Tree Prep Workday: March 27, 2026 (Multiple Shifts)

Help the Ecology Action Center prepare small (1-3′ tall) bareroot seedling trees for planting. These trees will help to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 years old or older or alternately 14 years or older ......More

Help the Ecology Action Center prepare small (1-3′ tall) bareroot seedling trees for planting. These trees will help to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 years old or older or alternately 14 years or older and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Tools and heavy equipment might be in use and all volunteers must be able to safely use hand tools, stay on their feet for 3 hours at a time and lift a moderate weight (~15 pounds). Please dress appropriately for weather conditions and working outside. Closed-toed shoes or boots are required – no sandals or flip-flops. More information as well as a confirmation email will be communicated to volunteers prior to the workday and NOT at sign up. *Please note that we need a minimum of 5 volunteer to hold this workday*

Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular!

Join the Ecology Action Center to learn about worms, and more importantly, worm poop! During this program, attendees will get to hear everything about worms’ role on our planet through Polly Owen’s picture book Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular. Once we have learn......More

Join the Ecology Action Center to learn about worms, and more importantly, worm poop! During this program, attendees will get to hear everything about worms’ role on our planet through Polly Owen’s picture book Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular. Once we have learned all there is to know about worms and their poop, students will get to see these worms at work, learn about how they differ from humans, and maybe even feel them squirm on their hands.This program is intended for children 5-11 years old who are accompanied by their caregivers. No registration required. All materials needed will be provided. Note: Weather permitting, this program will take place on the library’s patio. In the case of inclement weather, the program will take place in Children’s Program Rooms 1 &2.Questions about this program can be emailed to Ms. Alysha at [email protected].

Bloomington Public Library Community Room, 205 E Olive Street, Bloomington, IL, 61701, United States

Tree Planting Workday: March 28, 2026 (Multiple Shifts)

Help the Ecology Action Center plant small (1-3 ft tall) bareroot seedling trees to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Tools and heavy equipment will be in use and all volunteers must be able to sa......More

Help the Ecology Action Center plant small (1-3 ft tall) bareroot seedling trees to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Tools and heavy equipment will be in use and all volunteers must be able to safely use hand tools, stay on their feet for 3 hours at a time and lift a moderate weight (~15 pounds). Please dress appropriately for weather conditions and working outside. Long pants and closed-toed shoes or boots are required no sandals or flip-flops. More information as well as a confirmation email will be communicated to volunteers prior to the workday and NOT at sign up.

Tree Planting Workday: March 29, 2026 (Multiple Shifts)

Help the Ecology Action Center plant small (1-3 ft tall) bareroot seedling trees to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Tools and heavy equipment will be in use and all volunteers must be able to sa......More

Help the Ecology Action Center plant small (1-3 ft tall) bareroot seedling trees to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Tools and heavy equipment will be in use and all volunteers must be able to safely use hand tools, stay on their feet for 3 hours at a time and lift a moderate weight (~15 pounds). Please dress appropriately for weather conditions and working outside. Long pants and closed-toed shoes or boots are required no sandals or flip-flops. More information as well as a confirmation email will be communicated to volunteers prior to the workday and NOT at sign up.

What the Whip-poor-will Teaches Us About Forest Management

The Grand Prairie Bird Alliance and the Illinois Wesleyan University Biology Department will sponsor a public presentation about bird ecology on March 30, 2026. The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. in room C101 at the Center for Natural Science (CNS), 201 Beecher Str......More

The Grand Prairie Bird Alliance and the Illinois Wesleyan University Biology Department will sponsor a public presentation about bird ecology on March 30, 2026. The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. in room C101 at the Center for Natural Science (CNS), 201 Beecher Street, Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU), Bloomington. Parking is available in the lot just north of the CNS on Beecher Street. Description: Holly Coates, a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois, will talk about “What the Whip-poor-will Teaches Us About Forest Management.” Eastern Whip-poor-wills are nocturnal, ground-nesting birds with have a distinctive call that is sometimes repeated for hours on end by males during the breeding season. Unfortunately, whip-poor-will populations have declined substantially over the past several years. As Midwestern forests become denser and more uniform, they lose the open, complex structure whip-poor-wills need to forage and move. Holly’s talk highlights how forest management influences whip-poor-will abundance and persistence, showing that restoring structural diversity can help support this declining and iconic bird.

Illinois Wesleyan University – Center for Natural Sciences C101, 201 E. Beecher St., Bloomington, IL, 61701-7222, United States

Tree Prep Workday: April 3, 2026 (Multiple Shifts)

Help the Ecology Action Center prepare small (1-3′ tall) bareroot seedling trees for planting. These trees will help to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 years old or older or alternately 14 years or older ......More

Help the Ecology Action Center prepare small (1-3′ tall) bareroot seedling trees for planting. These trees will help to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 years old or older or alternately 14 years or older and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Tools and heavy equipment might be in use and all volunteers must be able to safely use hand tools, stay on their feet for 3 hours at a time and lift a moderate weight (~15 pounds). Please dress appropriately for weather conditions and working outside. Closed-toed shoes or boots are required – no sandals or flip-flops. More information as well as a confirmation email will be communicated to volunteers prior to the workday and NOT at sign up. *Please note that we need a minimum of 5 volunteer to hold this workday*

Tree Planting Workday: April 4, 2026 (Multiple Shifts)

Help the Ecology Action Center plant small (1-3 ft tall) bareroot seedling trees to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Tools and heavy equipment will be in use and all volunteers must be able to sa......More

Help the Ecology Action Center plant small (1-3 ft tall) bareroot seedling trees to improve air quality, sequester carbon, increase wildlife habitat, and more! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Tools and heavy equipment will be in use and all volunteers must be able to safely use hand tools, stay on their feet for 3 hours at a time and lift a moderate weight (~15 pounds). Please dress appropriately for weather conditions and working outside. Long pants and closed-toed shoes or boots are required no sandals or flip-flops. More information as well as a confirmation email will be communicated to volunteers prior to the workday and NOT at sign up.

Gardening for Butterflies and Moths

Join the Illinois Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones for a presentation by Alan Branhagen, Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute, on April 13 from 7-8:30pm at 805 South Cottage Avenue in Normal. He will introduce attendees to the marvelous array of butterflies (and......More

Join the Illinois Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones for a presentation by Alan Branhagen, Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute, on April 13 from 7-8:30pm at 805 South Cottage Avenue in Normal. He will introduce attendees to the marvelous array of butterflies (and moths) that can be found in our region. Attendees will learn about the various species found here, their status, how we can attract them to yards with their host and nectar plants and even ways to garden or maintain our landscapes as to not harm them. Alan hopes the program inspires some reverence for these amazing insects, that sadly, are in trouble. What you see now is the new normal, but it is not normal. Luckily, these insects have the resiliency to rebound if given a chance. Presenter Bio: Alan Branhagen is the Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute in Rockford, Illinois: one of the nation’s first land trusts and organization. Alan was Director of Operations at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul (America’s 15th largest public botanical garden) from 2017-2023 where he managed Horticulture, Plant Curation, and Natural Resource Management. For over 20 years he was the Director of Horticulture at Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden where he oversaw all horticulture and site planning as well as resource management of the 915-acre site. He is also the author of the books Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden and The Midwest Native Plant Primer: 225 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden. Alan’s career began at the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County in Rockford, Illinois in 1987. For almost a decade he oversaw all forest preserves’ planning, development, and management. He was part of the beginning of the Klehm Arboretum which launched his public horticulture career. Alan’s career has come full circle back to Rockford. Alan has a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University.

805 S Cottage Ave Normal IL, 805 S Cottage Ave, Normal

Rain Barrel Workshop: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 (5:30-6:30pm)

The EAC’s rain barrel workshops teach attendees about the importance of rain water catchment in preventing storm water runoff pollution! Attendees will learn how to locate, install, and set up their rain barrel. We’ll also provide tips to transition downspouts for rain ......More

The EAC’s rain barrel workshops teach attendees about the importance of rain water catchment in preventing storm water runoff pollution! Attendees will learn how to locate, install, and set up their rain barrel. We’ll also provide tips to transition downspouts for rain barrel usage, and information on proper winter storage. Workshops cost $60.00 for general public and $50.00 for EAC Members. Throughout our workshop there will be ample opportunity for Q&A with EAC staff, who can answer questions about beneficial environmental impacts as well as practical everyday use of rain barrels. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a sound understanding of the individual and community benefits of having a rain barrel, and can be confident about next steps to install, use and care for one. Participants will leave with their very own rain barrel made from a repurposed food-grade 55 gallon drum. *Workshop registration closes 3 days before the workshop start date.* The Ecology Action Center will make reasonable accommodations for participation in public programs and services. To request accommodation, please call 309-454-3169×11 or go to ecologyactioncenter.org/accommodation. Please provide two weeks advance notice if possible.

Vermicomposting Workshop- Tuesday, April 21, 2026 (5:30-6:30pm)

Love to cook and are looking for a way to compost your food scraps, but backyard composting isn’t an option for you? Try Vermicomposting or composting with worms! Vermicomposting is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and stop food waste in your home. No backyar......More

Love to cook and are looking for a way to compost your food scraps, but backyard composting isn’t an option for you? Try Vermicomposting or composting with worms! Vermicomposting is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and stop food waste in your home. No backyard or large area required, so this is perfect for apartments, dorms, etc., plus it is basically odorless! The Workshop costs $35.00 to participate and space is limited. Workshop fee includes all materials including worms, worm bedding, a bin to host your worm farm, and all the knowledge you need to start vermicomposting. We will specifically be going over the benefits of vermicomposting, how to start, how to harvest castings, and how to troubleshoot common problems. Registration is required and closes one week before workshop date. The Ecology Action Center will make reasonable accommodations for participation in public programs and services. To request accommodation, please call 309-454-3169×11 or go to ecologyactioncenter.org/accommodation. Please provide two weeks advance notice if possible.