Programs & Activities

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.

The Decatur Audubon Society will cover transportation costs for 20 school buses to take field trips to Rock Springs Nature Center or any of the five Macon County Conservation Areas, from now until the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

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

Volunteers are needed to help in a variety of areas during this annual event. >> 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

Natural Resources staff will explain why and how we use prescribed fire in Central Illinois as a management tool. We’ll cover fire history, fire weather, behavior, burn plans, safety, firebreaks, ignition devices and techniques, and smoke management.

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.

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.
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Bring Homestead Prairie Farm to life during this fun evening event. Volunteer opportunities include tour guides, trail guides, and outdoor lantern tenders. >> 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

Presentation: “Pollinator Pockets” by Sandy Mason – Retired U of IL Extension, Horticulture Educator

Bird Study: “Glacier’s Edge Naturalists” by Dena Hyde, Master Naturalist Program Coordinator

Have you ever wondered what a lichen is? We will look into this unique plant group and see some examples found out in nature.

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.

We are looking for some jolly elves to help decorate the Nature Center for the holidays. >> Read more

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.

Stop by the elegant Governor Oglesby Mansion to enjoy a traditional Christmas afternoon tea! >> Read more

Join other volunteers on this fun historical adventure and see the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum decorated for the holidays.

Enjoy music played by Cross Country Classics. Free.

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.

Celebrate the holidays in the company of volunteers and staff.

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.

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.