Programs & Activities

Discover exotic and local wildlife photography by Robert Reed featuring polar bears, elk, raccoons, foxes, birds, butterflies, and flowers.

Experience nature-themed watercolor paintings featuring landscapes, barns, birds, and butterflies.

Every Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the home’s inhabitants and discover their late 1800s lifestyle. Fee $2. Members are free.

The Oglesby Mansion is located at 421 W. William St. in Decatur, IL.

>> Learn more about the Oglesby Mansion

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Join us for the national pastime: base ball! Cheer for your home team, the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels, in a game of vintage base ball played with authentic 1858 rules.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the home’s inhabitants and discover their late 1800s lifestyle. Fee $2. Members are free.

The Oglesby Mansion is located at 421 W. William St. in Decatur, IL.

>> Learn more about the Oglesby Mansion

Enjoy a free concert from 6:30-7:30pm then view the stars and visible planets. >> Read more

We can use volunteer help with the children’s craft, campfire, star gazing, and telescope management.
>> Read more & RSVP

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Explore our state’s early history with guest speaker Dr. John Reda, author and professor of history at Illinois State University. Free. No registration required.

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby to encounter the lives of its family members and explore their late 1800s lifestyle.

Experienced singers from the Charleston-Mattoon Sacred Harp Singers will delight the public with their unique music.

Learn all about hummingbirds. Watch as we capture, band, and release wild birds. >> Read more

Every Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the home’s inhabitants and discover their late 1800s lifestyle. Fee $2. Members are free.

The Oglesby Mansion is located at 421 W. William St. in Decatur, IL.

>> Learn more about the Oglesby Mansion

Ready for a road trip? We are going to the Champaign area to tour the Museum of the Grand Prairie and Anita Purves Nature Center.

South Gallery
Enjoy nature photography, including flowers and wildlife.

North Gallery
Photographer Curt Knapp will display beautiful pictures of nature, including bears, eagles, flowers, and sunsets.

See what going to school was like in the early 20th century at this historic one-room schoolhouse located at Friends Creek Conservation Area.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the home’s inhabitants and discover their late 1800s lifestyle. Fee $2. Members are free.

The Oglesby Mansion is located at 421 W. William St. in Decatur, IL.

>> Learn more about the Oglesby Mansion

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Our offices will be closed for the Labor Day holiday.

Every Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center

Delve into the world of snakes by feeling snakeskin, looking at a skeleton, and observing a real snake.
>> Read more & register

Delve into the world of snakes by feeling snakeskin, looking at a skeleton, and observing a real snake.
>> Read more & register

Enjoy music played by Cross Country Classics. Free.

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Curious about vintage base ball? Stop by the ballfield at Rock Springs Conservation Area to try your hand at this 1860s era game.
>> Read more

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Hear how Illinois came to be a quasi-slave state and the stories of those affected by it from guest speaker Tara McClellan McAndrew, an author and journalist from Central Illinois.

Bluegrass Music Jam at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Every Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center

Prairie Heritage Volunteers fill many niches at Homestead Prairie Farm, from carpentry work to costumed interpretation. Receive your monthly update at this meeting. Refreshments provided.

Fall is filled with stunning colors. Volunteers are welcome to enjoy relaxing hike through the forest, and have a picnic at the pavilion afterwards.

Curious about vintage base ball? Stop by the ballfield at Rock Springs Conservation Area to try your hand at this 1860s era game.
>> Read more

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Summer is on its way out and so are the green leaves on the trees! Learn about leaves and the changes that occur in the fall, then make an artistic leaf collage using leaves found outside.
>> Read more & register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Learn about monarch butterflies from naturalists, then help capture and tag live butterflies.

Nature is changing its appearance for a new season. Discover the colors around us and the smells of the season through hands-on activities and play.
>> Read more & register

Every Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center

Nature is changing its appearance for a new season. Discover the colors around us and the smells of the season through hands-on activities and play.
>> Read more & register

Macon County Conservation District Board Meeting at Rock Springs Nature Center

Webelos Scouts will learn how to identify trees, plants, and discover how fire affects the forest.
>> Read more & Register

Join us for the national pastime: base ball! Cheer for your home team, the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels, in a game of vintage base ball played with authentic 1858 rules.

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Hop into a canoe and take an adventure down the Sangamon River.
>> Read more & register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Learn about the stars, constellations, and view the harvest moon through our telescope during this informative program.
>> Read more & register

Every Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center

Visit this newly renovated museum, learn about the people who settled America, and take a trip to the top of the arch for a view of the city.
>> Read more & register

Join us for an adventure to St. Louis to learn about early life in the gateway to the west.
>> Read more & register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Ride your bicycle for habitat restoration! This bicycling fundraiser for the Macon County Conservation Foundation protects local wildlife and natural areas. Choose from a 20, 40, or 62-mile route along quiet country roads as you ride your bike to protect local wildlife and natural areas in Macon County. >> Read more

Ride your bicycle for habitat restoration! This bicycling fundraiser for the Macon County Conservation Foundation supports local wildlife and natural areas. Choose from a 20, 40, or 62-mile route along quiet country roads.
>> Read more & register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby to encounter the lives of its family members and explore their late 1800s lifestyle.

Get a close up look at deer fur and antlers as we learn about Illinois’ largest plant eater.
>> Read more & register

Get a close up look at deer fur and antlers as we learn about Illinois’ largest plant eater.
>> Read more & register

Enjoy music played by Cross Country Classics. Free.

Rodney T. Miller Wetland Parking Lot
Help harvest native wildflower seeds from Rock Springs prairies to diversify other sites. This light intensity work involves picking seed from stalks and walking through tall vegetation.
>> Read more & RSVP

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Celebrate the autumn harvest season by discovering reindeer, corn mazes, and apple picking in Champaign County.
>> Read more & register

See what going to school was like in the early 20th century at this historic one-room schoolhouse located at Friends Creek Conservation Area.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Staff will drive you to some of the Conservation District-owned sites that you may not be aware of. We will look for wildlife and colorful fall foliage as we learn about the history of the Conservation Areas and what natural area restoration work is being done there.
>> Read more & register

Join us for the national pastime: base ball! Cheer for your home team, the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels, in a game of vintage base ball played with authentic 1858 rules.

Visit this newly renovated museum, learn about the people who settled America, and take a trip to the top of the arch for a view of the city.
>> Read more & register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Bring your camera and tripod and join us for a photography workshop! There will be a lecture inside followed by a walk outside to photograph things in nature.
>> Read more & register

Do you remember curling up on the couch to watch the 1970s-1980s television show “Little House on the Prairie?” Based on Wilder’s books, this presentation will reveal more of Wilder’s true life than many people may know.

Bluegrass Music Jam at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Discover how nature prepares for winter by creating seeds. Children will find out what makes seeds and where we find them.
>> Read more & register

Discover how nature prepares for winter by creating seeds. Children will find out what makes seeds and where we find them.
>> Read more & register

Macon County Conservation District Board Meeting at Rock Springs Nature Center

Experience America in the early 1900s, discover some of the mathematical patterns found in nature, learn how storms are formed, and much more.
>> Read more & Register

Support the Governor Oglesby Mansion and indulge in a delicious meal during this annual dinner fundraiser.
>> Read more & RSVP

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Hop into a canoe and take an adventure down the Sangamon River.
>> Read more & register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Bring your water shoes or mud boots as we get wet and explore the creek! Use our nets to dip and scoop in search of critters, and learn about aquatic habitats.
>> Read more & register

Tour the EcoCenter, learn about migration, and identify dangerous plants and animals. >> Read more & Register

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Celebrate fall at Rock Springs Nature Center with tons of fall-themed activities, including archery, a children’s straw maze, wagon rides, homestead tours, live animals, temporary tattoos, and more.
>> Read more

Discover this 1860s farmhouse and the lives of the people who lived there. Located at Rock Springs Conservation Area.

Join us for the national pastime: base ball! Cheer for your home team, the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels, in a game of vintage base ball played with authentic 1858 rules.

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby to encounter the lives of its family members and explore their late 1800s lifestyle.

Explore acrobatic squirrels and lightning fast chipmunks through song, fur, footprints, and a playful game.
>> Read more & register

North Gallery
Discover works in watercolor, pastels, oil, and mixed media depicting subjects from nature to portraits by talented artists in our community.

South Gallery
View photographs of white-tailed deer, great blue herons, and plants through the lens of photographer David Castor.

Explore acrobatic squirrels and lightning fast chipmunks through song, fur, footprints, and a playful game.
>> Read more & register

Enjoy music played by Cross Country Classics. Free.

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Why do woodpeckers peck wood? Learn this and more as we search for red-headed woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, and more on this fun and informative woodland hike.
>> Read more & register

Staff will drive you to some of the Conservation District-owned sites that you may not be aware of. We will look for wildlife and colorful fall foliage as we learn about the history of the Conservation Areas and what natural area restoration work is being done there.
>> Read more & register

Bring nature into your home! Adults are invited to create an autumn-themed wreath to hang on your door to welcome the season with a splash of vibrant natural colors.
>> Read more & register

Electricity and modern conveniences were not always at our fingertips. Glimpse what an evening in the 1860s was like at Homestead Prairie Farm lit by candlelight and lamplight as guides in period clothing walk you through the home.
>> Read more

Bluegrass Music Jam at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Our offices will be closed for the Veterans Day holiday.

Check out these nocturnal masked bandits as we use our senses to look at raccoon fur, tracks, and a skull.
>> Read more & register

Visit this newly renovated museum, learn about the people who settled America, and take a trip to the top of the arch for a view of the city.
>> Read more & register

Check out these nocturnal masked bandits as we use our senses to look at raccoon fur, tracks, and a skull.
>> Read more & register

Dulcimer Club Meetings at Rock Springs Nature Center offer a perfect opportunity to rediscover musical interests and talents. Bring your instrument, learn a new tune or simply enjoy the musical talents of our volunteers. Free and open to the public.

Join us in Blue Mound for a night hike, where we will explore the area in the dark and use our senses to find our way through the woods.
>> Read more & register

Macon County Conservation District Board Meeting at Rock Springs Nature Center

The Rock Springs Nature Center and business offices are closed for Thanksgiving Day.

Rock Springs Nature Center is open. Business offices are closed.

Play Native American games and learn about their history, then try your luck shooting life-sized animal targets at 3D archery.
>> Read more & register

Tour the restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby to encounter the lives of its family members and explore their late 1800s lifestyle.

Experienced singers from the Charleston-Mattoon Sacred Harp Singers will delight the public with their unique music.