The ParkLands Foundation’s first annual Earth Day Volunteer Challenge (April 22 - 25) aims to raise ecological awareness and make a collective impact on protecting the natural heritage of central Illinois.  Approximately 10 teams of 10 volunteers will compete across numerous ParkLands preserves to remove the most invasive plants, preserving the

A spring favorite is back!  Local naturalists, including ISU Distinguished Professor Emeritus, botanist, ecologist, and ParkLands legend Roger Anderson, will lead guided tours of Merwin Preserve's vibrant spring wildflowers on Saturday, May 1st.  Four sessions are available: 10:00am, 10:15am, 10:30am, and 10:45am. Register Here!  

Remove invasive sweet clover from the last 5 acres of original tallgrass prairie in McLean County .  Please bring water, work gloves, sturdy shoes and long pants.  Registration is limited to 10 volunteers due to limited parking and no trails at the preserve. Sign up to volunteer!   For more information: About Weston Cemetery Prairie

                                          Register here!   Admission is $5 per person to help cover cost and support the foundation.  Registration is limited to 20 guests per group, or 40 total guests.  This event is for ParkLands members

Save the date for our most popular event!  Supported out-and-back rides of varying lengths depart Lexington, IL and follow the Mackinaw River Valley to highlight the areas unique landscape, including several ParkLands preserves. For more information and sign-up visit parklandsfoundation.org/bikeride

Help fight back against woody brush invading the biodiversity of Sweeney Woods!  Involves some physical activity navigating unlevel ground, using loppers/handsaws, and handheld herbicide sprayers.  Please bring water, work gloves, sturdy shoes and long pants. Sign up to volunteer!   For more information: About Sweeney Woods About invasive brush removal How to identify silver maple trees

Help fight back against invasive woody brush such as bush honeysuckle and autumn olive from our community's most beloved preserve.  Involves some physical activity navigating unlevel ground, using loppers/handsaws, and handheld herbicide sprayers.  Please bring water, work gloves, sturdy shoes and long pants. Sign up to volunteer!   For more information: About Merwin Preserve About bush

Two different prairies, two different ecosystems, one story of conservation.  Join us for a morning comparing two high-quality examples of Illinois' most famous landscape; prairie. Guided hikes will start at either Ridgetop Hill Prairie Nature Preserve or Letcher Basin Land & Water Reserve, and switch halfway through.  A hayrack trailer will be used to tour

In follow up to last year's popular mussel event, we will again explore the river for a hands-on learning opportunity about the Mackinaw River's amazing aquatic diversity at ParkLands' Hayes Woods Preserve.  Yes, we'll find mussels, but we'll also find darters, microinvertebrates, macroinvertebrates, and more.   This is an event for all ages! ParkLands volunteers will

Help keep the invasive plant Lespedeza cuneata from further invading our prairie restoration.  This workday, led by Volunteer Stewards Frank Sanders and Suzie Rogers, will involve physical activity navigating unlevel ground, pulling and/or lopping of plants, and a 2-mile hike round trip hike to the prairie and back.  Please bring water, work gloves, sturdy shoes and

                    Join us for our 55th annual Meeting of the Members at Sweeney Woods Preserve. Register here!   Agenda:  10:30am Optional Guide Hike 12:00pm Lunch (boxed or bring your own) 12:30pm Formal Membership Meeting, Year in Review, and Volunteer and Board Member Recognition   In conformance

Help protect the biodiversity of one of central Illinois' best prairie restorations! We will removing invasive teasel before it goes to seed.  Involves some physical activity navigating unlevel ground and using pruners/loppers.  Please bring water, work gloves, sturdy shoes and long pants. Sign up to volunteer!   For more information: About Letcher Basin Land & Water