From your backyard to the global ecosystem, everything in nature is connected. A core University of Illinois Extension program area — natural resources, environment, and energy — shares research-based resources with communities on everything from wildlife to water to wind turbines. Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Educator Darci Webber provides research-based programs for central Illinois in Livingston, McLean, and Woodford counties to help communities develop a connection with nature and empower them to take steps that have a positive impact.
What do you specialize in, and what motivated you to start working in that area?
There are so many beautiful aspects of natural resources I enjoy contributing to, but in broad terms, I focus on sustainable practices for everyday life, such as water management, planting native plants, and conserving energy at home. Caring for the environment can seem like a daunting task, yet each day, we can make choices that help protect our natural resources.
My passion for sustainability started after taking summer courses at the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Sciences and has continued to grow through my global travels. It’s amazing to see the wide range of ecosystems across different countries, from rainforests to deserts to landscapes in urban megacities, and to recognize how our human footprint impacts each of these spaces. This pull to experience and support our global environment led me to pursue a master’s degree in international agriculture and continue learning how to share environmental education with others.
What brought you to University of Illinois Extension?
I was not aware of Extension until graduate school, and then it felt like a natural fit. Finding joy in the outdoors and educating others about our environment is a neat way to spend each day. I enjoy getting to engage with our volunteers and local community, to hear their stories, and to empower them to care for our natural areas as well.
What does a day of work at Extension look like?
Each day is vastly different, but for example, today has included creating salamander trading cards, reviewing promotional materials for an upcoming course about watersheds, talking with Master Naturalist volunteers about upcoming school field trips, and picking a topic to write about for next month’s Flowers, Fruits, and Frass blog post. It’s a great job with many ongoing projects and opportunities to explore.
What’s a question you get asked a lot?
When I tell people I work with Extension, many people then ask, “Do you work with 4-H?” It’s a fair question, as Illinois 4-H has great opportunities and is an amazing program for youth enrichment. While I sometimes collaborate with 4-H, I mostly get to share about all the great programs our agriculture and natural resources team has with community members of all ages. Extension covers a wide variety of topic areas; there’s something for everyone to be a part of.
What are you looking forward to working on this year?
This year, our Master Naturalist volunteers are leading several outdoor community events in partnership with Prairie Lands Foundation, many of which will be at Fugate Woods. The growth of these programs has been remarkable; our night owl walk had more than 100 participants. We’ve had more community program requests and new initiatives encouraging people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors.
Additionally, this year I am involved in the College of ACES’ Global Academy and traveled to Sri Lanka for two weeks in May to learn about their environment and environmental education pursuits. It was a great opportunity to learn about their water management, agricultural practices, and the national perspective on sustainability. There is so much we can learn from one another in how to manage resources, ideas for policies, and ways to mitigate our impact on the environment. Professionally, it is refreshing to hear these different perspectives and to remember we are not alone in trying to care for our world. Darci writes for the Flowers, Fruits, and Frass blog and is a guest host on the Everyday Environment blog and podcast this fall season, exploring Illinois wildlife.
About Illinois Extension natural resources, environment, and energy
To connect with Extension natural resources, environment, and energy staff about a program or for a consultation, visit go.illinois.edu/NREEstaff. Extension’s natural resources, environment, and energy program provides research-based education for awareness and action to sustain healthy environments and ecosystems that support quality living and resilient communities. Extension staff empower people across Illinois to make a difference through the Master Naturalists, Climate Stewards, and Watershed Stewards volunteer and training programs.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.