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Ways to Discovery Chautauqua Series – June 1 – Celebrating National Trails Day
The Chautauqua location is the Visitors Center Auditorium at New Salem State Historic Site, Petersburg, Illinois — 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.The venue is fully accessible, ensuring everyone can participate. Exploring Menard County In celebration of National Trails Day, Dr. Michael Wiant and Terri Treacy will present a program titled Exploring Menard County Trails: Ancient, Historical, Present and Futuristic. Long before roads, trails were traveled by foot between villages, favored hunting and gathering areas, and other points of interest by the Indigenous inhabitants of what we now know as Menard County. Many of these routes are unknowable, but some have persisted over centuries, if not longer, and have evolved into…
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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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Ways to Discovery Chautauqua – April 6 – Celebrating Earth Month in Menard County
The event will be held at the Visitors Center Auditorium at New Salem State Historic Site in Petersburg, Illinois — April 6, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.RiverBank Lodge is fully accessible, ensuring everyone can participate. The wonderful watery world of river ecology! Dive into the wonderful watery world of river ecology with Dr. Jason DeBoer, Large River Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey! Jason’s presentation will explain why rivers are important ecosystems, describe some of the threats our local rivers face, and explore some of the wild, weird, and downright wacky fish and other animals that call our rivers home. There’s bound to be a few ‘fish tales’ shared…
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Ways to Discovery Chautauqua Series
Rooted in the Chautauqua tradition, this lecture series delivers engaging and educational programming to our community. This year’s theme, Ways to Discovery, delves into the many paths through which we understand and navigate the world. From our evolving natural environment to expanding digital spaces, from local communities to global connections, this series explores how we come to know ourselves, others, and the world around us. True to the Chautauqua tradition, following each program there will be live performances by local artists whose songwriting and storytelling document the culture and history of our region. The series will be held at the Visitors Center Auditorium at New Salem State Historic Site in Petersburg,…
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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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Sangamon River Sweep
We had a perfect day yesterday for being on the Sangamon. We hauled two full canoes of trash out. Tires, a TV, lawn chairs, house siding, buckets full of broken glass, cans and bottles, a plastic barrel…..and there’s more out there we didn’t have room for this time. Where does it all come from!?!? The weather was perfect, we saw a couple bald eagles, lots of killdeer, a great blue heron.
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Trash Taskforce: Good Clean Fun
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Menard County Trails & Greenways Celebrates 20 Years!
Menard County Trails & Greenways celebrated its 20th year as a not-for-profit at the Annual Meeting and Member Party. About 50 people attended the event that took place on July 12th at Hand of Fate Brewery. The evening kicked off with the Annual Meeting, which included the election of board members, a look at the state of the organization’s membership and finances, a look back at the accomplishments over the year and a brief look ahead at some of the upcoming activities we have planned. Following the meeting everyone enjoyed a scrumptious potluck supper, their favorite Hand of Fate brew, visiting with old friends and meeting new friends. The FY24…
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Ways to celebrate Pollinator Week (June 17-23, 2024)!
Volunteer! Join MCTG members working at Wayside Park or on the square in Petersburg this week—or later this summer. We’ll be weeding, trimming, planting, watering, mulching, and eventually collecting seeds. If you’re interested in adopting a bed or a corner on the square, we can show you the ropes! Scout blooming plants now for later seed collection (see a blog on this subject soon!) Be a citizen scientist! Download the iNaturalist app and participate in the Illinois Monarch Project’s Bioblitz to document local insect activity. Create pollinator habitat at home! While the heat makes planting a little challenging this week, with ample water during establishment, natives will tough it out! Consider…
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Protecting the Earth for our Young Ones
We owe it to future generations to follow the advice Sara gives us all in her drawing. Let’s all pitch in for Petersburg on Saturday, April 27th. Meet at Hurie Park a 9:00 AM to sign-in and pick up supplies (trash bags, gloves, etc).
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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.
