Illinois
Department of Natural Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2009
Earth Day in the Parks Promotes Natural Resources Stewardship for Students
Third annual event will be held across the state on several dates in April
SPRINGFIELD – More than 1,500 students will visit Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) state parks in April for the third annual Earth Day in the Parks event. Earth Day in the Parks is an initiative of the IDNR to introduce students to environmental stewardship.
“Students participating in Earth Day in the Parks will have an opportunity to perform meaningful natural resources stewardship activities, including planting trees, planting native wildflowers, removing exotic invasive plant species, building and installing bird boxes and a number of other activities,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller.
Sponsored by the IDNR Office of Public Services, Office of Land Management and the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF), Earth Day in the Parks offers students the opportunity to get outdoors and work in nature. Their hands-on experiences will lead them to develop a sense of ownership of the natural resources in our state while also increasing available wildlife habitat. Students and teachers are encouraged to return to the park to study the effects of their work.
“We believe that participating schools realize that this is more than just a field trip. This is an investment in the future generation of conservationists,” said Director Miller. “We hope that these students will continue to visit the parks, not only to check on the success of their projects, but perhaps to volunteer and develop a personal connection to a natural place.”
Earth Day in the Parks continues to grow each year. In fact, the number of participating parks has doubled from last year. 50 state parks are hosting events this year, which means twice the number of schools will be able to participate. School groups were selected by random drawings from an application process held earlier this year.A grant for the program was provided by the Illinois Conservation Foundation. The list of Earth Day in the Parks sites, dates and participating schools are shown below.
Earth Day in the Parks sites: |
Date |
Participating School |
|---|---|---|
| Apple River Canyon State Park 8763 E. Canyon Road Apple River, IL 61001 Phone: (815)745-3302 |
April 29th |
Warren Community Unit School District #205, Warren Time: 12:15pm – 2pm |
| Argyle Lake State Park 640 Argyle Park Road Colchester, IL 62326 Phone: (309)776-3422 |
April 30th |
Brown County High School Mt. Sterling Time: 9:30am- 11:30am |
| Beall Woods State Park 9285 Beall Woods Avenue Mount Carmel, IL 62863 Phone: (618)298-2442 |
April 15th |
Grayville High School Grayville Time: 9am-noon |
| Beaver Dam State Park 14548 Beaver Dam Lane Plainview, IL 62685 Phone: (217)854-8020 |
April 15th |
Vandalia High School Vandalia Time: 10:30am-12:30pm |
| Big River State Forest RR 1, Box 118 Keithsburg, IL 61442 Phone: (309)374-2496 |
April 30th |
Galesburg High School Galesburg Time: 9am - noon |
| Cache River State Natural Area 930 Sunflower Lane Belknap, IL 62908 Phone: (618)634-9678 |
April 30th |
Century Elementary School Ullin Time: 9:30am-11:30am |
| Carlyle Lake Wildlife Management Area R.R. #2 Vandalia, IL 62471 Phone: (618)425-3533 |
April 15th |
Vandalia High School Vandalia Time: 9am-11:30am |
| Clinton Lake State Recreation Area 7251 Ranger Road DeWitt, IL 61735 Phone: (217)935-8722 |
April 15th |
Grant Middle School Springfield Time: 10:15am - 1:30pm |
| Eagle Creek State Recreation Area R.R. 1 Box 198-B Findlay, IL 62534 Phone: (217)756-8260 |
April 30th |
Sullivan Middle School Sullivan Time: 9am – 1pm |
| Eldon Hazlet State Park 20100 Hazlet Park Rd Carlyle, IL 62231 Phone: (618)594-3015 |
April 15th |
Lebanon High School, Lebanon Time: 9:30am – 11:30am Odin High School, Odin Time: 1pm-3pm |
| Ferne Clyffe State Park Rt.37, P.O. Box 10 Goreville, IL 62939 Phone: (618)995-2411 |
April 28th |
Odin High School Odin Time: 10am- noon |
| Fox Ridge State Park 18175 State Park Road Charleston, IL 61920 Phone: (217)345-6416 |
April 15th |
Casey-Westfield High School Casey Time: 9am- noon |
| Franklin Creek State Natural Area 1872 Twist Road Franklin Grove, IL 61031 Phone: (815)456-2878 |
April 30th |
Kishwaukee Education Consortium, Malta Time: 10am - noon |
| Frank Holten State Recreation Area 4500 Pocket Road East St. Louis, IL 62205 Phone: (618)874-7920 |
April 15th |
Belleville West High School Belleville Time: 8:45am – 11:45am |
| Gebhard Woods 401 Ottawa Street P.O. Box 272 Morris, IL 60450 Phone: (815)942-0796 |
April 30th |
Peru Washington Middle School Peru Time: 9:45am - noon |
| Giant City State Park 235 Giant City Road Makanda, IL 62958 Phone: (618)457-4836 |
April 15th |
Pinckneyville High School Pinckneyville Time: 9:30am- 11:30am |
| Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area 5010 N. Jugtown Rd. Morris, IL 60450 Phone: (815)942-2899 |
April 30th |
Tobin Elementary School Burbank Time: 10:15am – 12:15 |
| Hamilton County Conservation Area R.R. 4, Box 242 McLeansboro, IL 62859 Phone: (618)773-4340 |
April 15th |
Ina Grade School Ina Time: 9am – 11:30am |
| Hidden Springs State Forest R.R. 1, Box 200 Strasburg, IL 62465 Phone: (217)644-3091 |
April 30th |
Cowden- Herrick High School Cowden Time: 9am-11am |
| Illinois Beach State Park Lake Front Zion, IL 60099 Phone: (847)662-4811 |
April 30th |
John T. Magee Middle School Round Lake Time: 10am - noon |
| Iroquois County Conservation Area R.R. #1, 2803 E. 3300 N. Rd Beaverville, IL 60912 Phone: (815)435-2218 |
April 15th |
Donovan Elementary Donovan Time: 12:30pm–2:30pm |
| James “Pate” Phillip State Park 2050 W. Stearns Road Bartlett, IL 60103 Phone: (847)608-3100 |
April 30th |
Lincoln Middle School Schiller Park Time: 10am-12:30pm |
| Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area 10149 County Hwy. 11 Chandlerville, IL 62627 Phone: (217)452-7741 |
April 15th |
Astoria High School Astoria Time: 9am- 2pm |
| Johnson Sauk Trail State Park 28616 Sauk Trail Rd Kewanee, IL 61443 Phone: (309)853-5589 |
April 30th |
Bureau Valley High School Manlius Time: 10am–11:30am |
| Jubilee College State Park 13921 West Route 150 Brimfield, IL 61517 Phone: (309)446-3758 |
April 30th |
Brimfield Elementary School Brimfield Time: 9:30am- 2pm |
| Kankakee River State Park 5314 West Rt. 102 Bourbonnais, IL 60914 Phone: (815)933-1383 |
April 30th |
Kankakee Trinity Academy Kankakee Time: 10am- noon |
| Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area 8542 North Lake Road Lena, IL 61048 Phone: (815)369-4282 |
April 30th |
Lena-Winslow Elementary School Lena Time: 10am - noon |
| Lincoln Trail State Park 16985 E. 1350th Rd Marshall, IL 62441 Phone: (217)826-2222 |
April 30th |
Marshall North Elementary School Marshall Time: 10am - noon |
| Mermet Lake Conservation Area 1812 Grinnell Road Belknap, IL 62908 Phone: (618)524-5577 |
April 15th |
Maple Grove Elementary School Metropolis Time: 11am- 2pm |
| Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area 10906 Kickapoo Park Road Oakwood, IL 61858 Phone: (217)442-4915 |
April 30th |
Holy Family School Danville Time: 9am- 2pm |
| Mississippi Palisades State Park 16327A IL Rte. 84 Savanna, IL 61074 Phone: (815)273-2731 |
April 30th |
Scales Mound Comm. Unit School District #211 Scales Mound Time: 9am - noon |
| Moraine View State Recreation Area 27374 Moraine View Park Rd. LeRoy, IL 61752 Phone: (309)724-8032 |
April 15th |
Tri-Point Junior High Piper City Time: 10:30am – 1pm |
| Nauvoo State Park P.O. Box 426 Nauvoo, IL 62354 Phone: (217)453-2512 |
April 15th |
Nauvoo-Colusa Elementary School Nauvoo Time: 9am - noon |
| North Point Marina 701 North Point Drive Winthrop Harbor, IL 60096 Phone: (847)746-2845 |
April 30th |
Robert Abbott Middle School Waukegan Time: 9am - noon |
| Pere Marquette State Park Route 100, P.O. Box 158 Grafton, IL 62037 Phone: (618)786-3323 |
April 15th |
Southwestern High School Piasa Time: 9a.m. - noon |
| Prophetstown State Park Riverside Drive Prophetstown, IL 61277 Phone: (815)537-2926 |
April 29th |
Dixon High School Dixon Time: 8:45am-10:45am |
| Pyramid State Recreation Area 1562 Pyramid Park Rd Pinckneyville, IL 62274 Phone: (618)357-2574 |
April 15th |
Coulterville High School Coulterville Time: 9am – 11am |
| Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area Ramsey Lake Rd Ramsey, IL 62080 Phone: (618)423-2215 |
April 15th |
St. Elmo High School St. Elmo Time: 9am - 2pm |
| Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area 1210 Tipple Road Carrier Mills, IL 62917 Phone: (618)276-4405 |
April 15th |
Herrin Elementary School Herrin Time: 9:30am-11:30am |
| Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area R.R. 1 Johnsonville, IL 62850 Phone: (618)835-2292 |
April 15th |
Clay City High School Clay City Red Hill High School Bridgeport Time: 10am – 1pm |
| Shelbyville Wildlife Management Area R.R. # 1 Box 42-A Bethany, IL 61914 Phone: (217)665-3112 |
April 28th |
Lovington Elementary School Lovington Time: 12:30pm-2:30pm |
| Silver Springs State Park 13608 Fox Road Yorkville, IL 60560 Phone: (630)553-6297 |
April 30th |
Boulder Hill Elementary School Montgomery Time: 9am- noon |
| Spitler Woods State Natural Area 705 Spitler Park Drive Mt. Zion, IL 62549 Phone: (217)864-3121 |
April 30th |
Cerro Gordo Middle School Cerro Gordo Time: 8:45am-11am |
| Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area 6924 Omega Road Kinmundy, IL 62854 Phone: (618)547-3381 |
April 15th |
Vandalia Junior High Vandalia Time: 9:45am- 2pm |
| Tunnel Hill State Trail Highway 146 East P.O. Box 671 Vienna, IL 62995 Phone: (618)658-2168 |
April 21st |
Carbondale Comm. High School Carbondale Time: 10am - noon |
| Volo Bog State Natural Area 28478 W. Brandenburg Road Ingleside, IL 60041 Phone: (815)344-1294 |
April 30th |
Special Education District of McHenry Co. Woodstock Time: 10am – 1pm |
| Walnut Point State Park 2331 E. County Road 370 N Oakland, IL 61943 Phone: (217)346-3336 |
April 15th |
Chrisman High School Chrisman Time: 9am -11am |
| Weldon Springs State Park 4734 Weldon Springs Rd Clinton, IL 61727 Phone: (217)935-2644 |
April 15th |
Central Catholic High School Bloomington Time: 10am- noon |
| William Powers State Recreation Area 12949 Avenue O Chicago, IL 60633 Phone: (773)646-3270 |
April 30th |
The Willows Academy Des Plaines Time: 10am - noon |
| Wolf Creek State Park R. R. 1, Box 99 Windsor, IL 61957 Phone: (217)459-2831 |
May 1st |
Mattoon Middle School Mattoon Time: 8:30am - noon |
**Media interested in photo/video opportunities can call 217-558-1540 or 217-558-0994 to set up interviews or other requests**
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