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Dust storms in Illinois: Examining roles of weather and farming practices

URBANA, Ill. — Recent dust storms in Illinois have raised the question of the cause of these events. In the last few years, these dust events have caused fatal accidents among traveling motorists. Another public concern is the drop in air quality during these storms.

Some of the emerging…

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…

Illinois Extension 2024 metrics demonstrate the value of land-grant universities

URBANA, Ill. — Illinois residents, businesses, and communities are gaining transformational knowledge and experiencing quantifiable impact through the efforts of University of Illinois Extension, a unit of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Illinois Extension’s…

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A tractor pulling equipment tilling across a farm field causing dust
Dust storms in Illinois: Examining roles of weather and farming practices
URBANA, Ill. — Recent dust storms in Illinois have raised the question of the cause of these events. In the last few years, these dust events have caused fatal accidents among traveling motorists. Another public concern is the drop in air quality during these storms.Some of the emerging...
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...
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...
Green leaves of a bur oak tree on a new spring branch.
Root awakening: spring tree tips
URBANA, Ill. — As winter fades and the first signs of spring emerge, it's time to give trees the care they need to thrive. Trees, like all living things, require attention and maintenance, especially as they transition from dormancy to the growing season. Help trees recover from winter damage,...
a whitetailed deer running through grass in fall
Hunters Feeding Illinois provides 97,000 meals to Illinois families
URBANA, Ill. — In the 2024-25 hunting season, Hunters Feeding Illinois distributed 25,794 pounds of frozen, ground venison to 54 food pantries across east-central and southern Illinois. This provided an estimated 97,000 meals, reaching nearly 49,800 families.Formerly the Illinois Deer...
A man speaks to a group of people outside on a tour
Extension bridges gap between environmental research and real-world solutions
Strong natural systems and the resources they provide, from water filtration to renewable energy sources, are a vital part of healthy, robust communities. One of the core University of Illinois Extension program areas – natural resources, environment, and energy – connects communities across the...
Two people preparing fresh vegetables for a dish
March is Extension Living Well Month
URBANA, Ill. — This March, Illinois residents are invited to take advantage of educational opportunities provided by University of Illinois Extension’s Family and Consumer Sciences team. March 2025 is Extension Living Well Month as...
A grouping of award-winning pink and yellow-striped blooming petunia flowers.
Explore 2025 All-America Selection plant, flower award winners
URBANA, Ill. — Another Illinois winter comes closer to a close, depending on which region of the state you live in. Cold and snowy days may have drug on, but the promise of spring and garden catalogs ease the time before March planting. Whatever the plan is for 2025 gardens, leave room for those...
Looking into a row of planted, growing seedling trays under grow lights.
Get a jump start on spring by starting seeds at home
URBANA — As spring creeps closer and closer, gardeners start to get the itch to go outside and start digging in the dirt. While it may still be too early to do that, seed starting is a popular way to kick off the gardening season. Benefits of Starting SeedsSeeds started...
Illinois Extension Compost Ambassador training
Illinois Extension to train new wave of community compost leaders
URBANA, Ill. — From reducing waste to enriching soil, composting plays a vital role in creating sustainable communities. This spring, learn to be a composting leader with University of Illinois Extension's Compost Ambassador program.The five-week training program, which began in Cook,...
Two people sitting behind a table taking notes and bids at an auction.
Record-high results for 2025 Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale
URBANA, Ill. — Strong tradition leads to strong results at the Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The sale held during the Illinois Beef Expo averaged $7,096 on 33 lots, reaching an all-time record-high average for...
A masked man with a headlight holds a bat in gloved hands
Genomic tools provide clearer view of health for endangered bats
URBANA, Ill. — How do wildlife researchers know when an endangered population is sick? They can detect infectious microbes in animal waste, but the presence of a microbe doesn’t always equate to impactful symptomatic infections. In a...

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