Events

Help us decorate the Park with lights for Wildlife Scary Park.

No experience necessary! Volunteer Workdays do not require regular commitments. Just sign up for as many Volunteer Workdays as you want. We welcome individuals 18 years and older and minors with a parent or guardian to sign up for Volunteer Workdays.

-Volunteers should plan to arrive 15 minutes before the Volunteer Workday begins.
-Enter the Park through the Ticket Gate and meet at the determined location.
-Dress for the weather. Closed-toe shoes are required & long pants are recommended all year-round.
-Sun protection (hats, sunglasses, etc.), sunscreen, and insect repellent are also recommended.
-Bring water to stay hydrated.

SIGN UP

If you have any questions or have a group interested in volunteering, please email volunteer@wildlifeprairie.org.
Interested in volunteering more at the Park? Available 2023 Volunteer Opportunities

Join members of our animal/education department in a series of guided hikes through the different habitats of Illinois.

Come out to the park and learn about our local flora and fauna!

Participants should bring water and dress for the weather, including layers and proper footwear for hiking (close-toed shoes, boots, tennis shoes, etc.). We also suggest hand held snacks, and trekking poles or hiking staffs if needed.

Meeting Location: Train Depot

FREE with Park Admission. WPP Members receive Park Admission for free.
Registration is required.

SIGN UP!

One of the joys of photography is seeing great imagery.  

The purpose of the photograph/image is to share that joy with others. As you develop your ability to see through the lens one of the side effects is you’ll be able to recognize exactly what an image will look like before you look through the lens. At this point you’re seeing the world as a series of photographs and choosing which images to share. 

This workshop goes deeper into practical refinement of previsualization, composing in the camera in order to creating images that achieve a predetermined visual purpose. 

• Maximum Participants: 40 
• Meeting Location: Forest Hall 
• Special Photography Shoot will feature landscapes of the Park. 

We are so excited for the 3rd annual Lincoln’s Way Autism Awareness 5K Run / Walk at Lincoln’s favorite place, Wildlife Prairie Park!

This year for Lincoln’s Way, 100% of the proceeds are being donated to an amazing organization, The Autism Collective (through OSF Healthcare Children’s Hospital of IL). The Autism Collective coordinates early identification, diagnosis, therapy, services and support. They not only serve children but also adults as they continue to connect individuals to local resources they need to thrive in our community. 

REGISTRATION $35 | CLOSES ON OCTOBER 1

Race Day Information
8 am registration + shirt pickup + refreshments
9 am race begins
If you can’t attend the race but still wish to take part in the event, sign up and attend virtually! 

Lincoln’s Story
When our Lincoln was a baby he crushed milestones but when he was 18 months old he had a severe allergic reaction to amoxicillin which hospitalized him. After his reaction, we didn’t hear his sweet little voice again until he turned five years old. Little did we know that day would be the catalyst to this Autism journey that we’re now on.

Autism is an up and down battle, there are good days and there are down right hard days but we will never give up. We fight every day for the services and therapies our son needs to make him successful. We started Lincoln’s Way three years ago in hopes of one day being able to pay for an entire year of a child’s therapy – we had no idea how successful our little foundation would become and how many peoples lives we would touch. 

Read Lincoln’s full ASD story here.

SIGN UP TODAY!

Due to the abnormally dry weather conditions, this class is being rescheduled. If you have already signed up for the class, you will be contacted by a WPP staff member. If you have any questions, please email marketing@wildlifeprairie.org. 

Fire is essential for surviving in the wilderness. It provides warmth, a source of light, allows you to cook food, and make drinkable water. Learn fire craft safety, what you need to create and maintain a fire and numerous ways to start a campfire.

Location: TBD.

Participants Can Bring: Belt knife and Magnifying Glass