The Chicago Wilderness Alliance's Cafe series serves up conversations on topics affecting our region, including Green Vision Initiatives, conservation issues of common concern, new and innovative work, and challenges. Virtually connect with your colleagues to share ideas, pose questions, and find out what's happening around the region.

Registration is always open to the public and is always free. View all our recorded Cafes and webinars.

Upcoming Cafes

---

Obsessed with Observations: Become an iNaturalist Super User Monday, April 6, 2026 at 1:00 PM CT

Ready to start seeing the natural world in a whole new way? During this cafe you’ll learn how to up your skills as a naturalist and community scientist by developing a keener eye for spotting the unusual, the tiny, and the unexpected in the urban environment. Learn how to use iNaturalist – a widely used app and website that allows anyone to document the living world around them – to not just help you identify new discoveries, but to make meaningful observations of the incredible diversity of plants, animals and fungi in a way that contributes to science. In preparation for the Chicagoland City Nature Challenge, local researchers and iNaturalist super observers from the Field Museum and University of Chicago will offer tips for finding more species, recognizing overlooked organisms, and documenting observations in ways that can help others identify them.    Presenters: Will Yaegar, University of Chicago  Jing-Yi Lu, Field Museum Nicole Machuca, Field Museum

Learn more and register here

---

Chicago Wilderness Alliance Partners: Create a Cafe

Are you a Chicago Wilderness Alliance partner with a conservation success story you'd like to share or a topic to introduce and discuss with your peers? We'd love to have you create a Cafe session! 

Cafes are conducted via Zoom and typically last 1 hour. We can provide template slides or other assistance. We'll also promote your session on social media and in our monthly newsletter. 

Complete the Cafe request form below to create and hold your own CWA Cafe. Or contact Laura Reilly to talk through your Cafe session idea. Thanks for sharing your expertise with the Chicago Wilderness Alliance network!