Protecting Illinois Nature
For more than 60 years, people like you have helped The Nature Conservancy protect the sun-kissed prairies, shady oak savannas and tranquil forests of Illinois. With your support, we can build on that legacy by bringing people together to help solve today’s biggest conservation challenges, from climate change and habitat loss to protecting clean water.
![A collage of photos of the 5 individuals featured in the following story.](https://natureconservancystage-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/MidwestPride.png)
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Midwest LGBTQ+ in Conservation
Not only is diversity essential in nature, its vital to the work we do in conservation. This Pride Month, we're celebrating the diverse, LGBTQ+ individuals that help us thrive.
![A cicada on a leaf.](https://natureconservancystage-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/CL_Cicada.jpg)
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Everything You Need to Know About the Rare 2024 Cicada Emergence in Illinois
An Illinois summer isn't complete without cicadas. 2024 is an extra special year for these critters as two rare broods will be emerging simultaneously, and they're arriving earlier than expected.
We Can’t Save Nature Without You
Sign up to receive monthly conservation news and updates from Illinois. Get a preview of Illinois’ Nature News email.
![Fog rises from the ground at sunrise in Chicago's Lincoln Park. Trees line the top of an embankment, and a person walks along the edge of the embankment.](/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/t/n/tnc_154568941.jpg)
![Three children exploring TNC's Nachusa Grasslands Preserve in Illinois under a sunny blue sky.](https://natureconservancystage-h.assetsadobe.com/is/image/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/photos/Resized_IL_MRCC160725_D020.jpg)
Places We Protect
See the Places We Protect in Your Community
From lush prairies and rare savannas to vibrant wetlands and rivers, The Nature Conservancy has helped protect more than 100 sites throughout Illinois in the past 60 years.