Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
09/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/01/2026 09:39
Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site to host Building for Wildlife workshops
SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is launching "Building for Wildlife," a new workshop series at the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, offering youth hands-on opportunities to build structures that support native Illinois wildlife.
"Building for Wildlife brings together many aspects of the IDNR mission, from education to conservation, in the setting of our inspiring historic sites," said IDNR Director Jim Montgomery. "This is just the sort of program that can make a difference for Illinois wildlife, one birdhouse at a time."
Upcoming workshops include building a bat house to support Illinois bat species on Saturday, Oct. 17 and building a birdhouse for the black-capped chickadee on Saturday, Nov. 7. Each 90-minute workshop will provide materials and instruction. Some materials will be pre-cut and pre-measured.
The workshops are open to participants aged 7 and older. Children must be accompanied by an adult, as younger participants may need assistance using hand tools and completing projects.
The programs are free. Registering online is recommended as space is limited. For more information email [email protected] or call 217-524-3971.
About IDNR
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources was established in 1925 as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes. Today, IDNR's work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov and follow us on Facebook , YouTube and LinkedIn .
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency published this content on September 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 01, 2026 at 15:40 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]