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Up close view of a brown marmorated stink bug on a green leaf.

New online agriculture course grows skills in identifying corn, soybean field insects

URBANA, Ill. — One thing is for sure, if there is a farm field, insects will visit it. Having the skills to identify insects inhabiting crop fields across the Midwest improves one’s ability to identify and effectively manage insect pests while avoiding unnecessary interventions that may…

Wind farm over a field of soybeans

Illinois clean energy transition excludes key constituents in energy justice equation

URBANA, Ill. — Illinois has made transitioning to clean energy a major priority in recent years with the passage of the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2016 and the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021. Both pieces of legislation prioritize an equitable transition, aiming to avoid and address…

Overhead view of farmland filled with solar panels.

Attend field day to learn how agrivoltaics boosts energy, resiliency in food production

URBANA, Ill. — Continuing to feed a growing world is the agriculture industry's future, and the demand for sustainability is here. One avenue of exploration includes agrivoltaics or solar energy within production agriculture.

“The relatively recent idea combines solar panels for…

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a Black-crowned night heron
Conservation project tracks behavior, migration of Chicago's endangered heron
URBANA, Ill. — Among the snowbirds returning north for the summer, A24 is special. For one thing, A24 is an actual bird: a Black-crowned night heron, to be exact. And it has just returned to Chicago to join hundreds of its kind nesting near Lake Michigan. But unlike the human snowbirds that...
a group of people stand in a circle in a field surrounded by trees listening to someone speak from the back of a truck
Growing Extension forestry team speaks for the trees
URBANA, Ill. — Oaks, elms, hickories, and other trees cover Illinois in a tapestry of forests and woodlands that shade homes and parks, shelter and feed wildlife, produce oxygen, and stabilize soil. Trees once covered more than a third of Illinois, but now that number is halved and disease,...
Person outside in the hot sun gardening while wiping forehead of sweat.
Recognizing heat-related warning signs for gardeners and landscapers
URBANA, Ill. — Landscaping and gardening are great physical exercises, and studies show they are good for emotional well-being. But those working outside must remain aware of the dangers associated with heat stress on their bodies. “When I was working as a landscaper, we had to sod a...
A person holding out a large group of varied flowers and herbs
Add a dash of herbs to spice up floral bouquets
URBANA, Ill. — Cultivating a cut flower garden filled with favorites can be a fun family project that can become budget-friendly gifts for everyone. Adding herbs to a garden and bouquets will create a unique, personal touch to designs. Fresh herbs look and smell amazing and will be long-...

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