Events

Blog Posts

Green PawPaw fruit on tree
Read article: Pawpaw fruit ripening
Pawpaw fruit ripening
North America’s largest native tree fruit is ripening in forest understories and home landscapes across central Illinois this week. Pawpaws (...
tallgrass prairie restoration bison on prairie
Read article: Return of bison revives biodiversity of one restored Illinois prairie
Return of bison revives biodiversity of one restored Illinois prairie
Tallgrass prairie is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world, and yet there is hope for the future of the ecosystem that defines Illinois...
poison ivy
Read article: Poison Ivy: A friend to deer and bird, a foe to many humans
Poison Ivy: A friend to deer and bird, a foe to many humans
By Jennifer Bass, Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell countiesI love my yard with all...
a naturalized landscape bed
Read article: Nature by design: Naturalistic landscapes
Nature by design: Naturalistic landscapes
In recent years, landscape design trends have migrated toward naturalistic aesthetics- a style that equally prioritizes ecological function, native...

News Releases

A woodland with blue flowering plants
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...
Prairie plants
Illinois plant ecologists fight to restore Midwest biodiversity
URBANA, Ill. — Imagine a prairie. How many plant species do you see? Maybe you’re picturing yellow coneflowers, some little bluestem, perhaps a few asters. But plant ecologists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign say these ecosystems are much more...
Local Gardeners Embrace Native Plants at Educational Workshop in Breese
Local Gardeners Embrace Native Plants at Educational Workshop in BreeseUniversity of Illinois Extension in Clinton County buzzed with excitement on June 7 as 21 local gardening enthusiasts gathered to deepen their knowledge of native plants and their role in supporting...
Yellow and green foliage shade plants at a garden center
Grow successful made in the shade gardens
URBANA, Ill. — Did you know that despite Illinois' reputation as a prairie state, its landscape was once nearly a third forest? This fact opens up a wonderful world of native plants perfectly suited for shade gardens. Choosing these local beauties not only bolsters regional biodiversity but...

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!