3rd Annual Mudpuppy Festival
Monarch Brewing Company 212 S. Independence Street, Monticello, IllinoisCome celebrate the Sangamon River's coolest creature! 3rd Annual Mudpuppy Festival scheduled on Saturday, February 1, 1-4 pm at the Monarch Brewing Company in Monticello. Mudpuppies are a threatened species of salamander that sound like a puppy barking when on land. And, we have them right here in Monticello in the Sangamon River! Check out this YouTube video to see one in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pcuKcGZ8ns Download the festival flyer for all the details and list of sponsors.
Community Environmental Council Quarterly Forum
Decatur Public Library - Madden Auditorium 130 N Franklin Street, Decatur, IL, United StatesFeatured guest will be Steve John the co-founder and executive director of the Agricultural Watershed Institute, a Decatur-based nonprofit organization, and who serves on the Steering Committee of Green Lands Blue Waters. Keynote: The Perennial Biomass Initiative: Collaboration For the Next Landscape Transformation Steve John will discuss a multi-state initiative for a 21st Century landscape transformation featuring perennial crops to enhance agriculture’s economic, environmental, and social performance. The Decatur area and the Upper Sangamon River Watershed can be a test bed to significantly increase acreage planted in perennial crops managed for both agricultural goods and environmental services. Download a flyer here.
Bike Committee Planning Meeting
Hand of Fate Brewery 107 E Douglas St, Petersburg, IL, United StatesIf you’re interested in helping plan the June 13 bike ride please join us at Hand of Fate on Sunday, March 8 at 2:00PM.
Menard County Trails & Greenways Meeting
Petersburg City Hall 122 S. 6th Street, Petersburg, IL, United StatesMenard County Trails & Greenways meeting. We have several events and activities lined for the coming year. Come find out what we have planned and how you can get involved! Light refreshments will be provided.
RESTORATION WORK DAY-Lincoln Homestead State Park
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial 39.805351, -89.104150, Decatur, IllinoisWe are removing bush honeysuckle plus garlic mustard, mulching trails, and cleaning park facilities for the season. Please wear gloves. We appreciate any amount of time you can give. Come enjoy the signs of spring, observe the changes in the park that have been made, and meet new friends.
Calling on Volunteers at Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial 39.805351, -89.104150, Decatur, IllinoisWe are so excited that Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial will be opening tomorrow, Friday, May 29, 2020. We have been anxiously waiting for this good news!!! We encourage you to come out and visit the park. It is beautiful and you will be able to see changes from last year with the removal of a lot of honeysuckle. At this time, all scheduled programs and events have been canceled. If there are any changes, you will be notified. The bush honeysuckle in the park is growing rapidly. On June 4, 2020, we will be working in the park to spray, cut, and remove as much of this invasive plant as possible. We are looking for volunteers to help with this task. We will work from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM. and would appreciate any time you can give. We are asking everyone to follow the CDC guidelines and wear masks, gloves, and we will practice social distancing. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/visitors.html If you can give any time that day, please let us know by replying to this email. We are limited to the number of volunteers that can help at this time due to CDC guidelines. We look forward to hearing from you and encourage you to come out to the park, make new friends, and help make a difference. Gratefully, Friends of Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial
Restoration Work Day – Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial 39.805351, -89.104150, Decatur, IllinoisWe'll be removing bush honeysuckle and general park maintenance. Please wear gloves and a mask. As always, we appreciate any amount of time you can give. There have been so many improvements made with the removal of bush honeysuckle and this will be our last opportunity this year. To the many volunteers who have given their time to improve this beautiful park as the site of Abraham Lincoln’s family first home in Illinois, we are so grateful.
Tree Plantings at Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial 39.805351, -89.104150, Decatur, Illinois‘Parkway” tree planting this Friday, October 9th, starting at 9:00 AM. Planting in the park will begin at 9:00 AM on Saturday, October 10th Saturday, October 3, was the beginning of a very busy week at Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial. A dedicated group worked Saturday morning removing more bush honeysuckle throughout the park. It was the last Restoration Day of a very successful season of eliminating this invasive plant. This coming Thursday, October 8, 68 trees will be delivered to the park. 20 of the trees will be planted in “islands” along the Lincoln Memorial Parkway. If you recall, two years ago, with the assistance of the Macon County Highway Department, trees were planted along the Parkway. Some of the trees did not survive due to weather and we are going to replace them. Cages have been made to place around all live trees and the Macon County Highway Department is assisting us again by digging the holes for the trees and delivering mulch to be used at the “islands”. We are asking for your help. If you can give any amount of time to help, we would greatly appreciate your assistance. Our plan is to get all the ‘Parkway” trees planted this Friday, October 9th, starting at 9:00 AM. On Saturday, October 10th, we will begin at 9:00 AM planting trees in the park. Please meet at the RailSplitter Pavilion to collect your trees to plant. If you can help us on either Friday or Saturday, please contact Melody Arnold at melody2a@hotmail.com so we can finalize our plans for the plantings. We hope you are taking time to visit the park. The leaves are turning and the park is beautiful. You will be able to see all the improvements that have taken place this season. Remember that the park does close November 1st. We appreciate your consideration to help us this week. A big job will be made easier with many hands. We do ask that you wear a mask as we want all to be safe.
Native plantings at Lincoln Trail Homestead SP — Help is Needed!!
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial 39.805351, -89.104150, Decatur, IllinoisLincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial will be closing its gate on November 1st. Our greatest wish is that you have enjoyed the park this season and have many happy memories spent there. The park offered a very nice alternative for handling Covid-19. Many improvements were made to improve the park however we have one more project that must be completed before the park closes for the winter. Money from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation's Stewardship Challenge Grant allowed us to purchase 100 native plants to be planted throughout the park. Unfortunately the nursery just delivered the plants at this late date. Due to the lateness of the delivered plants as well as inclement weather, we must work very quickly, before November 1st, to get them planted. This Saturday, October 31st at 9:00 AM, we are meeting at the park to plant these 100 native plants. We really need as many volunteers that can to come to the park and help. If we have plenty of help this project can be quickly accomplished. Please, if you have time, any amount will be appreciated, please consider helping us out. Please contact Melody Arnold at melody2@hotmail.com letting her you can help. Gratefully, Friends of Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial
Restoration Work Day–Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park
Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial 39.805351, -89.104150, Decatur, IllinoisWe are excited to officially begin our season at the park and there are many jobs that need to be accomplished to make this beautiful area a welcome place to enjoy. We appreciate any amount of help and time you can give. Please wear gloves and bring a mask. Come enjoy the signs of spring, observe the changes in the park that have been made, and meet new friends. .