Coles County Volunteer Opportunities

Charleston

Burgner Acres Nature Preserve workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary.
Control of garlic mustard on this site owned by Eastern Illinois University
Directions: From Illinois Route 316, take Loxa Road (1100E) 2 miles north to CR 1100N. Turn right on CR 1100N, turn right onto CR1130E and go 1mile to the dead end road. Tools will be provided.

Cole Prairie & Cole- Kelly Woods workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary. Burning the prairie at the Cole's place. Please do not wear synthetic clothing or rubber shoes. All equipment will be provided.
Directions: Meet at Cole's home, 13444 East County Road 720N. Go west out of Charleston on Route 16 about 1 3/4 miles. Turn left (south) onto Beechtree Road at the top of the hill by the Crestline Vet Clinic (about 1.5 mile to this point). Continue south to "T"; turn right (west) and first driveway on the left is Cole's. For more information call Gary and Diane Cole (217) 345-2622.

Clapp Hill (Waterworks) Prairie workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward.
A small hill prairie the City of Charleston is acquiring with the help of a state grant and a private donation. Called the Clapp Hill Prairie after its long-time owners, it is located opposite the Charleston water treatment plant on McKinley Avenue.
For more information call site steward Gary Cole (217) 345-2622.

Embarras Bluffs workdays: Workdays vary. Take the Ashmore-Oakland Road to CR 1470 N, turn west and continue across the Little Embarras River to Oak Grove Church at the corner of CR 2300 E and CR 1600 N. Bring shovels.

Lafferty Nature Center workdays: Spring 2007: June 9th at 9:00 a.m. for continuing work on bush honeysuckle. Lafferty is behind Carl Sandberg School on Reynolds Drive in Charleston. Bring loppers and shovels.

Lakeview Park workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards) Workdays vary, contact the site steward.
Directions: Meet at the gate just beyond the Charleston water plant at the end of McKinley Avenue

Larry Thorsen's prairie workdays: Workdays vary. Meet at 22291 E CR 100 N. (Turn south off the Westfield Road at CR 2200 E, go 4 miles to CR 100 N, turn left and go 1/4 mile to the second place on the left.) Please do not wear rubber footwear or synthetic clothing.

Fox Ridge State Park workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward. Cutting and spraying autumn olive. Bring loppers and bow saws. Directions: Take Illinois Route 130 south from Charleston 8 miles to Fox Ridge State Park entrance prairie. Meet at the park office loacted on the right just as you drive into the park.

Hanley Prairie at Fox Ridge State Park workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary. Directions: Take Illinois Route 130 south from Charleston to County Road 300 North. Turn west and follow road to white former schoolhouse at the end.

Reasor Park Prairie workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward.
Directions: Reasor Park is at the southern end of Reynolds Drive, and can be accessed from Douglas Drive. Parking is available off either street.

Regpole Prairie workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward.
This is a prarire reconstruction supervised by Nancy Pals of the local U.S. Natural REsources Conservation office. Directions: Take Fourth Street (Lincoln Highway) 3.5 miles south from Charleston to the Bent Tree Golf Course. The enterance to the site is on the right side of the road just past the driving range.

Wild Hyacinth Hill workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward. A unique opportunity to see the explosion of wild hyacinth flowers and other spring ephemerals after last fall's burn. Directions: Meet at Cole's home, 13444 East County Road 720N. From west edge of Charleston, drive down big hill; as you go back uphill, turn left (south) at Crestline Vet Clinic (about 1.5 mile to this point). Continue south to "T"; turn right (west) and first driveway on the left is Cole's.
For more information call Gary and Diane Cole (217) 345-2622.

Woodyard Memorial Conservation Area workdays: Workdays vary. Meet at the new parking area about a mile south of Charleston on route 130. Pulling or the use of garden forks or hay forks with 4 round tines are the best for removing this vine without undue disturbance of surrounding vegetation.

Mattoon

Lincoln Prarie Grass Bike Trail workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward. Mattoon Directions: Meet in parking lot of Douglas-Hart Nature Center, corner of Lerna Road and Illinois Route 316. Charleston: From Charleston, take State St. (IL Rt. 316) west to Decker Springs Rd. (1500 E), turn left and go a block to Old State Road (850 N), turn right and go about a mile to the site on your left. From IL Rt. 16, take Beech Tree Road (1350 E) a half mile north to Old State Rd. (810 N.), turn right and go about a mile to the site on your right. For more information call Gary and Diane Cole (217) 345-2622.

Douglas-Hart Nature Center workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Spring 2007: May 12th. Work on rebuilding our gazebo that has been vandalized repeatedly. Meet at Douglas-Hart Nature Center parking lot. Directions: Meet at of Douglas-Hart Nature Center, corner of Lerna Road and DeWitt Avenue in Mattoon. For more information call Gary and Diane Cole (217) 345-2622.

Oakland

Upper Embarras Nature Preserve at Walnut Point State Park workdays: (Embarras Volunteer Stewards)
Workdays vary, contact the site steward. Directions: Walnut Point is 3 miles north of Oakland. Turn left as you enter the park and follow the road around the lake to the Pleasnat View parking area opposite the campground.