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 or subscribe to our mailing list to have the Prairie Islander emailed to you each quarter. Scroll to the bottom of any page on our website to sign up!
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.
This month, leading up to the late Leo and Anne Pondelick’s wedding anniversary we are celebrating the couple’s favorite charities.
Every year, the Macon County Conservation District Foundation receives a distribution from the couple’s endowed fund at the HICF.
Thank you, Leo and Anne, for sharing a love that keeps on giving to our community in perpetuity!
⚠️IMPORTANT NOTICE⚠️After all the recent rains, our crews discovered a culvert on the bike trail had damage, and the surrounding soil and rock has begun to erode away. For the safety of our bikers, hikers, and visitors, we will be closing a portion of the bike trail for the weekend and crews will be out working to repair that area of the bike trail and install a new steel culvert next week. The closed portion will begin at the bike trail entrance at the Rock Springs Nature Center, and will end at the gate just past the maintenance shed. Visitors will still be able to ride, walk, run, or hike from Fairview Park to the closed gate, but for safety reasons, we ask visitors not to go around the gate onto the closed portion of the trail until repairs are finished. Please feel free to share this post for those who may not follow our page, but enjoy using our trails. All other trails remain open. We will keep you updated as repairs begin and end. Thank you for your understanding.
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Don't forget, you can celebrate May the Fourth with us by learning about the Dark Side of Nature! Learn about the not-so-pretty side of nature, from mind-controlling parasites to cannibalistic tadpoles. Start indoors with a naturalist-led presentation, then head outside for a walk in the dark. Costumes are welcome!
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Trading Tractors for Tadpoles
During the summer of 2023, we took on the task of constructing three wetlands at two District locations. Fort Daniel Conservation Area, located east of Mt. Zion, is where one of the wetlands was constructed, and the other two at Friends Creek Conservation Area, located in the northern portion of Macon County near Cisco. This is one of the largest earthmoving projects the District has done in-house; every member of the Operations staff had a role in this construction project.
Beyond Brick & Mortar: Building the Future of Education with Open Walls & Open Minds
In 2023, we applied for - and received - a grant from the IDNR to construct an indoor-outdoor classroom in the lower level of the Rock Springs Nature Center. This project will focus on increasing our programming space at the Nature Center by constructing additional indoor and outdoor learning facilities and structures.
Let Them Be Wild
We understand more than most that baby animals are downright adorable, but is it ever a good idea to take an animal from the wild to keep as a pet? The answer to that would be, no. No matter how cute a wild animal is, removing them from their home in the wild to bring in and attempt to keep them as a domestic animal is never advisable for many reasons.
Giving Tuesday
Giving Back This Giving Tuesday Giving a little helps a lot. On Giving Tuesday, people all around the world do their part to give back! This year, we're asking for your support to help us protect and conserve the natural resources of our community. Your donations will help us to: Restore native habitats Purchase native seeds and plants Educate the public on the importance of conservation The Macon County Conservation District is fortunate to have staff who are passionate about what we do here and love getting to educate and inform the public on what it is that we do, [...]
Decatur Audubon Society Funding Bus Transportation and Programs at Macon County Conservation District
The Decatur Audubon Society is covering field trip transportation costs for students to visit Rock Springs Nature Center or any other Conservation Area. Funds may also pay for in-class or virtual Zoom programs with Conservation District staff, at a cost of up to $10,000. Learn More
An Unexpected Find
We here at the Macon County Conservation District wouldn’t be able to do what we do without several vital things that all play major roles in our daily operations, including our amazing volunteer base, our stellar and knowledgeable staff, and of course, the public that we serve.
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