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.
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...
Built by Nature, Crafted by Us. Here’s the Story Behind the New Timber Frame Pavilion at Friends Creek Conservation Area
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...
Tired of finding out about programs after they’ve already happened? Same. 😅
That’s why we’re launching The Wild Side, a monthly e-newsletter featuring upcoming event reminders, articles written by our staff, and important project updates you won’t have to wait three months to read about.
When you sign up, you’ll also receive our quarterly Prairie Islander newsletter—so you get the best of both worlds.
🌿 Monthly updates. Seasonal overviews. Zero FOMO.
Look for the blue box below located on every page on our website: www.maconccd.org/
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🎄 Christmas for the Critters 🎄
All of the ambassador animals at the Rock Springs Nature Center have officially landed on Santa’s Nice List this year! 🐾✨ They’ve been working hard greeting visitors, teaching curious kids, and helping program-goers of all ages learn what makes each of them so unique during programs, field trips, and summer camps.
If you’re looking for a perfect way to spread some holiday cheer, consider helping make our critters’ Christmas extra special. You can support their care by checking out our Amazon wishlist or by making a donation to the Animal Care Fund through the Macon County Conservation Foundation .
Because even our scaly and furry friends deserve a little something in their stockings! 🎁🦎🐍
🎅🏼You can find out Amazon Wishlist here: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1PQ4RU3FSHXUO/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex
🎅🏼And our Foundation's donation page here: apps.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/donate-now
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👀 Something wild is coming in January…
We’re excited to unveil The Wild Side, our brand-new monthly e-newsletter designed to help you stay in the loop and never miss an event again. Each month, you’ll get reminders about upcoming programs, special events, and seasonal happenings across our Conservation Areas.
Best part? It’s free—and when you sign up, you’ll also continue to receive our quarterly Prairie Islander newsletter with a full season’s worth of programming.
👉 Sign up now and get ready to step onto The Wild Side! Head to our website and look for the "Subscribe to Our Newsletter" blue box at the bottom of each page! www.maconccd.org/
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As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to look back at what you helped make possible. This year, we opened Hidden Hollow, our new indoor-outdoor classroom that has already expanded educational opportunities, community programs, and gathering spaces. We began restoration on a pothole prairie at Fort Daniel Conservation Area near the historic Woodbine Farm - which hosted the first-ever Wine in the Wild fundraiser through the Macon County Conservation Foundation- and brought the wonders of space closer to home with a new portable StarLab planetarium, made possible in large part by a generous grant from the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation.
While these projects may look different on the surface, they are all connected by the Macon County Conservation Foundation’s commitment to supporting conservation and education in our community. Through fundraising efforts, advocacy, and a shared excitement for what’s ahead, the Foundation plays a vital role in helping big ideas grow. By investing locally, the Foundation helps ensure these projects directly benefit the people, places, and programs right here in Macon County.
As the giving season comes to an end, you can be part of that impact. A year-end donation to the Macon County Conservation Foundation supports conservation, education, and access to nature close to home — benefiting our community today and for generations to come.
🌿 Make your tax-deductible year-end gift today and help grow the next adventure:
👉 apps.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/donate-now
Thank you for supporting a local nonprofit that keeps nature, learning, and community thriving in Macon County.As we wrap up 2025, we’re feeling incredibly grateful. 💚
Because of supporters like you, the Macon County Conservation Foundation continues to restore natural habitats, protect local history, and create meaningful outdoor learning experiences right here in our community.
Your generosity fuels everything from prairie restoration to hands-on education—and makes every new adventure possible.
If you’re looking to give back before the year ends, we invite you to make a tax-deductible gift today:
👉 apps.maconcountyconservationfoundation.org/donate-now
Thank you for helping conservation thrive in Macon County.🌳
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