William & Gayle Keefer Nature Reserve

04/03/2025

Early spring ephemerals like bloodroot are starting to emerge here at the Keefer Nature Reserve. Photo by Laura Helmich.

12/30/2024

NEW YEAR'S DAY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY. Start the year off by giving back to the environment! Join NLI's Field Biologist Laura Helmich (see her on the right in the photo with the big smile!) this Wed., Jan. 1st from 1 - 4 pm at the William & Gayle Keefer Nature Reserve to remove invasive brush.

The volunteer entrance for Keefer Nature Reserve is located at 12804 Old River Rd, Rockton. The area where you will be working is a short walk from the parking lot. The trail will be flagged. Tasks will include cutting invasive brush, piling the brush, and burning the piles. Most volunteers will be dragging cut brush and throwing it in the fire. Laura suggests bringing appropriate gear such as sturdy boots, work gloves, and plenty of drinking water. Dress for the weather, but keep in mind that it will get warm by the fire.

An RSVP is required for this volunteer work day because it is a holiday (Happy New Year!) This will help her in planning what and how many tools/equipment to bring.

Let Laura know if you plan to be there by sending her an email at [email protected].

11/13/2024

09/26/2024

Today's the day! We are hosting a public opening event to invite you to explore this beautiful preserve. The open house is from 4 pm -6:30 pm. Parking and check in is at Woodlands Park (corner of Falcon Point Place and Park View Courty, Rockton).

More info and please register here for this free event:
https://www.naturalland.org/event/public-opening-event-at-william-gayle-keefer-nature-reserve/

After today we will be open daily from sunrise to sunset. Use Woodlands Park to access our preserve. See a trails map and more information about the preserve here:
https://www.naturalland.org/william-gayle-keefer-nature-reserve/

This photo was taken by Alan Branhagen and shows the prairie in May.

08/20/2024

We’re opening to the public soon! Thank you to Rockton Roscoe Rockton-Roscoe News for sharing this story.

After opening in September, the reserve in Rockton will be available to the public sunrise to sunset.

08/15/2024

Check out this story about the chinkapin oak here at Keefer Nature Reserve. NLI's Legacy Tree Program is featuring it as the August Tree of the Month. Chinkapin is an uncommon oak in our northern Illinois region and is an interesting tree to learn about.

NLI's Legacy Tree Program features a Chinkapin Oak for the August Tree of the Month. It's located at the William and Gayle Keefer Nature Reserve in Rockton, IL, which is owned by Natural Land Institute.

08/15/2024

Enjoy these summer views of Keefer Nature Reserve. On Aug. 7, 2024 Alan Branhagen (Natural Land Institute's Exectuive Director) and staff from Burpee Museum visited here to look for fossils and prepare for the public opening event of this preserve on Thu., Sept. 26th. (Mark your calendar to go!). It will be from 4 - 6:30 p.m. Staff from Burpee Museum included: Director of Paleontology, Josh Mathews, and Paleoentomologist and educator, Stew Cook, and Director of Education and Growth, April Bieschke. Thanks to April for these great photos! Fun Fact: Burpee Museum houses a crinoid fossil from this site, which is named after Burpee's first director, Milt Mahlburg. This fossil will be on site for viewing at the open house and visitors will be able to look for fossils in the quarry. We wonder what you might discover! Event parking and check in will be at Woodlands Park, corner of Falcon Point Place and Park View Court (Rockton, IL).