List of nature centers in Illinois

This is a list of nature centers in the U.S. state of Illinois.

Nature centers

Name Location County Region Summary
Adams Wildlife SanctuarySpringfieldSangamonCentral40 acres, operated by the Illinois Audubon Society
Andresen Nature CenterFultonWhitesideNorthwestinformation, operated by volunteers, open for city events and education programs, features displays of local wildlife, insects, and flora found along the local watershed of the upper Mississippi River
Anita Purves Nature CenterUrbanaChampaignCentralwebsite, operated by Urbana Park District, exhibits on the natural history of Illinois, interactive and hands-on displays, live animals, located in Crystal Lake Park, adjacent to Busey Woods, a 59-acre forest preserve
Army Trail Nature CenterAddisonDuPageChicago areawebsite, 17 acres, outdoor classroom, partnership of the Addison Park District, Addison Elementary School District 4 & DuPage High School District 88
Ballard Nature CenterAltamontEffinghamCentralwebsite, 210 acre preserve
Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands CenterCypressJohnsonSouthernExhibits about natural history of the Cache River Wetlands and Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Bartlett Nature CenterBartlettDuPageChicago areaLocated in the James "Pate" Philip State Park, operated by the Bartlett Park District[1]
Black Hawk State Historic SiteRock IslandRock IslandNorthern208-acre park includes Singing Bird Nature Center for outdoor education programs and native bird section, and a museum of Native American life
Cabin Nature CenterWood DaleDuPageChicago areawebsite, operated by the Wood Dale Park District
Creek Bend Nature CenterSt. CharlesKaneChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County in 439-acre LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, interpretive displays including prairie ecology and Fox River
Crabtree Nature CenterBarringtonCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, over 1,000 acres, features outdoor nature play area
Crystal Lake Nature CenterCrystal LakeMcHenryNorthernwebsite, operated by the Crystal Lake Park District in 130-acre Veterans Acres Park, seasonal butterfly house
Douglas-Hart Nature CenterMattoonColesCentral70 acre preserve with prairie, woodlands and wetlands habitat, 2 miles of trails, interactive displays of local wild life, live reptiles and amphibians, a bird observation area, children's discovery den, library
Eden Place Nature CenterChicagoCookChicago areawebsite, 3-acre urban nature preserve with a focus on food production and environmental education
Emily Oaks Nature CenterSkokieCookChicago areawebsite, 13 acres, operated by the Skokie Park District
Environmental Learning Center of Will CountyMokenaWillChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County
Forest Park Nature CenterPeoriaPeoriaCentralwebsite, operated by the Peoria Park District, 540 acre preserve, 7 miles of trails, natural history museum and bird observation room, musical and educational programs
Four Rivers Environmental Education CenterChannahonWillChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County in 525-acre McKinley Woods - Kerry Sheridan Grove
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education CenterOak BrookDuPageChicago areaOperated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 226 acres, exhibits on area natural history
The GroveGlenviewCookChicago areaOperated by the Glenview Park District, 123 acres, natural and cultural history displays, 1856 period house, log cabin, Native American longhouse, replica one-room schoolhouse, wetland greenhouse
Hawthorne Hill Nature CenterElginKaneChicago areawebsite, 67 acres, operated by the City
Heller Nature CenterHighland ParkLakeChicago areawebsite, operated by the City, 97 acre preserve with 3 miles of trails
Hidden Oaks Nature CenterBolingbrookWillChicago areawebsite, operated by the Bolingbrook Park District, almost 80 acres, hands-on discovery center, nature playground, outdoor amphitheater, Seedlings Nature Preschool
Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie/Tyner CenterGlenviewCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Glenview Park District, 32-acre remnant of a tall-grass prairie, seasonal educational programs about the prairie, the environment and "green" programs
Kildeer Nature CenterKildeerLakeChicago areawebsite, 5 acres of open space, operated by the Village
Ladd Arboretum & Evanston Ecology CenterEvanstonCookChicago area23 acre arboretum and nature education facility
Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic GardensPalos HeightsCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the City, 85-acre park, 20-acre man-made lake with gardens, woodlands, and prairie
Lake Renwick PreservePlainfieldWillChicago areaOperated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County, 320 acre site and 200 acre lake where great blue herons, great egrets, black-crowned night herons, double-crested cormorants, and cattle egrets nest together, features Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Visitor Center with birding programs
Lakeview Nature CenterMacombMcDonoughCentralwebsite, operated by the City, adjacent to Spring Lake Park, 55 acres of prairie, interactive displays and hands on programs that emphasize exploration and investigation of the environment
Laws of Nature CenterYorkvilleKendallChicago areawebsite, operated by the Kendall County Forest Preserve District, exhibits about prairies, insects, Native Americans, live bees, snakes, salamanders and frogs
Lincoln Memorial Garden and Nature CenterSpringfieldSangamonCentral100-acre (0.4 km²) woodland and prairie garden owned by the city of Springfield and managed by the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden Foundation
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature CenterWillow SpringsCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, interactive exhibits, live animals
Lockhart Family Nature CenterLake ForestLakeChicago areawebsite, operated by Lake Forest Open Lands, located on 50-acre Mellody Farm Nature Preserve with the adjacent 514-acre Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve
Lost Valley Visitor CenterCrystal LakeMcHenryNorthernwebsite, operated by the McHenry County Conservation District in 3,200-acre Glacial Park
Lyman Woods Nature CenterDowners GroveDuPageChicago areawebsite, operated by the village, 150 acres of oak woods, prairie, and marsh habitat, William F. Sherman, Jr. Interpretive Center features changing exhibits and activities, native landscaping, butterfly and rain gardens
Morton ArboretumLisleDuPageChicago area1,700 acres, offers extensive nature-entered education programs
Natural Resources Education Center at Russell PreserveGenoaDeKalbChicago areawebsite, operated by the DeKalb County Forest Preserve for environmental education programs
North Park Village Nature CenterChicagoCookChicago areawebsite, forty-six acre nature preserve and an educational facility, operated by City
Peck Farm ParkGenevaKaneChicago areawebsite, operated by the City, 385 acre park featuring a visitor's center with hands-on nature and history displays, observation silo, trails, sports facilities, outdoor education center
Pilcher Park Nature CenterJolietWillChicago areawebsite, operated by the City, over 640 acres
Plum Creek Nature CenterBeecherWillChicago areaOperated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County in 891-acre Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, natural playscape featuring a pollinator garden, rain garden, and interactive play elements
Prairie Grass Nature MuseumRound LakeLakeChicago areawebsite, operated by the village, features realistic habitats, live animals, nature activities and programs
Red Oak Nature CenterNorth AuroraKaneChicago areawebsite, operated by the Fox Valley Park District, 40+ acres, hands-on displays, live animals, nature preschool, cave
River Trail Nature CenterNorthbrookCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, live animals, nature programs
Rivershire Park and Nature CenterLincolnshireLakeChicago areawebsite, operated by the village, 15 acres, outdoor education programs
Robert Allerton ParkWillow BranchPiattCentral1,517-acre (614 ha) park, nature center and conference center
Rock Springs Conservation Area & Nature CenterDecaturMaconCentral1,300 acres, operated by the Macon County Conservation District, includes nature center museum, restored farmhouse, about nine miles of hiking trails, and a paved bike trail
Sagawau Environment Learning CenterLemontCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, exhibits on geology, history, and habitat management
Sand Ridge Nature CenterSouth HollandCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, 235 acres, exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Calumet region, native animals, reproduction early 19th century log cabins
Severson Dells Nature CenterRockfordWinnebagoNorthernwebsite, operated by the County, 369-acre county forest preserve
Spring Brook Nature CenterItascaDuPageChicago areawebsite, operated by the village, 2 miles of trails, aquarium, butterfly garden
Stillman Nature CenterSouth BarringtonCookChicago areawebsite, private, non-profit center for environmental education located on 80 acres of woods, lake and prairie, live birds of prey
Stronghold Camp & Retreat CenterOregonOgleChicago areawebsite, 360 acres, outdoor classroom, can host up to 180 people.
Sugar Grove Nature CenterFunk's GroveMcLeanCentralLocated within the 18-acre Funk's Grove Nature Preserve, interpretive environmental exhibits, sensory displays, live animals and a wildlife viewing area[2]
Thorn Creek Nature Center and PreservePark ForestWillChicago areaOperated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County, 985 acres, over 3 miles of trails
Trailside Museum of Natural HistoryRiver ForestCookChicago areawebsite, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, displays of live native animals, wildflower gardens, information about local wildlife and their habitats
Vera Meineke Nature Center at Spring ValleySchaumburgCookChicago areawebsite, operated by City, 135 acres, earth-sheltered, passive-solar visitor center, includes hands-on exhibits, discovery niches and a natural history library, park includes Volkening Heritage Farm, an 1880s living history farm
Volo Bog State Natural AreaInglesideLakeChicago areaOver 1100 acres including a 45-acre bog, visitor center with exhibits, bog tours, prairie walks, insect and aqua safari's, summer bat programs and more
Watershed Nature CenterEdwardsvilleMadisonMetro Eastwebsite, owned by the City of Edwardsville, managed by the Nature Preserve Foundation, Inc., over 40 acres, 1 mile trail, restored prairie, wetlands and woods
Wildlife Discovery CenterLake ForestLakeChicago areawebsite, operated by the City, located at 670-acre Elawa Farm, includes nature center, live animals, wildlife sanctuary, museum, and biological station
Wildwood Nature CenterPark RidgeCookChicago areawebsite, operated by Park Ridge Park District, 5 acres, live animals, nature exhibits
Willowbrook Wildlife CenterGlen EllynDuPageChicago areaOperated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, native wildlife rehabilitation facility with rehabilitated animals on display, education, trails

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Nature Center". Bartlett Park District. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  2. ↑ "Nature Partners Program". Sugar Grove Nature Center. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.


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