On March 20, 2020 a shelter-in-place order was put into effect by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to prevent the spread of COVID19. After being cooped up at home for weeks, tensions were on the rise. Luckily, nature parks were on the short list of places that families could go during the shelter-in- place order. As a result, hiking trails have experienced a surge of foot traffic. Embracing the fresh air has allowed community members to reconnect with nature, and with each other, in a time otherwise fraught with fear.
Jessica Casillas dips her hand into a natural stream.
Lukas Katilius peers out from behind hedges near his family home in New Lenox, IL.
Chris Casillas poses for a portrait while on a walk outside with his wife.
As the shelter-in-place takes affect, spring weather has returned to Joliet, IL.
An older couple crosses a bridge in Pilcher Park Nature Center.
Two boys chase each other through the trails of Pilcher Park in Joliet, IL on.
Lukas Katilius poses for a portrait.
A mushroom found in Pilcher Park has been carved with the initials B. E. R.
Jessica Casillas walks off the beaten path in the woods near her parent's home.
A diptych of one tree's branches in the sky with another tree's roots underwater taken.
Jessica Casillas emerges from the forest after an afternoon walk.
Minnows swim in Hickory Creek, a body of water next to Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet, IL.
Two sisters race down the nature trails ahead of their parents.
Photo taken in Pilcher Park on April 26, 2020 as winter was ending and spring had just begun.