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
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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...
Decatur Area Audubon Society Bus Grants for 2024-25 School Year
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...
Lichen and Fungi… Oh My!
By Hope Moore The kingdom Fungi have been very misunderstood for many years, only being classified as a kingdom since 1969. They had been considered plants prior to this year, meaning scientists have only had a small portion of time to truly study and understand them as their own kingdom. Not all fungi are created equal considering the many different ways they can appear. Some can be microscopic, others can form visible fruiting bodies (e.g. a mushroom), and they can come in many colors and sizes. With this, it can be really difficult to classify what each fungus is...
The Prairie Islander is Going Digital!
By Ashton Dukeman Since its launch in 1976, the Prairie Islander has been a valuable source of District information and updates, documenting the evolution of the District with each printed edition. As we embark on a new chapter, transitioning from ink and paper to a digital platform, we reflect on the history that has shaped this long - running newsletter. Join us as we explore its journey through the decades, celebrating its legacy while embracing the future of sustainable communication. When the newsletter began, it didn’t go by the familiar name of Prairie Islander that we now know. It...
Check out the programs and events this week at the Macon County Conservation District! If you have been wanting to come out to the Homestead Prairie Farm for a tour but have been busy, this Saturday, November 8th will be your last chance for the year! Our Candlelight Tour is the last time the house will be open for tours before we winterize it and close it up until spring. You can find our full list of programs and events on our website at www.maconccd.org/
Big things continue to happen at the Macon County Conservation District! Now that the Hidden Hollow indoor-outdoor classroom project is done, we can turn our attention to the Fort Daniel Conservation Area and Woodbine Farm projects. The wetland restoration project behind the farm is still underway and going smoothly!
📣As an important reminder📣
Even though the new parking lot may look tempting, this space is still closed to the public and is not yet ready to have visitors. We definitely understand the excitement (we definitely are about the progress!) but we do gently remind the public that the space is not accessible as of now. We will keep posting updates and are excited to have everyone along for the journey of our next big project! The support of our community is so important for these endeavors and we are grateful to have it!
Thank you for your understanding and we can't wait to report back with more updates as the project progresses! 🌳
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Hunting season begins this weekend, so here’s your friendly reminder to stay on designated trails! 🦌🚶♀️
We know how tempting those mowed paths can look, but many of them are forestry mowed fire breaks—not official trails. All designated trails are clearly marked with trailhead signs or markers. If you don’t see one, it’s not an official trail!
While hikers should always stay on designated trails year-round, it’s especially important during our Deer Herd Management Program hunting season. This helps keep everyone safe while also protecting our habitat and restoration work.
The first two photos are of one of our trail markers and an official trail, the rest are all forestry mowed fire break areas.
Need a refresher on where the official trails are? Check out our Conservation Area maps here 👉 bit.ly/4oeUjNu
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🍂It's hard to believe that 2025 has flown by so quickly, but November will be here in just a couple of days! Check out all the programs and events we have going on through the month of November, and make sure you save your favorites to your calendar so you don't forget! You can find our full list of events and details on our website at MaconCCD.org/events/
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🚧NOTICE OF TEMPORARY SITE CLOSURE🚧
Our crews will be out doing some forestry mowing at our Sand Creek Conservation Area location tomorrow, Tuesday October 28. As a result, we are closing the site from 7:00am - 3:30pm to ensure the safety of our staff and the public. If you are looking to get a hike in during those hours, we invite you to check out one of our other four District sites and maybe find a new favorite trail! Thank you for your understanding!
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