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
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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 naturalist, or• Virtual...
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...
Join us this Saturday June 13 for our Firefly Hike at Rock Springs Conservation Area! We'll take a leisurely after-hours stroll down the Rock Springs-Fairview Bike Trail and learn all about our glowing friends and see how many we can spot!
Registration closes Friday, June 12 at noon, and can be found on our website and in the comments below.
Check out our upcoming events for this week! We have two special events that you can find the links for in the comments below. You can find the full list of events and details at out website, MaconCCD.org.
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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!
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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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