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!
JULY 2026
Saturday, July 11, from 8 am to noon, Friends of the Kankakee Monthly Workday in Willow Estates, in Illinois, Iroquois County, IL
This event is hosted by Friends of the Kankakee. Volunteers will be helping to restore oak savanna habitat in Willow Estates by cutting and herbiciding larger autumn olive and honeysuckle shrubs. Power tools welcome. 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.
Wednesday, July 15, from 4 pm to 7:30 pm, Earth Night at the Newton County Fair in Indiana
This event is hosted by Newton County SWCD in partnership with local area organizations and agencies. The annual Earth Night event at the Newton County Fair is a wonderful afternoon of FREE family friendly nature-themed activities in the Sheep Barn. 10+ local agencies and organizations have booths, and there will be snow-cones, pop-corn and free-giveaways too! A highlight of the evening is always the speaker who brings live animals! The Nature Conservancy and Friends of the Sands will both be there. Come visit us! The Newton County Fair is located at 12189 Punkin Vine Rd, Kentland, Indiana. For more information, reach out the Newton County Soil and Water Office at newtonsoilwater@gmail.com
Thursday, July 16, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Weeding Workday at Beaver Lake Nature Preserve, Newton County, IN
This event is hosted by Friends of the Sands in partnership with DNR. Native plant species are winning at Beaver Lake Prairie thanks to the diligent volunteer and staff efforts over the last couple of years to remove non-native plants. Come on out and join a winning effort! 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, 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.
Saturday, July 18, from 8 am to noon – Friends of the Kankakee Island Workday on Kankakee River
This event is hosted by Friends of the Kankakee. Friends of the Kankakee recently agreed to a management agreement with Lake County Parks to assist with the management of a 48-acre island in the Kankakee River, across the Shelby public Access Site in Lake County, Indiana. On this inaugural workday, work to control non-native and native species to encourage more oak regeneration. Be prepared for our floodplain friends, Mr. and Mrs. Nettle. We will need to boat across the river to the site, but will have everyone safely back to their ride by noon. Gloves, tools, and light snacks will be provided. For more information and to RSVP, contact Gus Nyberg at nyberggus@gmail.com or 765-427-4345.
Thursday, July 23, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Weeding Workday at Beaver Lake Nature Preserve, Newton County, IN
This event is hosted by Friends of the Sands in partnership with DNR. Native plant species are winning at Beaver Lake Prairie thanks to the diligent volunteer and staff efforts over the last couple of years to remove non-native plants. Come on out and join a winning effort! 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, 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.
Thursday, July 30, from 8 am to 11 am, central time – Weeding Workday at Beaver Lake Nature Preserve, Newton County, IN
This event is hosted by Friends of the Sands in partnership with DNR. Mid-summer is upon us and this our last chance to pull annual weeds at Beaver Lake Prairie before they go to seed. All help is appreciated! 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.
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 