HeartLands Conservancy

09/03/2026

Oh it's a long long while, from May to December, but the days grow short, when you reach September - Willie Nelson, September Song

Photo by Kenneth Lynn

09/02/2026

You came for the hike. You stayed because Southern Illinois kept showing off.

We get it. Southern Illinois has a habit of doing that.

📸 If you’ve taken a photo out on the trail lately, we’d love to see it. Drop it in the comments!

Thanks to Gianna Kleckner for the stunning photo of Inspiration Point in Wolf Lake, Illinois.

09/01/2026

A gift that keeps on giving! 🌱

In 2025, a generous couple made a lasting impact by donating their farmland in St. Clair County, near the Mississippi River, to HeartLands Conservancy. Their vision? To keep the land in agriculture and help protect even more farmland and natural areas across southern Illinois.

Together, we worked to permanently safeguard this property with a conservation easement, then offered it for sale at its agricultural value—ensuring it would remain productive farmland, not lost to development. This made it possible for a local farm family to carry on the legacy.

This June, that dream came true! A local family is now stewarding the land, preserving its agricultural heritage for generations to come.

Discover how one generous act is conserving even more land for the future:

Explore how one gift of land can lead to many more lands safeguarded for future generations through thoughtful conservation.

08/27/2026

Behind every protected prairie, restored wetland, and well-loved trail is a community of people who believe these places are worth protecting.

Today, we’re giving a shoutout to Nelson & Nelson Attorneys At Law, P.C. for being one of those supporters.

Your sponsorship helps conserve the natural places that make southern Illinois home and ensures there will be plenty of places to explore, wander, and wonder for years to come.

Thank you, Nelson & Nelson 🌱

08/26/2026

The places we love tend to become part of our stories.

Maybe it's a favorite trail, a family farm, a quiet stretch of river, or the woods you explored as a kid. These are the places that give us memories, connect us to nature, and remind us why protecting southern Illinois matters.

Including HeartLands Conservancy in your will or estate plans, after taking care of your loved ones, is one way to help make sure those places and the wildlife that call them home are here for the people who come after us.

And there's a special opportunity during Make-A-Will Month. When you complete a Statement of Future Gift Intent, a generous local couple will make a $1,000 gift to HeartLands in your honor. If you've already included HeartLands in your plans, your gift may qualify, too.

If you'd like to learn more or let us know about your plans, visit https://heartlandsconservancy.org/support/planned-giving/ or reach out to Mary Vandevord at [email protected] or (618) 566-4551 ex. 20.

Thank you for helping care for the places that make southern Illinois worth protecting.

Photo by Caleb Minear

08/25/2026

If you’ve ever watched a bald eagle soar overhead, spotted a river otter along the water’s edge, or listened to the songs of migrating birds, you’ve experienced just a glimpse of what makes southern Illinois such a remarkable place.

Protecting those experiences and the habitats wildlife depends on is becoming more important every year.

In many of the 36 counties where our work takes place in southern Illinois, less than three percent of the land is permanently conserved.

That means many of the forests, wetlands, and river corridors that sustain wildlife remain vulnerable, even though they are essential for healthy ecosystems and for the outdoor traditions so many people enjoy.

By connecting lands over time, we can create larger, healthier habitats while preserving opportunities for people to enjoy nature through walking, fishing, hunting, and quiet moments along the river.

Learn more:

Discover the importance of creating room for wildlife in the Kaskaskia River Forest and preserving vital ecosystems in Illinois.

08/24/2026

Sometimes the most interesting things on the trail are the ones you almost walk right past 🍄

Mushrooms may seem like small details in a landscape, but fungi are quietly doing some very important work. They help break down organic matter, recycle nutrients and work alongside other plants - playing an essential role in keeping our forests and woods healthy.

Small? Definitely. Important? Absolutely.

Just another reason to slow down, look closely and appreciate all the little pieces that make a healthy landscape whole.

📸 Turkey tail fungi growing along a fallen log by Mary Baldree.

08/23/2026

"Get outside. Watch the sunrise. Watch the sunset. How does that make you feel? Does it make you feel big or tiny? Because there's something good about feeling both." - Amy Grant

Photo of the sunset at the Mark W. Hall Prairie Trail in Alton, IL by Dylan Cebulske

08/21/2026

Have you ever wondered where a monarch butterfly goes after it leaves your garden?

Each fall, monarchs embark on an incredible migration, and tiny tags help scientists follow their journey.

Join our team this September for Monarch Tagging! Learn how monarch tagging works, help contribute to conservation research, and experience these amazing butterflies up close 🧡

Ready to play a small part in protecting one of nature's greatest migrations?

Join us at Poag Sand Prairie (Edwardsville) on September 10 or The Exploration Garden (Swansea) on September 11 at 9:00 am.

Find event details and register online at: https://heartlandsconservancy.org/events-calendar/