News & Media

Interested in talking with one of our content or program experts? Visit our staff directory for a list of University of Illinois Extension staff involved in the Master Naturalist program.

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 woman plants in a garden
At Extension, water resources work when we work with them
Sometimes water is only a drizzle or a trickle, while other times it pours and floods, but it is always there in the background, a steady and vital resource for all our lives. A core University of Illinois Extension program area — natural resources,...
Karen Weigelt staff photo
Karen Weigelt added to Illinois Extension natural resources team
PEORIA, Ill. - Over the past 13 years, the local University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist program has steadily grown in the number of volunteers and the educational programs offered. It became important to add to the team to continue with the quality support Extension staff...
pollinator friendly pink and yellow flowers against a blue sky
Join the Pollinator-Friendly Planting Event at Prairie Gardens
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension invites community members to dig in and help pollinators thrive during a special hands-on container planting event sponsored by the Champaign County Master Gardeners. This event will be held at Prairie Gardens in Champaign on May 27 or 28,...
Person walking on a log
Discover, learn, and inspire as a Master Naturalist
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — For some, there comes a great joy when you hear a child excitedly say, “Look at this cool bug!” or when an adult asks, “How can I care for wildlife in my backyard?” If you, too, experience this joy when out in nature, find pleasure in learning and educating others about the...
View of a layered landscape all green in bloom with flowers, trees, and shrubs in the woods.
A layered landscape provides space for wildlife all year
URBANA, Ill. — There are many ways to support pollinators and other wildlife in home landscapes, such as providing floral resources throughout the season, planting host plants, and planting native plants. In addition, consider creating a space for them to live out their life cycles by creating...
Girl dissecting an owl pellet
Owls of Illinois programming continues to grow
Livingston County is home to small towns with strong community ties, as well as hidden treasures owned by the Prairie Lands Foundation. The University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists, in partnership with the Prairie Lands Foundation, strives to help the community experience the beauty...
a bee perched on a pink flower
Available prairie seed mixes may fall short for pollinators
URBANA, Ill. — As populations of bees and butterflies decline in the Midwest, native prairie restoration becomes crucial. A new Prairie Research Institute study found, however, that many commercial seed mixes used to conserve and restore prairies may not have enough diversity or spring flowering...