College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

Blog Archive

Floating wetlands

Artificial floating wetlands create habitat and improve water quality

October 1, 2026

Everyday Environment

It's August, and I balance precariously on thin metal rails above the water, inspecting the garden I planted a few months prior. I move carefully, because any misstep could send me, or my colleague, into Lake Decatur. That's because this garden is an Artificial Floating Wetland, one of two that we...

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benefits of park

Nature helps rural communities build resilience

October 15, 2026

Everyday Environment

Imagine if the river just down the road were not only a place to fish, but a way to connect generations through shared storytelling. Or picture a local park where students practice communication, teamwork, and problem-solving while feeling welcome in the outdoors for the first time. What...

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addressing streambank erosion

How plant roots hold soil in place and help prevent streambank erosion

October 8, 2026

Everyday Environment

Stable streambanks are an important aspect of watershed management in Illinois. Across the state, we are experiencing increased rainfall and intensifying storms as the effects of climate change continue to ramp up. These changes create additional strain on Illinois streambanks, leading to...

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municipal codes on native plantings

What if my city doesn't like my native garden?

September 24, 2026

Everyday Environment

Gardening with native plants has gained substantial popularity in the last decade, but attitudes favoring — and landscaping ordinances enforcing — pesticide-heavy lawns and invasive-laden gardens remain. For a home gardener interested in installing a native garden, these are major hurdles to...

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Nesting birds

Coexisting with nesting birds: protecting the home and supporting wildlife

September 17, 2026

Everyday Environment

Every spring and summer, increased bird activity becomes noticeable around the home. I love sitting outside on my patio and watching my yard come to life. Birds begin searching for sheltered, quiet places to build nests. In areas with more lawn and fewer shrubs or trees, it’s common to...

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Energy Efficient Landscaping

Use your landscape to lower home energy costs

September 10, 2026

Everyday Environment

Before central heating and cooling became standard features in many homes, there was greater emphasis on designing homes and their yards to provide natural climate control. This was accomplished by taking advantage of the heating effects of solar radiation in winter, along with the cooling effects...

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insect challenges

Reduce insect conflicts with a naturalistic approach

September 3, 2026

Everyday Environment

While enjoying the outdoors, we often come into contact with insects, for better or worse. From buzzing mosquitoes to wasps interrupting outdoor meals, these encounters often lead people to think about control or elimination.Yet, insects play critical roles in our environment, from pollination and...

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Natural Lawn Care

Managing lawns with ecology in mind

August 27, 2026

Everyday Environment

“Dad, why can’t we just have grass in our yard?” asked my 12-year-old son. His question has been bouncing around in my head for a few days now. He and his siblings have started mowing lawns for a few others in our neighborhood, and while mowing, he noticed something — our home lawn has a lot...

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Tree care

What's wrong with my tree? Nature-based approaches

August 20, 2026

Everyday Environment

Trees provide shade, ecosystem services, and economic value in both urban and rural landscapes. Because trees are dominant features, their health has a big impact on the function and aesthetics of community forests. We invest time, money, and effort in our backyards and parks. Understanding factors...

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naturalistic gardening

Tips for gardening with nature: fall edition

August 13, 2026

Everyday Environment

I used to think fall was the time to clean up. Now I know fall is the time to prepare. When I was very small, I remember the leaves dropping everywhere in the fall. We lived in a rural area on a quarter acre overlooking Queensland Beach, and when the leaves fell, my mother would get us outside...

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Season 4 Invasive species

Effective invasive species management takes empathy and teamwork

May 28, 2026

Everyday Environment

In the spring 2026 season of Everyday Environment, we explored invasive species in a new and exciting way. The world of invasives typically focuses on which species are problematic and how to get rid of them. But our team dove deeper and more broadly into solution-finding and troubleshooting the...

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habitat restoration

Stories from the field: Managing invasive species at Emiquon Preserve

May 21, 2026

Everyday Environment

When water returned to the floodplain at The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve in west central Illinois, it marked a major restoration success. After decades of draining the land for agriculture, restoring water to this landscape along the Illinois River helped recreate wetland, lake, and marsh...

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invasive golden oyster mushroom

A golden opportunity to learn that mushrooms can be invasive too

May 14, 2026

Everyday Environment

You’ve heard of invasive plants and animals, but what about mushrooms? Around Illinois, you won’t have to look far to find invasive mushrooms.Golden Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) are a popular edible fungus that has become invasive in North America in the past decade. Walk...

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invasive carp

Invasive carp impact Illinois waterways

May 7, 2026

Everyday Environment

On one warm afternoon last June, I suddenly throttled down the boat as a barrage of silver carp leaped out of the water and pummeled my assistants and me, leaving a generous layer of slime on everything in the boat. Anyone who has been in a boat on the Illinois or Mississippi rivers during the...

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genetics of invasive plants

Telling the story of escaped ornamental plants

April 30, 2026

Everyday Environment

Have you ever had the sense that something is out of place, something just doesn’t belong? Years ago, on a fine summer day, I was hiking with a friend through a local nature preserve, and we were having fun quizzing each other on different plants we saw. We rounded a bend and nearly stumbled upon a...

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invasive pests

What makes a pest "invasive?"

April 23, 2026

Everyday Environment

Not all insects or pathogens that arrive from elsewhere are harmful. Many settle quietly into their new surroundings without causing noticeable change. But invasive species are different, and understanding what sets them apart is key to protecting our forests.A pest is considered invasive...

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protecting illinois from invasive pests

Protecting Illinois from invasive pest threats

April 23, 2026

Everyday Environment

The Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey program, CAPS, focuses on the early detection and surveillance of harmful or economically significant exotic plant pests, diseases, and weeds that have eluded first-line of defense inspections or have...

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invasive species in the home landscape

The far-reaching effects of invasive landscape plants

April 16, 2026

Everyday Environment

Did you know that many of the invasive plants that landowners, foresters, and conservation workers fight today were first introduced as pretty landscaping plants? It seems hard to believe that one little plant you install in your yard has the potential to rule the world, or at least the nearby...

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25 years of research on illinois ecosystems

What two decades of research tells us about invasive species

April 9, 2026

Everyday Environment

Illinois is home to a diversity of natural ecosystems, including the grasslands, forests, and wetlands that once covered a majority of the state. Most of these ecosystems have been converted to other land-cover types, notably row-crop agriculture and urban and suburban development, but remaining...

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EDDMaPs: reporting, managing, and researching invasives

Community reported data helps EDDMapS inform and drive invasive species management

April 2, 2026

Everyday Environment

EDDMapS, formerly known as The Bugwood Network, was launched 20 years ago by the University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health to provide an aggregated source of invasive plant distribution data and information in...

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College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

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1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Email: extension@illinois.edu

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