The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Conservation Foundation have stepped up efforts to foster environmental education by awarding more than $40,000 in grants to 26 schools. These funds will support habitat enhancement projects, encouraging students to engage directly with conservation efforts. By planting native species and improving wildlife habitats, students gain valuable hands-on experience in ecological stewardship. This initiative not only enhances local ecosystems but also instills a deeper appreciation for nature in the next generation. It’s a win-win for both the environment and education, nurturing young minds to become future champions of conservation.
“The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program provides students and educators with opportunities to create native habitat in their schoolyards and increase the use of native plants in Illinois landscapes while benefitting wildlife species,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “By participating in these projects, students learn that their efforts can make a positive difference in the world, and they gain experience in problembased learning by planning, developing, and maintaining the habitat.”
The Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation is the major sponsor of this program. Nearly $394,000 in Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant funding has been distributed since the program’s inception.
“We want school children to learn about nature through hands-on experiences,” Finnie said. “It is our goal to have Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program projects developed in every county of the state and eventually at every school. So far, we have supported projects in 86 Illinois counties.”
The next Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program application window will open this spring through Dec. 3. Apply online at the IDNR education grants website. For additional information, call 217-524-4126 or email [email protected].
The 2025 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants recipients and their projects are:
LaSalle County
• Waltham Elementary School District 185, Utica – $921.99. Kindergarten through eighth grade, pollinator
Garden.
Peoria County
• Peoria Academy, Peoria – $2,000. Preschool through fifth grade, pollinators and trees.
Whiteside County
• Washington Elementary, Sterling – $988. Third through fifth grades, butterfly garden.
