Hickory Grove Highlands and Lyons Prairie & Marsh Conservation Area

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Hickory Grove Highlands and Lyons Prairie & Marsh Conservation Area This site is so large that it is actually broken down into three smaller sites (Hickory Grove Highlands, Hickory Grove Riverfront and Lyons Prairie & Marsh).

It offers an unusual diversity of habitats and is home to an Illinois State Nature Preserve. McHenry County Conservation District manages over 25,500 acres of open space diverse with woodlands, prairies, wetlands, ponds and rivers. We are dedicated to land conservation and preservation, environmental education and outdoor recreation for all ages.

🎣😏“Hope you didn’t have your sights set on my fish now.”📷 Photo of great egret by Rich Firman
09/06/2026

🎣😏“Hope you didn’t have your sights set on my fish now.”

📷 Photo of great egret by Rich Firman

🐦🌼 Happy National Hummingbird Day!The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the only species of hummingbir...
09/05/2026

🐦🌼 Happy National Hummingbird Day!

The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the only species of hummingbird native to McHenry County. Its name comes from the thick ruby stripe that runs across the male’s throat. Both male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds can also be identified by the metallic, bluish-green color they display on their backs. These birds feed mostly on the nectar of tubular flowers, but they also eat small insects. One of the flowers most famous for attracting hummingbirds is the cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). These flowers attract pollinators with their bright scarlet coloring and are a favorite of hummingbirds because they are among the few pollinators that can access the flower’s nectar at the bottom of the flower’s long, trumpet-shaped necks.

🔎Featured as a sticker in this year’s Find Your Wild challenge, you can join the challenge and earn a ruby-throated hummingbird and cardinal flower sticker at MCCD.me/FindYourWild

📷 Photo of female ruby-throated hummingbird and cardinal flower by Ken Wick

Help us officially name two conservation areas! As part of our Forward to 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the District is namin...
09/04/2026

Help us officially name two conservation areas!

As part of our Forward to 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the District is naming sites that have previously been unnamed. District policy directs that the official site names be selected through public input with the Board of Trustees choosing the final names from submitted suggestions. The District encourages naming ideas inspired by each site’s natural features, land use, and geological, ecological, or cultural history.

For additional background and to submit your suggestions, visit MCCD.me/SiteNaming

🐍It’s National Wildlife Day!Today is dedicated to promoting conservation for endangered and threatened species. We’re do...
09/04/2026

🐍It’s National Wildlife Day!

Today is dedicated to promoting conservation for endangered and threatened species. We’re doing our part here in McHenry County, with each smooth green snake neonate released.

Smooth green snakes (Opheodrys vernalis) were once a common species in the Illinois landscape; however, habitat loss has dramatically reduced their numbers, making them a species of conservation concern in Illinois. Additionally, because they are oviparous (they lay eggs), their reproductive strategy has disadvantages compared to that of a live-bearing species (viviparous).

To support the smooth green snake population, our staff collect eggs found in the field for incubation at the District’s Wildlife Resource Center. The hatching rate for incubated eggs is 95-99%, compared with 40% in the wild! The newly hatched neonates are then released on District sites. This year, the Wildlife Resource Center received a record 162 eggs! 🥚

We are excited to announce a new T-shirt available for purchase at this year’s Great Outdoors B**r Trail! The design was...
09/03/2026

We are excited to announce a new T-shirt available for purchase at this year’s Great Outdoors B**r Trail! The design was created by artist Jourdon Gullett, who perfectly captured the fun, adventurous spirit of the event and the beauty of Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area.

🎟️ There are still tickets available! Get yours at MCCD.me/GoB**rTickets
📅 Saturday, September 19,1–5 PM
📍 Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area, Cary, IL

Enjoy great b**r, the great outdoors, and a great new T-shirt! 🍺🌳

👶🕷️You’ve heard about Spider-Man, but did you know there’s a spider-mom right in your backyard? While not possessing any...
09/02/2026

👶🕷️You’ve heard about Spider-Man, but did you know there’s a spider-mom right in your backyard?

While not possessing any powers in the traditional sense, female wolf spiders will certainly go above and beyond for their young. This dedication begins before the spiderlings are even born, as mom wraps her eggs around her abdomen rather than leaving them in a hidden place or in a web. Once they hatch, hundreds of spiderlings cling to her abdomen until they are ready to live on their own. If a spiderling falls off, mom will stop and wait until it climbs back on. This generosity is returned by the spiderlings, who do not eat their mother for sustenance, a behavior seen in some arachnid species.

📷Photo of wolf spider by Leslie Johnson

09/01/2026

🌻Learn about compass plant with Education Program Coordinator Abby Winters!

🐢Snapping turtles are known to eat almost anything they can sn**ch and swallow. This includes small reptiles and mammals...
08/31/2026

🐢Snapping turtles are known to eat almost anything they can sn**ch and swallow. This includes small reptiles and mammals, though they mostly feed on fish. Despite popular belief, snapping turtles are not inherently aggressive, but they are much more likely to feel threatened when out of water because they cannot retreat into their shells like many other turtle species. Snapping turtles are ambush hunters and spend much of their time motionless and camouflaged at the bottom of bodies of water, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter their striking range.

🔎Featured as a sticker in this year’s Find Your Wild challenge, you can join the challenge and earn a snapping turtle sticker at MCCD.me/FindYourWild

📷 Photo of snapping turtle by Cindy Smith

🐦😌 Ever seen a woodpecker aura farm? Well, you have now. You’re welcome. For the uninitiated, aura farming refers to the...
08/30/2026

🐦😌 Ever seen a woodpecker aura farm? Well, you have now. You’re welcome.

For the uninitiated, aura farming refers to the act of doing something that enhances your coolness without explicitly or actively trying to do so.

📷 Photo of red-headed woodpecker by Mike Hoffman

🔦A light in the darkness!Common eastern fireflies live for about three weeks to two months, during which they use their ...
08/29/2026

🔦A light in the darkness!

Common eastern fireflies live for about three weeks to two months, during which they use their light to attract a mate. They are most often seen from dusk through the early evening and play a vital role in the ecosystem.

Once a common summer sight, firefly species across the country have been declining. This decline is due to several factors, including increased pesticide use, habitat degradation and light pollution. You can help support local populations by avoiding harmful lawn chemicals, leaving a corner of your yard undisturbed with leaf litter and turning off outdoor lights at night.

📷 Photo of fireflies by Brandie Dunn

Address

500 Hickory Nut Grove Road
Cary, IL
60013

Telephone

+18153386223

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