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close up of old jack o'lanterns in a pile
Read article: Don’t trash pumpkins this Halloween: Smash them!
Don’t trash pumpkins this Halloween: Smash them!
Apple cider and crisp fall air call for Halloween festivities and of course, you can’t forget about pumpkins! It would not be an Illinois Halloween...
dried flowers in a garden
Read article: Pollinator tips for fall clean up time
Pollinator tips for fall clean up time
Where did summer go?  It seems like we were just enjoying the sun, imagining all the wonderful produce our gardens would make, and looking...
landscaping with native plants
Read article: Conservation@Home Member Spotlight: Laura Hertz
Conservation@Home Member Spotlight: Laura Hertz
By Laura Hertz, Illinois Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn 2018, I became aware of the...
Read article: Embark on new adventures with Everyday Environment
Embark on new adventures with Everyday Environment
I am always excited for a new adventure – the anticipation of looking around the bend to the next interesting feature on a trail; the view at the top...

News Releases

Two people in a boat with nets on poles watch as dozens of carp jump out of the water
Study: Invasive silver carp reduce movement in Chicago-area water
URBANA, Ill. — Invasive silver carp have been spreading throughout the Mississippi River Basin since their introduction a half-century ago. Yet, try as they might, the fish have not advanced beyond a particular stretch of the Illinois River north of Kankakee. Research from the...
a woman draws a bat with chalk
First bat celebration takes flight to raise awareness about conservation
URBANA, Ill. — Bats are an iconic symbol of spooky season, and more than 800 people attended the first Central Illinois Bat Festival on Sept. 28 in Urbana for a celebration of all things batty, including exhibits on bat conservation, guest speakers, activities for kids, and an evening bat walk...
owl prowl
Join us for the nighttime adventure of the Night Owl Prowl
LIVINGSTON, Ill. – The 2024 calendar year has been a thriving and encouraging time at Fugate Woods with multiple educational events bringing the community together. The University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists and Prairie Lands Foundation have led six events in 2024 already, and if...
Take care of your trees with summer Forestry Stewardship Series
URBANA, Ill. — Illinois has 4.8 million acres of tree-covered land. From shading homes and feeding wildlife to producing oxygen and filtering water, trees do a lot of heavy lifting. Give them a hand by discovering innovative, research-based management options in the summer Forestry...

Videos

Create a Winter Bird Haven

The garden doesn’t stop being a haven in the winter months. Lots of wildlife can use your yard for over-wintering and provide a delightful spectacle on cold days as we look out dreaming of warmer weather. Attracting birds to the winter landscape can be incredibly rewarding for people of all ages...

Talking About Illinois Birds

University of Illinois ornithologist Michael Ward discusses the plight of birds. Are the declining populations dire? Why are Midwestern migrating birds being found in shark stomachs in the Gulf of Mexico? Ward tells what is being done across the borders, in Illinois agricultural lands, and how...

Staff