Master Naturalists connect through community and conservation at annual conference
OGLESBY, Ill. — Of all the state parks in Illinois, Starved Rock has the most visitors, and this October, it also welcomed University of Illinois Extension’s Master Naturalists to explore and learn together. Against a backdrop of migrating pelicans floating in the Illinois River at the base...
Time change raises risk of driver collisions with wildlife
URBANA, Ill. — This Sunday at 2 a.m. Central Standard Time, daylight saving time will end, with clocks set back one hour. One of the most noticeable effects of “falling back” is that people will find themselves driving home from work or for after-school activities as the sun sets, putting them...
Nine new invasive species regulated in Illinois with expansion of Exotic Weeds Act
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The forests and prairies of Illinois have a new line of defense against harmful non-native plants. On Oct. 1, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources added nine more invasive plants to the list of species that are illegal to buy,...
Study: 72% of Illinois wetlands no longer protected by federal Clean Water Act
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture. Now, thanks to a 2023 Supreme Court decision, roughly 72% of the remaining 981,000...
Drought is intensifying across Illinois
An extremely dry end to summer and start to fall has intensified the ongoing drought in central and southern Illinois and increased the fire and blowing dust risk as we approach harvest, according to Illinois State Climatologist...
Illinois Extension to host inaugural Stormwater Leadership Summit
URBANA, Ill. — Illinois communities are facing more stormwater challenges due to larger storm events creating water quantity issues, infrastructure mitigation needs, and a lack of resources protecting water quality for all communities. To address this, University of Illinois Extension is...
Don’t be in the dark when it comes to power grid resiliency in Illinois
URBANA, Ill. — Power is readily available at the flick of a switch, but what does it take to make that happen now and in the future for everyone? This September, representatives from the Union of Concerned Scientists will join University of Illinois Extension...
Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ below average, scientists find
NOAA-supported scientists announced today that this year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” — an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is approximately 4,402 square miles, 21% smaller than estimates from early June...
Think outside the box turtle with program exploring 20 years of wildlife research
URBANA, Ill. — Every box turtle has a story to tell. These charismatic, long-lived turtles are omnivorous and use both land and water ecosystems, which makes them a good indicator of how strong the overall ecosystem is. In the last 18 years, the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab at...
Walk the Forest and Learn to Fight Invasive Plants
Some plants quietly—yet quickly—invade and overtake our landscapes, pushing out natives and offering no benefits to people, wildlife, or the environment. Luckily, Fall is an ideal time to identify and manage many of the invasive plants in our timber, prairie areas, and landscapes. ...
A century of data reveals declining forest diversity
URBANA, Ill. — Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have analyzed 96 years of forest census data to better understand ecological changes and inform management practices. Their study...
