News & Media

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Illinois Extension strives to provide relevant, science-based information that serves residents and businesses in our area and across the state. From blogs featuring the best seasonal tips and techniques to news stories highlighting upcoming learning opportunities, we offer you impactful insights backed by the research and public engagement resources of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois.

News Releases
a group of people stand in a wetland
Study: 72% of Illinois wetlands no longer protected by federal Clean Water Act
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture. Now, thanks to a 2023 Supreme Court decision, roughly 72% of the remaining 981,000...
A dry field of corn
Drought is intensifying across Illinois
An extremely dry end to summer and start to fall has intensified the ongoing drought in central and southern Illinois and increased the fire and blowing dust risk as we approach harvest, according to Illinois State Climatologist...
Master Naturalist volunteers posing with their diplomas
Master Naturalists welcome 18 new environmental steward volunteers
OGLESBY, Ill. – The Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam County Master Naturalists welcomed 18 new volunteers to their ranks on August 1.Helen Mlynarski, Ellen Evancheck, Pete Johnston, Coleen Piggott, Jillian Pender, Hannah Safiran, Cheryl Heitz, Patricia Meagher, Faye Barakat,...
A group of people outside standing under elevated bat boxes on poles
Simple design changes can make bat boxes safer
URBANA, Ill. — Imagine moving into a new house just to discover it has no insulation. That’s what life can be like for a bat box resident.Bat boxes, a kind of artificial roost, are a simple and cost-effective way to increase habitat for these flying mammals. They’re a preferred spot for...
Nature Trails Day welcome banner
Get ready for Nature Trails Day—A family adventure in the great outdoors!
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A family day outside filled with guided hikes and hands-on activities for kids and adults, what could be better? Nature Trails Day is right around the corner, and now is the time to register and select what activities your family wants to explore! Hosted by the University of...
A woodland with blue flowering plants
A century of data reveals declining forest diversity
URBANA, Ill. — Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have analyzed 96 years of forest census data to better understand ecological changes and inform management practices. Their study...
Prairie plants
Illinois plant ecologists fight to restore Midwest biodiversity
URBANA, Ill. — Imagine a prairie. How many plant species do you see? Maybe you’re picturing yellow coneflowers, some little bluestem, perhaps a few asters. But plant ecologists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign say these ecosystems are much more...