Discovering what can be found in a forest at the woodlands station. Photo by Jill Kennay
Natural Land Institute (NLI) is proud to announce that it has received a $3,450 grant for the 2025 Family Nature Adventures event on Sat., June 28th, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The grant was awarded by the Guyer-Hyzer Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Community Grants Program.
Family Nature Adventures (FNA), held at Nygren Wetland Preserve (3190 W. Rockton Rd., Rockton, IL) is a unique and free event that gives children and adults close encounters to many nature and arts themed activities and is available in English and Spanish. While the event is targeted to children ages two-14, all ages, including adults, enjoy and learn from their experiences exploring the natural world that helps them understand nature, fall in love with it, and inspires them to want to protect it.
There are more than 15 learning stations at this year’s Family Nature Adventures. Everyone is handed a passport at check-in to get stamped at each station after participating in the activity. Guests may go at their own pace with activities lasting 10-15 minutes. After children visit six or more learning stations, they take their stamped passport to the Junior Naturalist swearing in station and have to promise to do their best to protect the land, plants, animals, water and air in their community. Then they get a Junior Naturalist badge and certificate.
Advance registration is requested. For more information and to register online visit: www.naturalland.org/familynatureadventures or call 815/964-6666.
Smelling and feeling the plants in the prairie. Photo by Jill Kennay
“I think of Family Nature Adventures as a gift to the community. With support from the Guyer-Hyzer Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, event sponsors, individual volunteers and partner organizations that participate as learning station hosts, we can provide this event at no charge to attendees,” said Kim Johnsen, organizer of the event and NLI’s Director of Marketing & Membership. She goes on to say, “So many parents have said to me thank you for having this free event where we get to spend time outside with our kids. They appreciate the structured, yet casual way to learn about plants and animals, and other things in the natural world.”
Additional support for Family Nature Adventures is provided by River Otter Sponsors ($1,000): Paul and Teri Baits, Mark and Laurie Luthin; Beaver Sponsor ($750): Northern Regional Groundwater Protection Planning Committee; and Mink Sponsor: ($500): North Park Water. Learning Station Sponsors ($250): Lisa and Tim Normoyle, Arc Design Resources, Northern Regional Groundwater Protection Planning Committee, State Bank of Davis, and von Briesen & Roper.
About the Natural Land Institute:
The Natural Land Institute, an accredited conservation land trust, is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization based in Rockford, Illinois, which has protected 18,000 acres of natural land in Illinois since 1958. The current service area covers twelve counties in northern Illinois. NLI’s mission is to create an enduring legacy of natural land in northern Illinois for people, plants and animals. For more information and to donate visit https://www.naturalland.org/.
About the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois:
The mission of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is to inspire endowment and promote philanthropy for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois. Since its founding in 1953 CFNIL has granted more than $90 million for charitable purposes. Learn more about CFNIL’s history, grantmaking, and commitment to endowment at https://cfnil.org.
Discovering a caterpillar on a common milkweed along the trail. Photo by Judi Nichols
Learning about the various parts of mammals at the Mammals learning station hosted by Welty Environmental Center. Photo by Judi Nichols
The Art of Bird Journaling learning station hosted by Sinnissippi Audubon Society. Photo by Judi Nichols
Fishing like an Eagle at the Eagles learning station. Photo by Judi Nichols.
Reptiles station hosted by Burpee Museum of Natural History. Photo by Jill Kennay
The Art of Bird Journaling learning station. Photo by Jill Kennay
Learning how surface water flows into streams and why protecting it from pollutants is important at the Groundwater learning station. Photo by Jill Kennay