This page lists upcoming events for Friends of the Sands and our many partners in Newton County, Indiana and counties nearby. If you’d like information specific to volunteering with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Indiana, visit the page Volunteer with The Nature Conservancy in Indiana or visit TNC’s Kankakee Sands webpage.
To receive a weekly email about upcoming events and volunteer workdays for TNC, Friends of the Sands, and other partners, send a message to Alyssa Nyberg (anyberg@TNC.org) and let her know you would like to be added to her email list.
All times are Central Time. Stay in touch with us on our Facebook page, too!
JUNE 2026
Thursday, June 4, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Rejuvenate the Prairie: Invasive Plant Species Pull
This event is hosted by Friends of the Sands in partnership with DNR. In 1940, Churchill gave his famous “we shall fight on the seas and oceans” speech after over 300,000 Allied troops were saved at Dunkirk. He forgot to mention we shall fight in the prairies and remove invasive species. Join us in the fight to rejuvenate Beaver Lake Prairie by hand pulling invasive weeds from the land. Gloves provided and light snacks will be provided. For more information, including meeting location, and to RSVP, contact Gus Nyberg at nyberggus@gmail.com or 765-427-4345.
Friday, June 5, 4 pm to 6 pm – Sand Coreopsis Wildflower Hike on the Grace Teninga Trail
Sand coreopsis blankets a lot of the Grace Teninga trail turning the dune yellow in early June. We will hike the 2-mile trail and enjoy the transition season from spring to summer while enjoying the natural world. Meet at the Grace Teninga Trail parking lot located at 1322 W 600 N, Lake Village, IN. For more information and to RSVP, contact Gus Nyberg nyberggus@gmail.com or 765-427-4345.
Saturday, June 13, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Friends of the Kankakee Workday in Illinois, Iroquois County, IL
This event is hosted by Friends of the Kankakee in partnership with Friends of the Sands. Friends of the Kankakee will be working to improve their 407 Pike property, installing a sign, spraying woody resprouts, cleaning up dumped debris and preparing the area to be the welcome location to FOK in Willow Estates. RSVPs appreciated but not required. For more information, contact Gus Nyberg at 765-427-4345 or nyberggus@gmail.com
Thursday, June 18, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Rejuvenate the Prairie: Invasive Plant Species Pull
This event is hosted by Friends of the Sands in partnership with DNR. People have modified the landscape in many ways, and due to some of those changes, natural lands need our help to thrive. Join the band of prairie restorers and help Beaver Lake Prairie Nature Preserve thrive. This will be the last springtime workday on Beaver Lake Prairie. Gloves and light snacks will be provided. For more information, including meeting location, and to RSVP, contact Gus Nyberg at nyberggus@gmail.com or 765-427-4345.
Saturday, June 20, 8 am to 9 am – Yoga on the Prairie
Join Friends of the Sands and The Nature Conservancy for an all-levels Yoga on the Prairie series focused on the foundations of body alignment and awareness. No experience needed. Children welcome with adult caregiver. Dates for the series are all Saturdays: May 30, June 20, July 18, and August 22. Come for one session or for all! Please bring your yoga mat and be ready to stretch. Your instructor, Colleen Edmonson has taught yoga since 2019. She earned a yoga certificate from PureLightYoga Academy and then completed her 200-hour training with Crystal Gray Yoga. She is passionate about sharing the practice in a way that is accessible to all. Meet at the Nature Conservancy’s Native Plant Nursery at Kankakee Sands (1492 W 250 N, Morocco, IN). In the event of inclement weather, Colleen will notify attendees of cancellation. Please RSVP to her at colleen.m.edmonson@gmail.com.
Thursday, June 25, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Rejuvenate the Prairie: Invasive Plant Species Pull
This event is hosted by Friends of the Sands in partnership with DNR. This is the first summertime workday of several to come at Beaver Lake Prairie. It’s also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn. We will ponder the progress of the past 150 years with stories while pulling sweet clover from the prairie. Gloves and light snacks will be provided. For more information, including meeting location, and to RSVP, contact Gus Nyberg at nyberggus@gmail.com or 765-427-4345.
Friday, June 26, 9 am to noon, central time – Conrad Station Savanna Weed Wrangle© Series
Join us every fourth Friday of the month to focus our attention on 15 acres at Conrad Station Savanna. Over the course of a year of workdays and Weed Wrangles, we will be improving this overgrown woodland and creating a flower filled Savanna. We can’t wait to see it in 2027! This month’s workday will focus on removing non-native bittersweet. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking lot, located along the gravel road 725 N through Conrad Station Savanna. The parking area is at the bend in the road. Gloves, eye protection, tools and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, contact Alyssa Nyberg at anyberg@tnc.org or 219-866-1706.
JULY 2026
Saturday, July 18, 8 am to 9 am – Yoga on the Prairie
Join Friends of the Sands and The Nature Conservancy for an all-levels Yoga on the Prairie series focused on the foundations of body alignment and awareness. No experience needed. Children welcome with adult caregiver. Dates for the series are all Saturdays: May 30, June 20, July 18, and August 22. Come for one session or for all! Please bring your yoga mat and be ready to stretch. Your instructor, Colleen Edmonson has taught yoga since 2019. She earned a yoga certificate from PureLightYoga Academy and then completed her 200-hour training with Crystal Gray Yoga. She is passionate about sharing the practice in a way that is accessible to all. Meet at the Nature Conservancy’s Native Plant Nursery at Kankakee Sands (1492 W 250 N, Morocco, IN). In the event of inclement weather, Colleen will notify attendees of cancellation. Please RSVP to her at colleen.m.edmonson@gmail.com.
Friday, July 24, 9 am to noon, central time – Conrad Station Savanna Weed Wrangle© Series
Join us every fourth Friday of the month to focus our attention on 15 acres at Conrad Station Savanna. Over the course of a year of workdays and Weed Wrangles, we will be improving this overgrown woodland and creating a flower filled Savanna. We can’t wait to see it in 2027! This month’s workday will focus on removing honeysuckle. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking lot, located along the gravel road 725 N through Conrad Station Savanna. The parking area is at the bend in the road. Gloves, eye protection, tools and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, contact Alyssa Nyberg at anyberg@tnc.org or 219-866-1706.
AUGUST 2026
Wednesday, August 12, 7 to 10 pm – Blazing Stars and Shooting Stars Evening Wildflower Wander
At the beginning of this event, we will have a short wander into the blazing star bloom at Beaver Lake Prairie, transition to enjoying the sunset and then sit and appreciate the sky looking for shooting stars. Bring a chair and a drink or a snack to share if you like. Some light walking and much appreciation of the world will be had. Meet at Beaver Lake Nature Preserve (1999 W 600 N, Lake Village, IN). GPS location: 41.086647847657936, -87.42959847576341. For more information and to RSVP, contact Gus Nyberg nyberggus@gmail.com or 765-427-4345.
Saturday, August 22, 8 am to 9 am – Yoga on the Prairie
Join Friends of the Sands and The Nature Conservancy for an all-levels Yoga on the Prairie series focused on the foundations of body alignment and awareness. No experience needed. Children welcome with adult caregiver. Dates for the series are all Saturdays: May 30, June 20, July 18, and August 22. Come for one session or for all! Please bring your yoga mat and be ready to stretch. Your instructor, Colleen Edmonson has taught yoga since 2019. She earned a yoga certificate from PureLightYoga Academy and then completed her 200-hour training with Crystal Gray Yoga. She is passionate about sharing the practice in a way that is accessible to all. Meet at the Nature Conservancy’s Native Plant Nursery at Kankakee Sands (1492 W 250 N, Morocco, IN). In the event of inclement weather, Colleen will notify attendees of cancellation. Please RSVP to her at colleen.m.edmonson@gmail.com.
Friday, August 28, 9 am to noon, central time – Conrad Station Savanna Weed Wrangle© Series
Join us every fourth Friday of the month to focus our attention on 15 acres at Conrad Station Savanna. Over the course of a year of workdays and Weed Wrangles, we will be improving this overgrown woodland and creating a flower filled Savanna. We can’t wait to see it in 2027! This month’s workday will focus on removing autumn olive. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking lot, located along the gravel road 725 N through Conrad Station Savanna. The parking area is at the bend in the road. Gloves, eye protection, tools and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, contact Alyssa Nyberg at anyberg@tnc.org or 219-866-1706.
SEPTEMBER 2026
Saturday, September 12, 1 to 3 pm central time – Monarch Migration Celebration
Learn about and participate in Monarch Watch, a citizen science program to capture, tag, and release monarch butterflies as they migrate through Indiana on their journey to Mexico. Even if the weather does not cooperate, we’ll still meet to learn more about this research and why it is done. Children and families especially welcome! Meet at the Kankakee Sands Native Plant Nursery (1492 W 250 N, Morocco, IN). Please RSVP for this event. Contact Jeanette Jaskula (jmjaskula@yahoo.com, 219-869-1004) for more information or to RSVP.
Saturday, September 12, 7 to 9 pm central – Mothing on the Prairie
Late summer is a great time to discover moths at Kankakee Sands! We’ll use a mercury vapor light to attract moths to a white sheet where we’ll try to identify each species. Each moth has a fascinating story to tell us about how important the prairies and savannas are to its brief life. This is a wonderful program for families, and children of all ages are encouraged to attend. Remember to bring a flashlight. LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED. Please check back for details. Contact Jeanette Jaskula (jmjaskula@yahoo.com, 219-869-1004) for more information.
Friday, September 25, 9 am to noon, central time – Conrad Station Savanna Weed Wrangle© Series
Join us every fourth Friday of the month to focus our attention on 15 acres at Conrad Station Savanna. Over the course of a year of workdays and Weed Wrangles, we will be improving this overgrown woodland and creating a flower filled Savanna. We can’t wait to see it in 2027! This month’s workday will focus on removing non-native bittersweet. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking lot, located along the gravel road 725 N through Conrad Station Savanna. The parking area is at the bend in the road. Gloves, eye protection, tools and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, contact Alyssa Nyberg at anyberg@tnc.org or 219-866-1706.
OCTOBER 2026
Friday, October 23, 9 am to noon, central time – Conrad Station Savanna Weed Wrangle© Series
Join us every fourth Friday of the month to focus our attention on 15 acres at Conrad Station Savanna. Over the course of a year of workdays and Weed Wrangles, we will be improving this overgrown woodland and creating a flower filled Savanna. We can’t wait to see it in 2027! This month’s workday will focus on removing honeysuckle and autumn olive. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking lot, located along the gravel road 725 N through Conrad Station Savanna. The parking area is at the bend in the road. Gloves, eye protection, tools and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, contact Alyssa Nyberg at anyberg@tnc.org or 219-866-1706.
NOVEMBER 2026
Friday, November 27, 9 am to noon, central time – Conrad Station Savanna Weed Wrangle© Series
Join us every fourth Friday of the month to focus our attention on 15 acres at Conrad Station Savanna. Over the course of a year of workdays and Weed Wrangles, we will be improving this overgrown woodland and creating a flower filled Savanna. We can’t wait to see it in 2027! This month’s workday will focus on removing honeysuckle and autumn olive. Meet at the Conrad Station Savanna Parking lot, located along the gravel road 725 N through Conrad Station Savanna. The parking area is at the bend in the road. Gloves, eye protection, tools and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, contact Alyssa Nyberg at anyberg@tnc.org or 219-866-1706.
Friends of the Sands 