Menard County Trails & Greenways

Ways to Discovery!

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    • Volunteer Habitat Restoration Project at Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site
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  • Ways to Discovery Chautauqua Series
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Newsletters & Annual Reports
    • Contact
  • Our Projects & Activities
    • Volunteer Habitat Restoration Project at Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site
    • Earth Day Celebration
    • Sangamon River Sweeps
    • Historic Wayside Park
    • More….
  • MCTG Blog
  • Ways to Discovery!
    • Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site Hiking Trails
    • Historic Wayside Park
    • J.E. Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area
    • Sangamon River
    • Sangamon Valley Trail – Cantrall Access
    • Starhill Forest Arboretum
    • Biking Menard County
  • Join / Renew
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Calendar
  • Photo Galleries
  • Video Vignettes
  • Trails & Greenways Merchandise
  • Ways to Discovery Chautauqua Series
  • Community Service,  Events,  Kayak/Canoe,  River Sweep,  Volunteering

    Sangamon River Sweep

    September 14, 2024 /

    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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    MCTG-Admin

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    Trash Taskforce: Good Clean Fun

    March 28, 2022
  • Announcement,  Community Service,  New Salem Habitat Restoration Project,  Volunteering

    IDNR Volunteer of the Year Award

    August 17, 2024 /

    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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    MCTG-Admin

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    MCTG provides public comment on City of Springfield’s amended Supplemental Water Supply Project

    August 5, 2021

    Earth Day 2020–50 Years of Celebrating the Planet

    March 31, 2020

    Trash Taskforce: Good Clean Fun

    March 28, 2022
  • Community Service,  Earth Day,  Events,  Volunteering

    Protecting the Earth for our Young Ones

    April 8, 2024 /

    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

    March 23, 2024 /

    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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    MCTG-Admin

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    Earth Day 2020–50 Years of Celebrating the Planet

    March 31, 2020
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    MCTG Comments on State Water Plan

    July 1, 2021

    Trash Taskforce: Good Clean Fun

    March 28, 2022
  • Announcement,  Community Service

    Riverfront Development

    May 23, 2023 /

    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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    December 8, 2023

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    Earth Day 2020–50 Years of Celebrating the Planet

    March 31, 2020
  • Community Service,  Native plants,  Nature,  New Salem Habitat Restoration Project,  Volunteering

    Garlic Mustard Pulls at New Salem

    May 17, 2023 /

    Why do we pull garlic mustard? Each garlic mustard plant grows pods called siliques and each plant produces on average 22 siliques, each silique containing as many as 28 seeds. That is over 600 seeds on an average per plant, with some particularly robust plants producing almost 8,000 seeds. That’s why it is so important to remove the plant before it sets seed.

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  • Community Service,  Nature,  New Salem Habitat Restoration Project,  Volunteering

    New Salem Habitat Restoration Project Featured in Outdoor Illinois Journal

    May 3, 2023 /

    Outdoor Illinois Journal, the Department of Natural Resource’s online magazine, has published a piece about Trails & Greenways’ New Salem Habitat Restoration Project. Check it out here!  More Project Information Our Projects & Activities    

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  • Community Service,  Earth Day,  Events,  Volunteering

    Petersburg Cleans up on Earth Day

    April 24, 2023 /

    Despite the cold and brief snow/sleet shower, 22 adults and 15 youth showed up this past Saturday morning, April 22,  to celebrate Earth Day and clean up around our town. Menard County Trails & Greenways (MCTG) hosted the event at Hurie Park.

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  • Community Service,  Events,  Kayak/Canoe,  River Sweep,  Volunteering

    Sangamon River Cleanup

    September 10, 2022 /

    On Friday, September 9, a small group of MCTG members spent a few hours cleaning up the Sangamon River near Hurie Park. On and around a sandbar located just below the Petersburg dam, the group hauled away about 10 bags of garbage and 20 tires from the river, otherwise known as “aquatic trash.” This trash can be harmful to fish and other wildlife that live in and around the river, as well as the humans who enjoy the river, plus it’s just ugly! Big thank you to the City of Petersburg for hauling away the garbage!

    Read More
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  • Announcement,  Community Service,  Earth Day,  Volunteering

    Trash Taskforce: Good Clean Fun

    March 28, 2022 /

    Join the Menard County Trails and Greenways (MCTG) and Petersburg Athletic Association’s (PAA) Trash Taskforce as we clean up litter around Petersburg!  We will pick up litter at several parks and spaces around town on Saturday, April 2, from 9:30 – 11am (Rain Date: April 9 or 10 – TBD).  We need your help!  Meet at Hurie Park (just east of County Market) to register and pick up supplies.  We will be clearing out litter from the parks and surrounding vacant lots. Whether you have 30 minutes or a full hour, every little bit counts!  To thank you for helping to keep our community clean, and on a first-come, first-serve…

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    Plant pollinator habitat at home

    December 8, 2023

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    Earth Day!

    April 21, 2020

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Menard County Trails and Greenways
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Menard County Trails and Greenways

Menard County Trails and Greenways

Ways to Discovery! Enriched lives through a network of land and water trails that connect people to natural and cultural resources and encourages exploration and conservation.

Menard County Trails and Greenways

3 weeks ago

Menard County Trails and Greenways
Thank you Springfield Area Arts Council for helping us bring our Ways to Discovery Chautauqua series to life! Join us in August for the next event at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site!It's #RegionalArtsPartnerWednesday eve! 🥳🎨Grantee Spotlight: Menard County Trails & GreenwaysEstablished in 1999, the volunteer-run non-profit Menard County Trails & Greenways preserves natural and cultural resources through nature-connective exploration and conservation, combining trail and greenway maintenance and enjoyment with arts access for rural Central Illinois communities. Continuing a project begun in 2024, the non-profit has organized a four-part Chautauqua inspired event series for 2025, titled Ways to Discovery, that explores "the many paths through which we understand and navigate the world". This event series takes place on first Sundays of August through October at the Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site visitor center auditorium in Petersburg from 1-3pm, and combines educational lectures with performances by Illinois-based artists. 🎭 Springfield Area Arts Council is proud to support Menard County Trails & through the Regional Arts Partner re-granting program, made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Learn more about the Regional Arts Partner Grant at springfieldartsco.org/grants#SpringfieldArts #OurCreativeCapital#artsmatter #CommunityDriven #SpringfieldIL #CommunityArts #SupportLocalArts #CreativityForAll #MenardCountyTrailsandGreenways #MenardCoIL #ArtsMidwest #RuralArts #FolkArt #Chautauqua ... See MoreSee Less

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Menard County Trails and Greenways

3 weeks ago

Menard County Trails and Greenways
🌼Join a fun and friendly crew tomorrow morning for a pop-up volunteer day in the pollinator gardens on Petersburg's downtown square!We’ll be weeding, trimming, and editing the gardens. Learn about native plants and pollinator-friendly gardening from experienced gardeners. Take home plants we thin out—free for your own garden!Bring your favorite gardening tools (and gloves if you have them). Drop in anytime between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AMNo experience needed—just come ready to dig in and enjoy the beauty of community and nature! 💚🦋 ... See MoreSee Less

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Menard County Trails and Greenways

4 weeks ago

Menard County Trails and Greenways
About 45 people attended the June Ways to Discovery Chautauqua today! Mark your calendars now for the August 3rd Chautauqua! ... See MoreSee Less

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Menard County Trails and Greenways

4 weeks ago

Menard County Trails and Greenways
Tomorrow, June 1st, 1 PM to 3 PM, at the Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site Visitors Center auditorium, Dr. Michael Wiant will present a program titled Exploring Menard County Trails: Ancient, Historical, Present and Futuristic. Following the presentation, fan favorite, Ben Bedford, will delight the audience with his original tunes.Come early and grab a bite to eat at Railsplitter Gifts and Eatery before the program!! They have a great menu as well as hand-dipped ice cream!! ... See MoreSee Less

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