News & Media
There’s always something happening at the Macon County Conservation District! Staff and volunteers work all year round to provide you with educational programs, restore natural areas, and preserve historic sites. To know what’s going on:
Prairie Islander
Subscribe to the Prairie Islander, our free, quarterly newsletter. You may also read the current issue online or subscribe to our mailing list to have the Prairie Islander emailed to you each quarter. Scroll to the bottom of any page on our website to sign up!
Media Inquiries
For media inquiries about stories or photo requests, call 217-423-7708. If you wish to receive our news releases and photo opportunities via email, send a message to mccd@maconccd.org or call 217-423-7708.
Social Media
Receive trail condition updates, see the work we’re doing, and share pictures of your visits to the conservation areas by following us on Facebook.
60 Years of Conservation, Community, and Connection
All good stories start with an idea, and the story of the Macon County Conservation District is no different. The story of MCCD is one of commitment, drive, and belief. So, where did the idea come from? To find that answer, we must go all the way back to 1935 – 31 years before the District was formed.
Creature Feature – Northern Bobwhite
The Northern Bobwhite Taylor Buley As of July 2024, there are a total of 459 species of birds living in Illinois. One of these species is the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), also known as the Virginia quail or bobwhite quail. They share the order Galliformes with three other bird species in Illinois: wild turkey, greater prairie-chicken, and the ring-checked pheasant. Galliformes is the order containing grouse, quail, and turkey families. The Northern Bobwhite is unique because they are the only quail species native to the Eastern United States. They are in the family Odontophoridae or New World Quail, in comparison...
Explore the Universe with the Macon County Conservation District’s New StarLab Planetarium Experience
We here at the Macon County Conservation District are thrilled to announce the new presentation structure for our brand-new StarLab Planetarium – a fully digital, portable dome that brings the wonders of space and astronomy up close directly to your school or organization. It’s thanks to the generous support from the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation and additional funding from the Macon County Conservation Foundation that we are able to deliver immersive, unforgettable learning experiences to our community and beyond. A Portable Planetarium That Brings The Wonders of Space to YOU The StarLab Planetarium accommodates 30-40 participants and can...
Weathering the Cold, Part One: Brumation
Illinois is home to over 54,000 different species of wildlife, and the majority are species of insects. Often, the time of year dictates when we can see some of our more familiar species. As fall and winter begin to make their way into Illinois, the animals we see moving around begin to change.
Living on the Edge: Part 3
Part 3—Learn about the importance of the boundary zones where two distinct habitats meet in this three part article series.
Exploring Nature with Your Senses
Sometimes the best way to connect with nature isn’t through facts and field guides—it’s by slowing down and tuning in. Whether you’re walking a wooded trail, sitting beside a prairie, or pausing near a wetland, nature has a way of speaking to all five senses.
🌳We now only have 90 trees left until all 1,000 trees are funded! We also have hit our goal of 100 volunteers, but we would love for more to join us for this event that celebrates the milestone years for us and the Macon County Conservation Foundation. It's all thanks to the dedication and generosity of our amazing community members that projects like these are possible. Strong communities start with deep roots, and the future of Macon County is stronger because of you. 🌱As the Lorax said: "It's not about what it is, it's what it can become."
We have 2 days until Rooted in Community is here! We need 5 more volunteers to hit 100, and we would love to meet that goal. We also only have 100 trees left to hit our goal of funding all 1,000! That goal is becoming reality thanks to people like you who care about Macon County's natural resources and wild spaces.
It's not to late to sign up to volunteer or make a donation. If you'd like to support our mission, we'd love to have you. Contact Ashton at ADukeman@MaconCCD.org to volunteer. Click this link givebutter.com/1000TreesEvent to donate or learn more!
Volunteers be on the lookout for notification of parking changes due to weather conditions. Signs will be out to guide you to the correct area. Plan to arrive at Woodbine Farms located at 7206 Sefton Rd, Dalton City, IL 61925
We can't wait to see you this Saturday! 🌳
The Mt. Zion Library has a new seed share! We're happy to work with our local organizations for provide resources like this for our community members! 🌱
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The new Squirrel's Nest Conference Room is proving to be one of the best meeting rooms we have in the nature center. You never know who might show up outside the window!🦃
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Check out this interview from our Executive Director Jerry Culp, and Macon County Conservation Foundation president Robin Caceres on this morning's Brian Beyers show! We are SO close to meeting our goal of funding all 1,000 trees for the Rooted in Community: 1,000 Tree Planting Event this Saturday, April 18. We only have 229 trees remaining to fund!
We also would love to have more volunteers to help us the day of, we're already close to reaching 100 volunteers! Do you have a scout group, church group, club, team, or group of friends who are looking to give back to your community? This is the perfect opportunity to do so! This is a project that doesn't just impact today, but will impact our county for generations to come, and we would be honored to have you be a part of that!
You can head to givebutter.com/1000TreesEvent/ to purchase your tree or trees, and to sign up to volunteer as well.
Thank you for celebrating this special milestone year with us. Strong communities start with deep roots, and the future of Macon County is stronger because of you.🌳
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Last night, we honored our volunteers with our annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner where we celebrated 60 years of selfless giving. We had several special guests receive awards, listened to a special presentation about how the Macon County Conservation District was formed, and had a wonderful meal with a room full of wonderful people. We exist thanks to volunteers just like these who, 60 years ago, helped to start our organization. We are proud and thankful to have so many amazing and dedicated volunteers who make what we do possible.
THANK YOU to all of our past, current, and future volunteers! 💚
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