Environment

Events

Cordage Making Workshop | Belvidere

February 12, 2026

County

Boone

Native Landscape Design Workshop, COACHING SESSION A

February 12, 2026

Master Naturalist Meeting

February 15, 2026

County

Fulton

Mason

Peoria

Tazewell

Rooted

February 21, 2026

County

DuPage

Kane

Kendall

More Events

Blog Posts

Blog authors Joy O'Keefe and Brodie Dunn

Wildside: About the Blog

February 4, 2026

Illinois Extension is launching a new blog called Wildside. This blog is one way we’ll be growing Extension’s wildlife...

a bird getting ready to eat from a frozen bird seed wreathe

Choose the right feeder and seed for birds in the winter

February 2, 2026

By Jennifer Bass, Extension Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Conservation@Home member serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties...

Front doors of the Environmental Protection Agency building

EPA launches new tools to help applicators meet ESA mitigation requirements

January 26, 2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced new digital tools designed to help pesticide applicators comply with the Endangered...

Are you feeding your bees this winter?

January 26, 2026

During the recent warm period in January, I checked the status of my bees. As you can see in the above photo, the bees seem to have survived the very...

More Blogs

News Releases

A close up of an orange frog on damp soil

February 12, 2026

Where’d you get that frog? Illinois study traces illicit online amphibian trade
URBANA, Ill. — Keeping amphibians as pets offers hobbyists an opportunity to connect with the non-human world, often increasing interest in conserving animals in the wild. But there’s a dark side to the amphibian trade, according to a...

A man leans on a tool outside by a tree surrounded by a group of people

February 11, 2026

Extension foresters protect trees, empower landowners
URBANA, Ill. — As the saying goes, the hope is that trees will “bloom where they’re planted.” Still, sometimes even these plant powerhouses need help overcoming challenges like invasive species, urban...

Native plant illustrations on a yellow background with the text "Rain Garden Rumble"

February 25, 2026

Root for your favorite native plant to help crown 2026 Rain Garden Rumble champion
URBANA, Ill. — Let the garden games begin with the return of the annual Rain Garden Rumble, where nature and gardening enthusiasts get to pick the champion in this native-plant-playoff. This botanical bout –...

A child puts batteries into a glass container with other batteries

February 5, 2026

Know before you throw, new law expands free battery recycling options
URBANA, Ill. — After years of powering remotes, children’s toys, and other household devices, the final destination for used batteries is usually the junk drawer. Or worse, it is tossed in the trash can. Now,...

More News

Videos

Saving the World, One Box Turtle at a Time

Box turtles are charismatic, long-lived turtles that are omnivorous and use both land and water ecosystems. These characteristics make them uniquely sensitive to the health of their environments and good indicators of overall ecosystem health. In the last 18 years, the Wildlife Epidemiology...

Actions to Reduce Water Pollution

What’s in your water? Learn about common water pollutants, how your daily actions, indoor and outdoor, impact water quality, and how water is treated before returning to rivers and lakes. Simple tips to prevent pollution start with you.

This webinar was recorded on May 8, 2025. Find more...