What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 12pm 1pm - 4:30pm Tuesday 8am - 12pm 1pm - 4:30pm Wednesday 8am - 12pm 1pm - 4:30pm Thursday 8am - 12pm 1pm - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 12pm 1pm - 4:30pm

Boone County Conservation District

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United States
Belvidere, IL
Boone County Conservation District

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We manage 4200 acres in more 30 conservation areas consisting of prairies, woodlands and wetlands in For media inquiries, please contact: (815)547-7935.

Social Media Public Comment Policy:
Thank you for being a fan of BCCD social media platforms. BCCD participates in social media in order to engage the public and to encourage participation with our conservation efforts and environmental education programs. Disclaimer
Posted comments and images do not necessarily represent the views of BCCD. External links on this site do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the BCCD. While we encourage fans to share thoughts and opinions on BCCD’s social media pages, we expect that this will be done in a respectful manner. BCCD does not agree with or endorse every comment that individuals post on our pages. Our goal is to share ideas and information with as many individuals as possible and our policy is to accept the majority of comments made to our profiles. Therefore, a comment will be deleted if it contains:

Hate speech,
Profanity, obscenity or vulgarity,
Nudity in profile pictures,
Defamation to a person or people,
Name calling and/or personal attacks,
Comments whose main purpose are to sell a product,
Comments that infringe on copyrights,
Spam comments, such as the same comment posted repeatedly on a profile,
Other comments that the BCCD Social Media team deems inappropriate. All links posted as comments on BCCD posts will be reviewed and may be deleted. Repeated violations of the BCCD comment policy may cause the author to be blocked from the BCCD’s social media profiles. We understand that social media is a 24/7 medium; however, our moderation capabilities are not. We may not see every inappropriate comment right away, and we are trusting in the maturity of our community to ignore personal attacks and negative speech or respond politely.

10/25/2026

Goodnight moon! We had some great views but clouds are moving in! We are ending the viewing for tonight and hope to see you again soon!

10/24/2026

Come out and observe the moon tonight at Spencer Conservation Area 1121 N Appleton Rd. We will be here from 7-10 pm.

10/23/2026

Last week, U.S. Congressman Bill Foster visited the Boone County Conservation District Administration Office and Nature Center.

One of the highlights of his visit was discussing the potential expansion of our Nature Center and the opportunities it could provide for our community. We appreciate Congressman Foster taking the time to visit and learn more about the work the BCCD is doing to manage our natural areas and provide educational and recreational opportunities!

10/16/2026

Fall is a great time to slow down and look for wildlife. Watch squirrels gathering food, listen for birds moving through the trees, and look along muddy trails for tracks and other signs of animals. If you spot wildlife, give it plenty of space and enjoy watching from a distance. You never know what you might discover when you take your time on the trail!

10/15/2026

🌳 Not all oaks grow in the same conditions. Swamp White Oak is a great example! This native Illinois tree can thrive in both poorly drained and dry soils and can grow up to 100 feet tall. Its leaves have shallow lobes and rounded teeth and turn yellow to brown in the fall. 🍂

Its acorns, which can grow up to 1½ inches long, provide an important food source for wildlife. Keep an eye out for Swamp White Oaks as you explore Boone County this fall!

10/14/2026

🍂 Have you ever wondered why leaves change color in the fall? As the days get shorter and temperatures cool, trees begin preparing for winter. Chlorophyll breaks down, causing the green color to fade and revealing the yellow, orange, and red pigments that were already in the leaves.

10/13/2026

Our conservation areas need your help! Volunteering with BCCD is a great way to spend time outdoors, learn more about our natural areas, and make a difference in the places our community enjoys.

You don’t need special skills or equipment. We’ll provide the tools and direction. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact us at 815-547-7935 or [email protected] to learn more.

10/12/2026

📢Office Closure

The Boone County Conservation District office will be closed on Monday, October 12, in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day. Our office will reopen during regular business hours on Tuesday, October 13.

10/09/2026

🍄 Take a closer look at the forest floor this fall! Illinois is home to many different kinds of mushrooms, including these two native species you may spot in our area.

🟡 Chanterelles are yellow to orange and often grow in hardwood forests, especially around oak trees. Their fruiting bodies can appear from late May through September.

🍂 Oyster mushrooms have fan-shaped white, gray, or gray-yellow caps and grow on stumps, logs, and other rotten wood. They can appear in late fall.

Mushrooms are an important part of our ecosystems, so take a moment to appreciate them when you spot one on the trail. Just remember, never eat a wild mushroom unless you are absolutely certain of its identification.

10/08/2026

Are you in junior high? Are you interested in nature? Join the EARTH FORCE Club at BCCD! We meet every other Wednesday during the school year. Meet on Wednesday the 14th from 4-5pm to find out more information about this program.

Address

603 N Appleton Road
Belvidere, IL
61008

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 12pm
	1pm - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 12pm
	1pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 12pm
	1pm - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 12pm
	1pm - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 12pm
	1pm - 4:30pm

Website

http://www.bccdil.org/

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