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Water trees wisely to beat winter woes

URBANA, Ill. — As autumn colors emerge, it may seem that trees are preparing for rest. However, when fall brings dry conditions instead of seasonal rains, trees can enter winter under stress. Fall droughts can be subtle but have lasting impacts. With timely care, trees can weather dry spells and…

IDOA, ACES, and local food banks unite to deliver 1,000+ pounds of protein during Hunger Action Month

URBANA, Ill. — This year, Champaign County 4-H’er Austin Ater celebrated his 14th birthday in an extraordinary way — by giving back. The 2025 Illinois State Fair junior grand champion poultry exhibitor donated his record-setting winning pen of chickens to help fight hunger in the community.

Recycle pumpkins with a smash at Illinois Extension fall community composting events

URBANA, Ill. — Whether picking out pumpkins from a field or carving fun faces for jack-o'-lanterns with friends, pumpkins naturally give off fall vibes. But what happens when they start to decay on the porch or countertop, and it’s time to say goodbye? Where do they go? 

Many think…

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A monarch butterfly on a yellow-eyed Susan flower bloom.
Provide resources to pollinators in any space with container gardens
URBANA, Ill. — Supporting pollinators has become increasingly important as concerns over pollinator population decline are more evident. The good news is that even small spaces can provide resources for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Container gardens are one solution for...
A ruby-throated hummingbird visiting a purple blazing prairie star plant.
Gardening for a hummingbird's travels
URBANA, Ill. — Hummingbirds are unlike any other bird. Spanning the Americas with over 330 species, hummingbirds belong to Trochilidae, the second-largest bird family in the world. However, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) inhabits the Midwest....
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...

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College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)

1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Email: extension@illinois.edu

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