Environment

Events

Wily and Wild Animal Invaders in Illinois

March 19, 2026

Wild Neighbors: Coyotes

March 21, 2026

County

Boone

Reviving Illinois Wetlands

March 24, 2026

Master Naturalist Book Club

March 25, 2026

County

Macon

More Events

Blog Posts

woman standing in a field holding a grass

Welcome back to the Grasses at a Glance Blog!

March 9, 2026

2025 was a whirlwind year and I decided to take a step back from this blog. If you’re wondering why, I had a baby! I’m already teaching my little...

How MRTN works and the economics behind nitrogen rates

February 27, 2026

In episode 79, University of Illinois soil fertility specialist John Jones,...

a mouse emerging from the sill of a wall

Mouse in the house?

February 19, 2026

Rustling in the walls. The patter of little feet racing through the attic. Cereal spilling out of a hole chewed in the box. These are all signs you...

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...

More Blogs

News Releases

March 2, 2026

Registration open for Wild Neighbors: Coyotes program in Belvidere on March 21
BELVIDERE, Ill.—University of Illinois Extension Educator Peggy Anesi will be offering a free educational program on coyotes Saturday, March 21, at 9:00 a.m. at the Boone County Conservation District, 603 Appleton Road. “Coyote families are welcoming their new offspring in March, so it’s a...

March 2, 2026

Study shows 20-year decline in nitrate pollution across portions of the Mississippi River Basin
A new accounting of nitrogen pollution in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) reveals a significant decline in recent decades, suggesting positive momentum for water quality goals in local watersheds and the Gulf. Surprisingly, the University of Illinois...

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...

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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...