Project Updates: Learn What’s Going on at the Macon County Conservation District
By Ashton Dukeman
As we reach the halfway point of the Macon County Conservation District’s 60th anniversary year, we wanted to share updates on a couple of projects previously reported in the Winter 2024 edition of the Prairie Islander. With the Indoor-Outdoor Classroom now completed, our focus turns to other large ongoing projects: Fort Daniel Conservation Area, Woodbine Farm, and the Scovill Bike Trail Connection.
The Scovill Bike Trail Connection aims to enhance trail connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians by bridging the gap between the Rock Springs-Fairview Park BikeTrail and the Decatur Park District’s upgraded trail system at Scovill Park West.
On-Site Engineering of Decatur has been contracted to complete the engineering plans, and with survey work now finished, the layout for this new paved section of trail is underway. Bidding is scheduled for late spring 2026, with construction planned for summer 2027.
While the Indoor-Outdoor Classroom was 2025’s marquee project, the Fort Daniel Pothole Prairie restoration is taking center stage in 2026. This ambitious undertaking includes the construction of eight new wetlands and the movement of approximately 50,000 cubic yards of earth across 236 acres of what was previously agricultural land. The scale of earth being moved speaks to just how dramatically this landscape will be transformed — from open farm fields into a thriving, diverse natural area. This same acreage will also be home to the 34 acres of oak savanna that was planted through our Rooted in Community 1,000 Tree Planting Event.
At the historic Woodbine Farm, the site’s first paved and lined parking lot has been completed, and a new pavilion with restrooms is currently under construction on the site of the former garage. We hope to have it ready in time for Wine in the Wild, which will be held on Saturday, June 13.
Stay tuned as we continue moving these projects forward and building toward the next 60 years!
