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List of nature centers in Illinois

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

Nature centers

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Name Location County Region Summary
Adams Wildlife Sanctuary Springfield Sangamon Central 40 acres, operated by the Illinois Audubon Society
Andresen Nature Center Fulton Whiteside Northwest information, 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 Center Urbana Champaign Central website, 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 Center Addison DuPage Chicago area website, 17 acres, outdoor classroom, partnership of the Addison Park District, Addison Elementary School District 4 & DuPage High School District 88
Ballard Nature Center Altamont Effingham Central website, 210 acre nature preserve and educational center. It includes 107 acres of woodland, 15 acres of restored prairie, 10 acres of shallow water wetlands and 85 acres of agricultural land.
Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center Cypress Johnson Southern Exhibits about natural history of the Cache River Wetlands and Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Bartlett Nature Center Bartlett DuPage Chicago area Located in the James "Pate" Philip State Park, operated by the Bartlett Park District[1]
Black Hawk State Historic Site Rock Island Rock Island Northern 208-acre park includes Singing Bird Nature Center for outdoor education programs and native bird section, and a museum of Native American life
Cabin Nature Center Wood Dale DuPage Chicago area website, operated by the Wood Dale Park District
Creek Bend Nature Center St. Charles Kane Chicago area website, 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 Center Barrington Cook Chicago area website, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, over 1,000 acres, features outdoor nature play area
Crystal Lake Nature Center Crystal Lake McHenry Northern website, operated by the Crystal Lake Park District in 130-acre Veterans Acres Park, seasonal butterfly house
Douglas-Hart Nature Center Mattoon Coles Central 70 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 Center Chicago Cook Chicago area website, 3-acre urban nature preserve with a focus on food production and environmental education
Emily Oaks Nature Center Skokie Cook Chicago area website, 13 acres, operated by the Skokie Park District
Forest Park Nature Center Peoria Peoria Central website, 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 Center Channahon Will Chicago area website, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County in 525-acre McKinley Woods - Kerry Sheridan Grove
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center Oak Brook DuPage Chicago area Operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, 226 acres, exhibits on area natural history
The Grove Glenview Cook Chicago area Operated 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 Center Elgin Kane Chicago area website, 67 acres, operated by the City
Heller Nature Center Highland Park Lake Chicago area website, operated by the City, 97 acre preserve with 3 miles of trails
Hidden Oaks Nature Center Bolingbrook Will Chicago area website, 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 Center Glenview Cook Chicago area website, 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 Center Kildeer Lake Chicago area website, 5 acres of open space, operated by the Village
Ladd Arboretum & Evanston Ecology Center Evanston Cook Chicago area 23 acre arboretum and nature education facility
Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens Palos Heights Cook Chicago area website, operated by the City, 85-acre park, 20-acre man-made lake with gardens, woodlands, and prairie
Lake Renwick Preserve Plainfield Will Chicago area Operated 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 Center Macomb McDonough Central website, 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 Center Yorkville Kendall Chicago area 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 Center Springfield Sangamon Central 100-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 Center Willow Springs Cook Chicago area website, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, interactive exhibits, live animals
Lockhart Family Nature Center Lake Forest Lake Chicago area website, 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 Center Crystal Lake McHenry Northern website, operated by the McHenry County Conservation District in 3,200-acre Glacial Park
Lyman Woods Nature Center Downers Grove DuPage Chicago area website, 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 Arboretum Lisle DuPage Chicago area 1,700 acres, offers extensive nature-entered education programs
Natural Resources Education Center at Russell Preserve Genoa DeKalb Chicago area website, operated by the DeKalb County Forest Preserve for environmental education programs
North Park Village Nature Center Chicago Cook Chicago area website, forty-six acre nature preserve and an educational facility, operated by City
Peck Farm Park Geneva Kane Chicago area website, 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 Center Joliet Will Chicago area website, operated by the City, over 640 acres
Plum Creek Nature Center Beecher Will Chicago area Operated 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 Museum Round Lake Lake Chicago area website, operated by the village, features realistic habitats, live animals, nature activities and programs
Red Oak Nature Center North Aurora Kane Chicago area website, operated by the Fox Valley Park District, 40+ acres, hands-on displays, live animals, nature preschool, cave
River Trail Nature Center Northbrook Cook Chicago area website, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, live animals, nature programs
Rivershire Park and Nature Center Lincolnshire Lake Chicago area operated by the village, 15 acres, outdoor education programs
Robert Allerton Park Willow Branch Piatt Central 1,517-acre (614 ha) park, nature center and conference center
Rock Springs Conservation Area & Nature Center Decatur Macon Central 1,300 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
Ruth Edwards Nature Center Dixon Lee Northwestern Operated by the Dixon Park District, Great horned owl on display, education, nature preserve, trails on 200 acres of woodland and meadows, disc golf course, outdoor shelters available, playgrounds including a zip line, boat launch available on the Rock River
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center Lemont Cook Chicago area website, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, exhibits on geology, history, and habitat management
Sand Ridge Nature Center South Holland Cook Chicago area website, 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 Center Rockford Winnebago Northern website, operated by the County, 369-acre county forest preserve
Springbrook Nature Center Itasca DuPage Chicago area website, operated by the village, 2 miles of trails, aquarium, butterfly garden
Stillman Nature Center South Barrington Cook Chicago area website, private, non-profit center for environmental education located on 80 acres of woods, lake and prairie, live birds of prey
Stronghold Camp & Retreat Center Oregon Ogle Chicago area website, 360 acres, outdoor classroom, can host up to 180 people.
Sugar Grove Nature Center Funk's Grove McLean Central Located 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 Preserve Park Forest Will Chicago area Operated by the Forest Preserve District of Will County, 985 acres, over 3 miles of trails
Trailside Museum of Natural History River Forest Cook Chicago area website, 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 Valley Schaumburg Cook Chicago area website, 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 Area Ingleside Lake Chicago area Over 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 Center Edwardsville Madison Metro East website, 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 Center Lake Forest Lake Chicago area website, operated by the City, located at 670-acre Elawa Farm, includes nature center, live animals, wildlife sanctuary, museum, and biological station
Wildwood Nature Center Park Ridge Cook Chicago area website, operated by Park Ridge Park District, 5 acres, live animals, nature exhibits
Willowbrook Wildlife Center Glen Ellyn DuPage Chicago area Operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, native wildlife rehabilitation facility with rehabilitated animals on display, education, trails

See also

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References

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  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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