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.

A Spring Awakening

February 20, 2025|

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

February 20, 2025|

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

November 26, 2024|

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 from the...

Takeaways from the 2024 ANCA Annual Summit

November 21, 2024|

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...

Built by Nature, Crafted by Us. Here’s the Story Behind the New Timber Frame Pavilion at Friends Creek Conservation Area

October 31, 2024|

For the past several months, there has been a project that we have kept quiet about while our staff worked hard to complete it. We sat down with Friends Creek Site Superintendent, Andy Murphy, to learn all the details about this newest structure at the Friends Creek Conservation Area group camp site. What is this structure we are standing by called? This is a King Post Pavilion. The top of the main bents are shaped to look like the king chess piece. You mentioned the term “bents”, care to talk a little bit more about those? Yeah, those are...

Decatur Area Audubon Society Bus Grants for 2024-25 School Year

September 19, 2024|

Decatur Area Audubon Society is once again providing funding towards bus transportation for the 2024-25 school year to Rock Springs Nature Center or any of the five Macon County Conservation Areas, or towards in-classroom programs with Conservation District staff. This grant applies to any school in Macon County, or those serving students living in Macon County, as well as other area schools. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and can be used toward: • Bus transportation to Rock Springs Nature Center or any of the five Macon County Conservation Areas, • In-classroom programs presented by a District...

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
🎽 Two more sleeps ‘til Ramble day! Still need your gear?
Shirts, bibs, and medals will be ready for early pickup starting Friday, May 16 at Rock Springs Nature Center from 8am–5pm.

🧢 Pro tip: Pack your sunscreen and bug spray now—your future self will thank you.

Still haven’t registered? Time’s ticking... ⏰ Online sign-up ends Friday at 1pm!

https://www.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/events/rock-springs-ramble/

#RockSpringsRamble #TrailTime #RacePrep

🎽 Two more sleeps ‘til Ramble day! Still need your gear?
Shirts, bibs, and medals will be ready for early pickup starting Friday, May 16 at Rock Springs Nature Center from 8am–5pm.

🧢 Pro tip: Pack your sunscreen and bug spray now—your future self will thank you.

Still haven’t registered? Time’s ticking... ⏰ Online sign-up ends Friday at 1pm!

www.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/events/rock-springs-ramble/

#RockSpringsRamble #TrailTime #RacePrep
... See MoreSee Less

🚨 The countdown is ON! Just 3 days until we lace up and hit the trails for the Rock Springs Ramble!
Whether youre going for gold, jogging for joy, or walking with friends, there’s still time to register!
👉 Online registration closes this Friday at 1pm – don’t miss it!

Can’t join us in person? No problem! Sign up for the virtual option and Ramble on your own route.

https://www.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/events/rock-springs-ramble/

🌱 Let’s get moving!
#RockSpringsRamble #RambleReady #CountdownToRaceDay

🚨 The countdown is ON! Just 3 days until we lace up and hit the trails for the Rock Springs Ramble!
Whether you're going for gold, jogging for joy, or walking with friends, there’s still time to register!
👉 Online registration closes this Friday at 1pm – don’t miss it!

Can’t join us in person? No problem! Sign up for the virtual option and Ramble on your own route.

www.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/events/rock-springs-ramble/

🌱 Let’s get moving!
#RockSpringsRamble #RambleReady #CountdownToRaceDay
... See MoreSee Less

🐾 Important Reminder: Please Don’t Abandon Pets in Conservation Areas

These aren’t the kinds of public service announcements we like to make—but they’re important.

This young domestic rat was recently found at Rock Springs with an injured paw. Thankfully, she scurried right up to some of our staff—sweet, trusting, and clearly not equipped to survive on her own in the wild. We hate to imagine what might’ve happened if someone else—or something else—had found her first.

Abandoning pets in nature is not only illegal—it’s incredibly cruel and dangerous for the animal. Domestic rats, like all pets, depend on humans for food, shelter, and safety. Releasing them into the wild isn’t giving them a second chance—it’s taking it away.

Thankfully, this little one is now safe at the animal shelter, where she’ll hopefully find a home with someone who understands her needs and will never leave her behind again.

If you find yourself unable to care for a pet, please reach out to a shelter, rescue, or animal control. There are always better options than abandonment. Rock Springs is not a wildlife rehabilitation or animal rescue facility, nor are any of our other Areas. And dealing with pet abandonment occurrences causes staff to have to take time away from their jobs to try and find a solution. Feel free to share this post to raise awareness about this issue!

Let’s do better—for every creature who trusts us to keep them safe. 💚

🐾 Important Reminder: Please Don’t Abandon Pets in Conservation Areas

These aren’t the kinds of public service announcements we like to make—but they’re important.

This young domestic rat was recently found at Rock Springs with an injured paw. Thankfully, she scurried right up to some of our staff—sweet, trusting, and clearly not equipped to survive on her own in the wild. We hate to imagine what might’ve happened if someone else—or something else—had found her first.

Abandoning pets in nature is not only illegal—it’s incredibly cruel and dangerous for the animal. Domestic rats, like all pets, depend on humans for food, shelter, and safety. Releasing them into the wild isn’t giving them a second chance—it’s taking it away.

Thankfully, this little one is now safe at the animal shelter, where she’ll hopefully find a home with someone who understands her needs and will never leave her behind again.

If you find yourself unable to care for a pet, please reach out to a shelter, rescue, or animal control. There are always better options than abandonment. Rock Springs is not a wildlife rehabilitation or animal rescue facility, nor are any of our other Areas. And dealing with pet abandonment occurrences causes staff to have to take time away from their jobs to try and find a solution. Feel free to share this post to raise awareness about this issue!

Let’s do better—for every creature who trusts us to keep them safe. 💚
... See MoreSee Less

Load more