By Julie Robinson, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties
It is hard to believe that 2025 finds Local OPAL’s (Local Outdoor Playing and Learning) website celebrating its fifth birthday. What began as a mere (and somewhat crazy) idea during 2018 Master Naturalist training, first started on paper for my students as I tried to encourage them to spend more time outside. Shortly thereafter, it grew into a website with a couple hundred outdoor areas in our five-county region and there were a few thousand website visitors. Today, Local OPAL includes information about 663 areas in sixteen central Illinois counties and last year had over 26,000 site visitors. Every known non-profit public access outdoor area, regardless of size or managing entity (federal, state, county, township, city, private, park district, etc), is included. Local OPAL continues to grow and now also includes research on the importance of being outdoors, local outdoor groups, outdoor activities, local points of outdoor pride and more. It has been a joy to discover and share such an abundance of outdoor treasures so close to home and continued research provides me with grand adventures in visiting and learning about places. So many of the areas are cared for by our own master volunteers and it is a privilege to be able to help share the dedication and hard work of so many passionate outdoor enthusiasts. With thoughts of all the places our master naturalists and master gardeners work and dedicate their time and talent, you help make this a magnificent place to call home.
...in gratitude and hope...
with deepest gratitude for those of the past
whose forethought, courage and selflessness
worked to find, protect and share these places
and with deepest gratitude for those of the present
whose dedication, passion and tireless efforts
continue to care for these places
and with fondest hope for those of the future
may you follow in the footsteps
of those who came before you and
find the greatest joy and inspiration in these places
...this is a good place to call home...
