound,...

RESTOR is a global restoration movement with an inspiring mission: “accelerating the conservation and restoration of nature for the...