Master Naturalist

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Blog Posts

Red male cardinal on grey fence
A year of discovery: Daily observations in my backyard
Author’s Note:  In January of 2022, I embarked on a year of daily half-hour observations in my backyard.  This essay is a partial accounting of what...
a garden bed of native plants at Yost House in Pontiac, IL
Volunteers make the world go 'round at Illinois Extension
Volunteers selflessly give their free time for the betterment of the community. From answering client questions about gardening challenges,...
white flowers on a tree
Grassland teaches a lesson on Callery Pear
Spring has sprung! Birds are active, insects are emerging, and the early bloomers are starting to show their bright flowers indicating the cold days...
Woman at table with handbags she helped craft
Repurposed feed and seed bags have become support for pollinator project
Creativity and passion for the environment have spurred on a group of volunteers who are using polypropylene feed and seed bags to help the Elkhart...
Sunset behind evergreen trees on a snowy banked river
Slow down this Winter Solstice, learn to love winter like the farmer
“How I hate to hear winter cursed. Winter is bad; summer is good. Cold, bad; warmth, good. January in Illinois, heaven forbid! January in Florida,...
Man in hat scattering seeds in prairie
Extension Master Naturalists explore Prairie Hills Wetland Reserve and build new partnership with Prairie Land Conservancy
What began as an opportunity to explore a “new-to-them” hiking site turned into a new partnership for...
White man with dark beard in blue shirt and hat hiking with backpack
Tips for staying safe when hiking during hunting season
Illinois has some of the most beautiful areas to hike across the state. State parks alone have over 270 trails that total more than 700 miles. Each...
Trio of wild turkeys in a snow dusted field
Let's talk turkey: Fact or fiction
From turkey hands made by schoolchildren to presidential pardons at the White House, November is turkey time. And while we may think we know a lot...

News Releases

Master Gardeners teaching at Hall High School Conservation Garden project
Adopt an Island and Participate in a Free Native Plant Care Training
Photo: Master Gardeners teaching at Hall High School Conservation Garden project Spring is here and some of us are still in search of a tropical island. Did you know that you have Islands in your own backyard? These islands are not sand covered. Instead, they are filled with native...
Butterfly with water colors
Fly on over to the Butterfly Festival on June 3!
Livingston County-Over 150 different types of butterflies can be found visiting our Illinois backyards and gardens this summer. The most prized of them all, the monarch, is the Illinois state butterfly. Celebrate these magical, fluttering creatures and learn how to support their habitat for...
three monarch butterflies rest on a tree branch in the early morning light
The hunt for orange October: Master Naturalists track monarchs
KANKAKEE, Ill. – It was early on a hot September morning several years ago that Master Naturalist program coordinator Nancy Kuhajda turned into Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area in northern Illinois. She had arrived early for a...

Staff

Shibu Kar

Shibu Kar

Assistant Dean, Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Program Leader
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