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.
9th Annual Summer Concert Series
This outdoor concert series sponsored by Stifel Investment Services is held every other Sunday in the summer, and features a variety of bands and performers that play Americana, bluegrass, folk, old-time, and more. Bring a lawn chair or a picnic blanket and sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
Living on the Edge: Part 1
In the world of ecology, the "edge" refers to the boundary zone where two distinct habitats meet. These transition areas, known as ecotones, are crucial to the health and functionality of ecosystems.
A Spring Awakening
By Alysia Callison As the days get longer and the air warms, the natural world begins to buzz with signs of spring. One seasonal staple is the appearance of baby animals – new to the world, they often cause concern for well-meaning folks who find them in their yards, along roadsides, or in green spaces. So, what should you do if you find a baby animal? Leave it alone! Unless the animal is clearly injured or showing signs of distress, don’t touch it. Oftentimes, the parents know where the baby is and will return to check on it. Relocating the...
Shake Off Winter with a Dose of Nature
By Ashton Dukeman Celebrate the end of cabin fever because spring is here! Color and sunshine will finally be coming back into our lives as plants start to bud and bloom and the sun banishes those winter-gray skies. What better way to shake off the winter blues than by getting outdoors in less than four layers of thermal gear. During the winter months, when many of us are confined to our homes, screens become a go-to source of entertainment to pass the time. This habit can be hard to break once the weather starts to warm, often leading to less...
District Project Updates
By Jerry Culp With the busy summer and fall seasons behind us, we’re turning our focus to several exciting new projects that will benefit both our community and local ecosystems. Here’s a look into three of our biggest projects. Indoor-Outdoor Classroom A new Indoor-Outdoor Classroom is being constructed in the lower level of the Rock Springs Nature Center thanks to funding from the Park and Recreational Facility Construction Act, or PARC Grant, through the State of Illinois. It will feature: Adaptive Classroom Space: With a glass wall that will open to the outside and cohesive flooring that translates...
Takeaways from the 2024 ANCA Annual Summit
By Taylor Buley Working at a Nature Center and for a Conservation District allows for myriad opportunities. There are many conferences and summits out there for staff to explore and to help expand their professional network. One organization that we connect with here at Macon County Conservation District is the Association of Nature Center Administrators, or ANCA. ANCA is a non-profit professional organization that is dedicated to leaders in the nature and environmental learning profession. Their mission is to promote and support the best leadership and management practices, and ANCA serves more than 700 members across North America. They are...
Check out the view from the inside and outside of the new exterior doors on the Indoor-Outdoor Classroom!
We are counting down the days until we can welcome you into this incredible space. Photos can’t quite capture how amazing it looks in person—but we promise, it’s worth the wait!
Stay tuned for our grand opening announcement coming soon! 🌿📆
Here's a great update from Macon County Environmental Management about a new recycling app that notifies you of upcoming community recycling events!Exciting news!!!!
Illinois residents can now download Recycle Coach for free! This App is your one stop shop to find all the information you need to be a great recycler! The app is for IOS/Android, so go to your app store and get it now!
Once you Download it search for Decatur under the Municipality search. And you can even set up notifications so that it will remind you when there is a recycling event going on for the county. This will help you remember when we are doing our Paint and Electronics drops, Shredding events, Household Hazardous Waste Drops, and Storm Refuse pickup dates and times.
So get in there are become a better Recycler!
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It’s been a minute since our last Indoor-Outdoor Classroom update, so we are thrilled to be able to share this one with you!
The glass for the external doors has arrived today and is being installed as we speak, well...type. The space is coming together and there are just a few things to get wrapped up before we are ready to officially open to the public.
We’ve even got a date set for the grand opening 🎉—so keep your eyes peeled for the Facebook event announcement, coming soon!
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Spotted: Four tiny nap experts. 🦝💤
This litter of baby raccoons (also called kits) has been turning heads—and melting hearts—by curling up in a cozy hole dug by the adults looking for seed, while their mothers forage nearby.
Staff and visitors alike have been caught mid-"aww" watching these fuzzy snoozers in action. Nature’s cuteness level? Off the charts. 🥹🌿
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Don't forget that our fourth show in the Summer Concert Series is this Sunday, July 13 from 7-8pm! Enjoy some free music outdoors to end your week on a musical note 🎶
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