News & Media

There’s always something happening at the Macon County Conservation District!  Staff and volunteers work all year round to provide you with educational programs, restore natural areas, and preserve historic sites.  To know what’s going on:

Prairie Islander

Subscribe to the Prairie Islander, our free, quarterly newsletter, by emailing us your name and mailing address at [email protected].  You may also read the current issue online.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries about stories or photo requests, call 217-423-7708.  If you wish to receive our news releases and photo opportunities via email, send a message to [email protected] or call 217-423-7708.

Social Media

Receive trail condition updates, see the work we’re doing, and share pictures of your visits to the conservation areas by following us on Facebook  and Twitter.

Macon County Conservation District on Facebook

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Macon County Conservation District
21 hours ago
Macon County Conservation District

There are two weeks left to see art by our March/April artists inside Rock Springs Nature Center: See nature photography by JPKPhotographs in the North Gallery, and paintings and drawings by K Unruh Art in the South Gallery. Both shows will be up to the end of April. Remember, Rock Springs Nature Center is open until 8pm on Thursday evenings. Face masks required: MaconCountyConservation.org/conservation-areas/rock-springs-nature-center ...

There are two weeks left to see art by our March/April artists inside Rock Springs Nature Center: See nature photography by JPKPhotographs in the North Gallery, and paintings and drawings by K Unruh Art in the South Gallery. Both shows will be up to the end of April. Remember, Rock Springs Nature Center is open until 8pm on Thursday evenings. Face masks required: https://MaconCountyConservation.org/conservation-areas/rock-springs-nature-center
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Macon County Conservation District
2 days ago
Macon County Conservation District

Help your children or grandchildren connect with nature this summer by enrolling them in one of our camps. All camps will be held primarily outdoors (as weather permits), and will follow all public health guidelines for our area. Space is more limited than usual, so register soon: MaconCountyConservation.org/nature-camps-for-kids ...

Help your children or grandchildren connect with nature this summer by enrolling them in one of our camps. All camps will be held primarily outdoors (as weather permits), and will follow all public health guidelines for our area. Space is more limited than usual, so register soon: https://MaconCountyConservation.org/nature-camps-for-kids
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Violet Lauderdale

Lisa Gibson

Any camps available at Friends Creek?

Jana Mehess Howe would Mary be interested? I haven’t asked Kj yet but I think it would be good for her to get out of the house!

Shelby Rotz

Laura Kappler

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Macon County Conservation District
3 days ago
Macon County Conservation District

The Festival of Spring is next Saturday, April 24. There will be a mix of virtual and in-person activities. Be sure to register online by noon on Friday, April 23 for in-person activities that require registration: MaconCountyConservation.org/events/festival-of-spring. Thank you to our co-sponsor, Decatur Audubon, for helping us put on the event, and to the Macon County Community Environmental Council (CEC) for co-sponsoring the River Cleanup. ...

The Festival of Spring is next Saturday, April 24. There will be a mix of virtual and in-person activities. Be sure to register online by noon on Friday, April 23 for in-person activities that require registration: https://MaconCountyConservation.org/events/festival-of-spring. Thank you to our co-sponsor, Decatur Audubon, for helping us put on the event, and to the Macon County Community Environmental Council (CEC) for co-sponsoring the River Cleanup.
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See the full list of activities and register online: MaconCountyConservation.org/events/festival-of-spring

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1880s-Style Harvest Fun Comes to Rock Springs

Mary Morrow was on a roll with pumpkin rolling Sunday afternoon at the Rock Springs Conservation Area’s Fall Harvest Festival.  Competing against several other kids on a downhill slope outside the Nature Center building, Mary stood out before the race got going because she was dressed in period 1880s clothing . . .

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Healthy Burn for Prairie

Prairie used to cover most of Illinois. Fires occurred routinely and naturally, which rejuvenated the prairie grasses and maintained their health, said Richie Wolf, Rock Springs Nature Center manager. The Macon County Conservation District has used prescribed burns since 1978 to restore conservation areas for several reasons . . .

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