When Child Literacy and Art Combine

by julie | October 1, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

October 2026 Nature At The Confluence is grateful to be included in a special project: The ABC's of Winnebago County. Artist Jenny Mathews designed an alphabet reflecting specific sites, and our Confluence Overlook bench is featured in "R for Rolling Rock...

The Difference AmeriCorps Made

by julie | September 25, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Ely Grimm | September 2026 Reflection on 900 Hour AmeriCorps Volunteer Term, March - September 2026 I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to continue and expand the work I do at Nature At The Confluence through AmeriCorps. Prior to this spring, I have been...

New Timelapse Tool

by julie | August 26, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

A new way to contribute to science is here! We now have a Chronolog: a site for folks to take a photo and upload to a shared timelapse. Thanks to a grant from Illinois American Water, we invested in a Chronolog for two reasons. First, to engage visitors with our...

How To Measure A Summer

by Intern Staff | August 13, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Ceci Kimball | August 2026 Summer is a brief encounter. While of course, what else would a season be? Classifying summer as fleeting empowers each moment to be remembered. I’ve always categorized this time of year by the street festivals, farmer’s markets,...

What’s In Bloom At The Prairie – Summer 2026

by Intern Staff | August 6, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Ceci Kimball | August 2026 This summer, Nature At The Confluence volunteers went on weekly, staff-led prairie walks every Tuesday evening to observe milkweed plants (the sole host of the monarch butterfly) for the presence of monarch eggs, instars...

Frequently Asked Questions

by Intern Staff | July 17, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Nature At The Confluence is an idyllic stretch of restored prairie and woodland located in South Beloit, Illinois. Where Turtle Creek meets the Rock River, the grounds of The Confluence are a frequent destination for fishing, family outings, and kayaking. Roughly 80...

Grateful for AmeriCorps

by julie | June 24, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Julie Uram | June 2026 This summer is the first time Nature At The Confluence has hosted two full-time AmeriCorps Members at the same time. Our organization is lucky to benefit from this federal service program, which would not be possible without...

Prairie Expansion Update

by julie | June 24, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Ely Grimm | June 2026 In the late winter of this year, we seeded a half-acre expansion of our five-acre prairie along the Kelly Creek woodland edge. The area was carefully prepared with intentional herbicide use and a prescribed burn. With the help of many...

Monitoring Monarchs

by Intern Staff | June 17, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Ceci Kimball | June 2026 Monarchs are one of the most recognizable butterfly species in North America, and it isn’t difficult to understand the fascination. The common name for the monarch derives from American entomologist Samuel Hubbard Scudder who coined...

Summer Program Guide- Print and Color

by julie | May 12, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Our program guide was created to be colored! The artwork was created by local student Tarah Sympson. Hard copies can be picked up at our building during business hours. Click here to download our 2026 Summer Brochure This summer we have both new and returning event...

Reflecting With Julia: A Love Letter

by julie | April 29, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Julia Weber | April 2026 This is less of a reflection, and more of a love letter to all that makes Nature At The Confluence what it is: the community. Not only made up of human beings, but also made up of bluebells, trillium, cardinals, geese, the water...

Reflecting with Ely

by julie | March 27, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Ely Grimm | March 2026 It can be overwhelming to be in a job with immense flexibility, with endless tasks on a landscape full of neglect. As the part-time Stewardship & Facilities Assistant, I am tasked with making decisions about how to best proceed in...

State Awards South Beloit $600K for Neighborhood Park at Nature At The Confluence

by julie | February 2, 2026 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by City of South Beloit staff | February 2026 The City of South Beloit will move forward with a long- awaited neighborhood park at Nature at the Confluence after securing a $600,000 grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Open Space Lands...

2025 Birding at The Confluence

by julie | December 30, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Julie Uram | December 2025 Nature At The Confluence's Bird Club had a wonderful year- our group met 11 times, took 5 field trips to nearby preserves, and observed 74* different bird species in 2025. Our organization also had the honor of collaborating with...

New Year’s Invitation from Jessie

by julie | December 30, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Jessie Crow Mermel | December 2025 Greetings friends of The Confluence, As we transition into a new year, I find myself pausing in gratitude for the extraordinary nature and community that make Nature At The Confluence such a special place. The story...

Take a Walk with iNaturalist

by julie | December 12, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Amelia Pullen | December 2025 This semester I had the opportunity to intern at Nature At The Confluence. My internship was through a community connection and civic engagement class at Beloit College, and over the semester I spent almost 100 hours...

Reflecting on My Time at The Confluence

by julie | December 2, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Amelia Pullen | November 2025 My name is Amelia and I am a senior at Beloit College, and this semester I took an internship course that paired students with a local organization that aligned with the students interests. I was paired with Nature At The...

Land As Teacher: A Summer Garden Experience

by julie | November 3, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Ely Grimm | October 2025 In April of this year, I was hired as the Stewardship & Facilities Assistant at Nature At The Confluence. My primary focus is to manage the land here, including the vegetable gardens. In this vein, the first big project I was...

New Equipment Thanks to Gemini Solar Grant

by julie | October 21, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

We are grateful to receive a community grant award from Gemini Solar! The funds will be used to purchase a chainsaw, chainsaw safety and maintenance tools, handsaws, and additional equipment that our staff and dedicated volunteers use to keep our grounds beautiful....

Woodrow the Woodpecker Takes Flight: A Spark of Art, Nature, and Community

by julie | October 13, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Susan Burton | October 2025 A striking new figure now greets visitors at Nature At The Confluence in Sout Beloit — meet Woodrow the Woodpecker, a nine-foot-tall mosaic sculpture created through the SPARK 2025 Kids Camp and made possible in part by support...

8 Great Autumn Hiking Adventures In The Stateline Area

by julie | October 6, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Therese Oldenburg | October 2025 As the leaves begin to change color and the air crisps up, challenge yourself to take 8 Autumn Hiking Adventures in 8 stunning locations, traveling from north to south through the Stateline area. Begin your...

A Summer of iNat

by julie | August 25, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Isabelle Molitor | August 2025 This summer, I practiced species identification with the app iNaturalist. Starting in May, I aimed to identify three plants, insects, or animals each day. I also kept track of different plants blooming throughout the campus...

Audubon Mural Project in South Beloit

by julie | August 21, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Julie Uram | August 2025 We are thrilled to share the expansion of the Audubon Mural Project in Northern Illinois. Three murals were completed this summer, weaving together public art and conservation awareness. Murals include: "The Last Watcher"...

A Look Into Little Science Storytime

by julie | August 18, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Isabelle Molitor | August 2025 This summer, Nature At The Confluence had an amazing time hosting Little Science Storytime in partnership with the South Beloit Public Library. Each week featured three books and tons of opportunities for nature discovery and...

Reflecting with Isabelle

by julie | August 18, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Isabelle Molitor | August 2025 Challenged with the daunting task of reflecting on three transformative months, I searched through past articles on the “News from Nature At The Confluence” blog for inspiration. The earliest posts date back to before the...

In the News: Girl Scout earns her Gold Award by releasing beetles that devour invasive plants

by julie | July 30, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Jess Savage for WNIJ Northern Public Radio | July 2025 | Original article link Angelina Sirianni pulled a wagon weighed down with purple loosestrife plants and the beetles that devour it. Recently, after months of work, high schooler Angelina finally got to...

How Can You Protect the Environment?

by julie | July 30, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Isabelle Molitor | July 2025 This year, Earth Overshoot Day was July 24th. According to the Global Footprint Network, this estimate marks when we have collectively used up the Earth’s natural resource budget for the entire year. An overall pattern shows...

Never Take for Granted the Gift You Have Been Given

by julie | June 27, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Isabelle Molitor | June 2025 Humans have an innate connection with nature, developing from a very young age. Biophilia is a hypothesized inherited and genetic attraction to the natural world, and researchers have studied this connection in correlation to...

Isabelle’s Invitation

by julie | June 18, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Isabelle Molitor | June 2025 Our planet has a vast and fascinating history, with a diverse range of plants and animals that came before us. This summer, you can imagine a prehistoric world within the learning garden at Nature At The Confluence. Plan a visit...

AmeriCorps Funding Cuts

by julie | May 29, 2025 | Confluence News | 0 Comments

Written by Julie Uram | May 2025 This April, we received notice from the Illinois Department of Human Services that our AmeriCorps program was terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency. Nature At The Confluence is one of over 1,000 AmeriCorps host sites...

Connecting People With Nature

Nature At The Confluence invites you to stop in for a visit to discover nature just steps from the city. We’re located on about 80 acres surrounded by the Rock River, Turtle Creek and Kelly Creek, and you’ll find scenic beauty during every season. The campus offers a 5-acre prairie restoration, trails, learning gardens, pollinator gardens and programs are held throughout the year for all ages and interests! Click below to visit our calendar to see all we have to offer and come see us soon!

Calendar

Latest Events

Wednesday Work Day

We need volunteers to help support and sustain this organization. From planting gardens, pulling weeds, trimming trails, or helping with events – there are so many ways to lend a […]

Find out more

Oct 07, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Herbalism Series- October

Whether you are curious to start or want to connect with others who practice herbalism, this workshop series is for you. Herbalism is the ancient practice of using plants to […]

$15.00 – $25.00

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Oct 10, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

If This Land Could Talk: Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Creek & the Rock River

If this land could talk, what stories would it tell? Stories of people who cared for this land, revered it, dreamed of it, depended upon it, and shaped its landscape […]

$5.00

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Oct 12, 2026 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Little Scientists: Nocturnal Neighbors

Children are invited to use their senses and investigate our wild world! For October, we will explore adaptations of nocturnal animals and make a special craft. Dress for the weather […]

$10.00

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Oct 20, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Wednesday Work Day

We need volunteers to help support and sustain this organization. From planting gardens, pulling weeds, trimming trails, or helping with events – there are so many ways to lend a […]

Find out more

Oct 21, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Conservation Conversation – October

Come join in for this monthly series of community-led conservation conversations. Together, we will share knowledge, experience, and perspectives in working to restore and care for the land. Each month […]

Free

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Oct 24, 2026 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Volunteer Work Day

Join us in cultivating wildlife habitat by removing invasive species in our woodland and prairie, as well as caring for our trails and garden. Dress for the weather—long pants, sun […]

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Oct 24, 2026 1:15 pm - 3:00 pm

Wednesday Work Day

We need volunteers to help support and sustain this organization. From planting gardens, pulling weeds, trimming trails, or helping with events – there are so many ways to lend a […]

Find out more

Nov 04, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

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