Events

people hiking

Mindfulness Hike at Carl Spindler Marina

County: Fulton, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell
Slow down, step outside, and reconnect with the present moment. 
Join us for a series of guided Mindfulness Hikes designed to help you unwind, sharpen your senses, and deepen your connection…

green praying mantis

Beneficial Insects | Belvidere | UPDATED Date

Boone County Master Gardeners
County: Boone
It’s a Buggy World: Why Our Gardens Need Insects! Led by a certified Boone County Master Gardener 
 Not all insects we find in our gardens are pests. In fact, most aren’t pests at all.…

wildflowers

Spring Wildflower Hike

Belrose Farm
County: LaSalle

Explore the beauty of spring wildflowers on a series of guided hikes at natural areas around LaSalle County. Spring ephemeral wildflowers can only be viewed for a brief period of time, between the…

a variety of plants with the text that says Plant Sale

Plant Sale

County: Pope

University of Illinois Extension invites the public to a plant sale at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center on May 2nd, 2026. The sale will be located under the pavilion near the administration…

Compost Giveaway Saturday May 2nd

Compost Giveaway

McHenry County
County: McHenry

Shovels provided, bring your own buckets.
Limit 20 gallons per household. 
Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week with us. Add compost to your vegetable garden, flower beds, or…

Wild plum trees are blooming in the forest at Owsley Wildlands.

Conservation Tours

Owsley Wildlands Forest Tour
County: McDonough
Create healthy forests while building a connection to the land.

Our woodlands are in trouble. In areas too small to farm or too rugged to clear, forests are becoming overwhelmed by invasive plants…

wildflowers

Spring Wildflower Hike

Sandy Ford Land & Water Reserve
County: LaSalle

Explore the beauty of spring wildflowers on a series of guided hikes at natural areas around LaSalle County. Spring ephemeral wildflowers can only be viewed for a brief period of time, between the…

A sign on a tree warning about ticks in the area

Ticks in Illinois

Become a Citizen Scientist!
County: Lake
 Have you found yourself worrying that those pesky little bugs seem to be everywhere lately? You might be right, tick populations are on the rise, and new species may be appearing in our area.…

a group of people looking in a fish tank

Green Connections: Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery Tour

County: Fulton, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell

Growing Gardens, Embracing Nature, Sustaining Conservation in Illinois: Green Connections

Green Connections is an educational and networking opportunity offered by University of Illinois…

native plant landscaping in front of a house

Business in Front, Party in the Back - Designing a Native Landscape Your Neighbors will Appreciate

Hosted by Wild Ones Lake-to-Prairie Chapter and the University of Illinois Extension - Lake County
County: Lake

Even the most thoughtfully designed native landscape can sometimes be misunderstood or even viewed as problematic by neighbors or local municipalities. What begins as an effort to support…