Conservation

Events

2026 Conservation@Home Garden Tour

August 22, 2026

County

Fulton

Mason

Peoria

Tazewell

Conservation@Home Event: Native Seed and Plant Share

October 29, 2026

County

Fulton

Mason

Peoria

Tazewell

Blog Posts

Soybeans growing through cover crop biomass

Cover crop conversations: Cultural and mindset shifts

July 7, 2026

In...

Conservation@Home Member Spotlight: Meg Ray

May 29, 2026

By Sarah Smith, Illinois Extension Master Gardener and Master NaturalistUtilizing the 2025 Conservation@Home Kickoff event at Pleasant...

The role of the soil microbiome in reducing nutrient loss

May 29, 2026

In...

Tractor plowing a field with a dust cloud behind

Dust storms, starter fertilizer, and conservation tillage

March 27, 2026

In episode 80 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast, University of Illinois Assistant Professor and Extension agronomist...

More Blogs

News Releases

A woman with a clipboard checks the food in an open refrigerator

July 14, 2026

Help shape solutions to food waste by taking the Illinois Household Food Waste Survey
URBANA, Ill. — From farm to table to trash can, what happens to food is bigger than leftovers. Producing food uses valuable resources like water and fuel, and when uneaten food ends up in landfills, it...

People observe a hands-on soil sampling demonstration during an Illinois Extension training.

July 7, 2026

Serve your community, become a Master Naturalist
MATTOON, Ill. – From neighborhood parks to the Shawnee National Forest, University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists volunteer as environmental stewards, helping protect Illinois' natural resources while connecting people with the outdoors.Illinois Extension is accepting...

June 17, 2026

Spring into action Woodsy Owl style
Johnson County, Ill. — Volunteers gathered at Dutchman Lake on June 5, 2026, for the fourth Trash Blast of the year, wrapping up the spring season of community-driven cleanup efforts focused on protecting and...

A student explores how waste moves through a landfill system using a hands-on model.

May 4, 2026

University of Illinois Extension Hosts Conservation Day for 4th Grade Students
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — Fourth grade students from Christian County explored local conservation practices and natural resource stewardship during Conservation Day on April 30, an interactive, hands-on learning experience hosted by University of Illinois Extension at the Christian...

More News

Videos

Uncovering the Winter Secrets of Whip-poor-wills

Often heard and rarely seen, the eastern whip-poor-will and its namesake nighttime call is an iconic Midwestern woodland bird. But like many other insect-eating birds, its numbers are declining. University of Illinois avian researchers are working to uncover the secrets of where this elusive...

Cover Crop Conversations, Farmer-to-Farmer Insights Across Illinois

Farmers from northwest, west central, and southern Illinois discuss how they use cover crops in their operations as part of this recorded presentation coordinated in part by the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Hear how they have incorporated cover crops on their farms, lessons learned...