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Blog Posts

Read article: Taking Care of Water is a Community Effort
Taking Care of Water is a Community Effort
When the Everyday Environment team first looked at water as our season two topic, we brainstormed a lot of different approaches. Unlike our first...
Honeybees are covering this honeycomb which was pulled from a managed hive for inspection.
Read article: Honeybees aren't as sweet as they may seem
Honeybees aren't as sweet as they may seem
When most people think about pollinators, they envision the honeybee (Apis mellifera) buzzing from flower to flower collecting nectar and...
Wild ginger: A native groundcover for shady gardens. Wild ginger plant with hear-shaped green leaves and purplish-brown flowers.
Read article: Wild ginger: A native groundcover for shady gardens
Wild ginger: A native groundcover for shady gardens
Shaded areas can be difficult areas to landscape, especially when it comes to groundcovers. Turfgrass often struggles, and many commonly used...
Read article: Tips for creating a rain garden to protect water, nature, and communities
Tips for creating a rain garden to protect water, nature, and communities
Rain gardens are bowl-shaped landscape features that capture and absorb rainfall and snowmelt. These nature-based solutions can help to reduce local...

News Releases

a bee perched on a pink flower
Available prairie seed mixes may fall short for pollinators
URBANA, Ill. — As populations of bees and butterflies decline in the Midwest, native prairie restoration becomes crucial. A new Prairie Research Institute study found, however, that many commercial seed mixes used to conserve and restore prairies may not have enough diversity or spring flowering...
View of a layered landscape all green in bloom with flowers, trees, and shrubs in the woods.
A layered landscape provides space for wildlife all year
URBANA, Ill. — There are many ways to support pollinators and other wildlife in home landscapes, such as providing floral resources throughout the season, planting host plants, and planting native plants. In addition, consider creating a space for them to live out their life cycles by creating...
Person planting seeds
Swap seeds at Woodford community event
WOODFORD Ill. – The cold and snowy days have arrived, making it the perfect time to dream about how your yard or garden might look this coming summer. Cultivating native plants that naturally thrive in our region offers numerous advantages. Once established, these plants...

Videos

Native grasses and pollinators

Native grasses are often overlooked when it comes to pollinators, but they can play a crucial role in supporting many different types of pollinators. Discover how native grasses provide nesting and overwintering habitats, serve as larval food sources, offer pollen, and much more!

Native Grasses in the Prairie and Your Yard

Explore native grasses and how to use them in our landscapes. Dive into how these grasses function in a prairie and how that translates to your yard, and get suggestions for what native grasses might work best to transform your landscape!