Some of the best childhood memories aren’t planned.
They’re the afternoons spent turning over rocks to see what lives underneath, watching butterflies drift through a field, listening for frogs after a summer rain, or following a winding trail just to see where it leads. Those simple moments often become the stories families remember for years.
Today, opportunities like these can be harder to find. As communities grow and natural areas disappear, many children spend less time outdoors than previous generations. Yet research continues to show what many parents and grandparents already know: time in nature helps children build confidence, reduce stress, strengthen their curiosity, and develop a lifelong appreciation for the world around them.
The good news is that those experiences don’t have to happen on a faraway vacation. They can happen close to home.
Credit: Peggy Jarvis
That’s why HeartLands Conservancy works throughout southern Illinois to protect and restore places where people can connect with nature.
Whether it’s restoring rare prairie habitat at the Knoll Family Wildlife Sanctuary near Edwardsville, helping care for places like Poag Sand Prairie, expanding trails and community parks, or creating spaces like the Exploration Garden at Swansea Clinton Hills Conservation Park, each project helps make nature more accessible for families while protecting wildlife and the places they call home.
When children have nearby places to explore, they begin to notice the calls of birds, the changing colors of the prairie, turtles basking on a log, or wildflowers blooming along a trail. Those experiences spark questions, conversations, and a sense of wonder that lasts long after the visit is over.
Credit: Monica Threlkeld
Protecting nearby nature isn’t only about wildlife, although countless plants and animals benefit. It’s also about making sure future generations have places where families and friends can spend time together, children can discover something new, and everyone can experience the peace that comes from being outdoors.
Because every child deserves a place to explore. And every family deserves nearby nature that will be there for years to come.
Doing Good Now. Doing Good Later.
Have you ever thought about including HeartLands Conservancy in your will?
For many people, it’s one of the easiest ways to make a lasting difference for the places they love.
A gift in your will costs nothing today, can be changed if your circumstances change, and allows you to continue caring for family while also helping conserve the forests, prairies, wetlands, and farms that make our region special.
The wonderful news is that your future gift can also make a difference today.
Thanks to the generosity of a local couple, when you let HeartLands know that you have included HeartLands Conservancy in your will or other qualifying future plans by completing a simple Statement of Future Gift Intent, they will make a $1,000 gift in your honor to support conservation work now.
You don’t need to disclose the amount of your future gift, and you don’t need to be wealthy.
Gifts of all sizes help ensure that wildlife habitat, family farms, clean water, and natural areas will be protected for generations to come.
If you’d like to learn more about making a gift in your will—or if you’ve already done so—we’d love to hear from you.
Please contact Mary Vandevord, CEO of HeartLands Conservancy at ma**@*******************cy.org or by phone (618) 566-4451 ex 20 for a confidential conversation.