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Mini BioBlitz at New Salem!
Join us on April 13th from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM for a fun and informative Mini BioBlitz on the Cardinal Ridge Trail! This is the first event in an exciting series of collaborative efforts to document and identify as many species as possible in the trail area at New Salem, where Menard County Trails and Greenways (MCTG) members have been actively involved in forest restoration. No experience is necessary! Whether you’re a seasoned nature enthusiast or a curious beginner, this is the perfect opportunity to explore the diversity of life around us. Participants will use the iNaturalist app to document and identify plants, animals, fungi, and more. You’ll also…
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Sip n’ Sow Winter Seed Sowing Workshop
Sip n’ Sow Winter Seed Sowing Workshop1st & 3rd Boutique & Wine BarJanuary 31st from 6:00PM to 7:30PM
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Native Plant Seed Packets Now Available in Menard County!
Great news for gardeners and nature enthusiasts: Menard County Trails & Greenways is once again offering native plant seed packets! You can find them at convenient locations such as the Petersburg Public Library, the Yellow Door (Petersburg location), Crazy Daisy Gift Shop, and the Athens Municipal Library. This year, we’re excited to offer 17 vibrant species, including seeds collected from Petersburg’s square, Historic Wayside Park, and our members’ own gardens and prairie restorations. Best of all, the seed packets are free, though we gratefully accept donations to support Menard County Trails & Greenways. The displays will be restocked as long as supplies last! Not Sure Which Seeds to Choose? We’ve…
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RAFFLE for Menard County Trails & Greenways!
Perspectives Art Gallery and artist Pam Hamilton have teamed up to support Menard County’s Trails & Greenways with a fundraiser raffle to Win Original Art! Enter now for a chance(s) to win “Flight of the Huntress”—a stunning 24″x30″ original painting by the talented Pam Hamilton, valued at $750! Raffle Details Tickets can be purchased from any Trails & Greenways Board Member or at Perspectives Art Gallery. Plus, find additional ticket locations by scanning the QR code in the graphic! Or purchase your ticket(s) online: be sure to include your contact info (phone and/or email — otherwise we won’t have a way to contact you if you win!). About Pam HamiltonPam Hamilton’s…
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IDNR Volunteer of the Year Award
On August 17, 2024, Menard County Trails & Greenways received an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Volunteer of the Year award for the work we’ve done at the Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site Habitat Restoration Project! Since the spring of 2021 over 50 volunteers have contributed 973 volunteer hours over 128 days cutting & treating extremely dense and often very large honeysuckle bushes; and 195 hours hand pulling 196 garbage bags of garlic mustard. There’s more work to be done!! Let us know if you’d like to join the volunteer crew!
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Announcement, Community Service, Events, Native plants, Native Seed Sowing, Presentation, Volunteering
Planting Party for Wee Ones
Trails & Greenway is a proud sponsor of this family event organized by Birth to Five Illinois: Region 51 to introduce little ones to gardening with hands on experience of planting vegetable and native pollinator plant seeds. They will also learn about the importance of pollinators for our food supply. See the image below for event details and list of sponsors. If you’re interested in helping out let us know.
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Sip n’ Sow Seed Sowing Workshop
Sip n’ Sow Seed Sowing Workshop 1st & 3rd Boutique & Wine Bar January 12th from 6:00 to 8:00 1st & 3rd Boutique & Wine Bar has generously donated their event space. Please show your support — come early to shop, get a beverage & maybe a charcuterie board! Event Limited to 30 Registered Participants — Fill Out Form at Bottom of Page It’s never too soon to think of spring! Join some adult-only fun at the Sip n’ Sow Workshop! Sip a glass of wine and sow some native flower seeds for your summer garden. Native plants attract pollinators and serve as butterfly host plants, including many species growing…
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Plant pollinator habitat at home
Wanting to add more pollinator habitat at home? Look no further: native plant seed packets are available again in Petersburg! You can find displays at the Petersburg Public Library, 1st and 3rd Boutique, the Talisman, and the Crazy Daisy Gift Shop. This year we are offering 13 colorful species collected from the plantings on Petersburg’s square, Historic Wayside Park and our members’ own gardens and prairies. The packets are free, but we welcome donations that support Menard County Trails & Greenways. The displays will be restocked until we run out! Wondering how to choose? Check out blog posts highlighting the available species: Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Purple Prairie Clover, Golden Alexanders Small…
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Riverfront Development
The Sangamon River shares a place in Petersburg’s rich history since the town was formed nearly 200 years ago. Its waters led to the arrival of a young Abraham Lincoln who later surveyed land that is now Petersburg. The river and the tracks along it shuttled 100,000 visitors in the 10 day mega-event each year known as Chautauqua on a site just a mile south of town in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Sangamon River was the subject of popular writings of Edgar Lee Masters as he described the beloved Sangamon River and the people who called the area home. Native Americans utilized the river for food, water…
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Battling Invasive Plant Species–Special Presentation
Experts to discuss invasive plant crisis–why it’s important and what can be done! Menard County Trails & Greenways invites the public to an engaging presentation about invasive plants—what they are, why they are a serious problem and what can be done about them—February 22, 2023, at Broadgauge in Petersburg at 7 p.m.
