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.
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.
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.
Living on the Edge: Part 2
Part 2—Learn about the importance of the boundary zones where two distinct habitats meet in this three part article series.
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...
Today is World Environment Day, a day that should be important to us all. We only have one Earth, and it's our duty to care for it! 🌎
Want to make a difference locally today? You can donate to the Macon County Conservation Foundation, whose mission is to restore and preserve Macon County’s natural and cultural resources through the Macon County Conservation District, and promote education about these resources. It's because of our Foundation that we are able to fund some of our larger natural resource projects. This year, we are doing a $45 for 45 years fundraiser to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Foundation. $1 for each of the 45 years that the Foundation has been working alongside the Macon County Conservation District to protect our county's natural resources!
You can find the link to our donation page in the comments below!
Only 9 more days until Wine in the Wild! Check out Monday's episode of Soy City Buzz to hear Jerry Culp and Ashton Dukeman talk about what to expect at the event. Tickets are starting to sell fast, so make sure you get yours before they sell out! 🍷🌳
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We're so excited to welcome guest speaker and creator of the hugely popular group "All Bugs Go to Kevin", Kevin Wiener for the What Flies at Night: Discovering Moths with Kevin Wiener program! There are still tickets left, but we only have a select number of spots available for this program. Check out the Facebook event post below for all the details! 🌙
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Can you believe that the Macon County Conservation Foundation's Wine in the Wild event is only 10 DAYS away?! Tickets are still available but are going fast! So you'll want to snag yours before they sell out.
This is also the celebration event for the Foundation's 45 year anniversary, so we're saying Cheers to 45 Years of conservation! There will be games, food, auctions, a chance to meet a wold famous artist who is one of only two American artists with a permanent exhibition in the French Museum of Naïve Art in Paris.
You can find the event page link in the comments below where you can purchase your tickets! There are also volunteer opportunities for this event available. We can't wait to see you there! 🍷
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Staff are getting things prepared for our traveling summer library programs, so today was costume try-on day for our reptilian employees! 🐢
We travel to many towns during the summer, so check with your local library to see if we're on the schedule so you can meet these two costumed cuties in person!
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