Nature therapy, forest bathing, nature mindfulness, green time, whatever you call it, science has shown that connecting with nature can help us manage stress and anxiety and improve our overall physical and mental well-being.* During this time of many unknowns and social distancing, connecting with nature will be even more important for many, whether in our own backyards and neighborhoods or at a nearby park.
Per Governor Pritzker’s “Stay at Home Order,” it is permitted “To engage in outdoor activity, provided the individuals comply with Social Distancing Requirements, as defined below (6 feet from others), such as, by way of example and without limitation, walking, hiking, running, or biking. Individuals may go to public parks and open outdoor recreation areas.”
In addition to the Governor’s order, it is also important to review and abide by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, including recommendations to clean your hands often, avoid close contact with others, and to stay home if you are sick. The National Recreation and Parks Association has also issued guidance specific to maintaining a safe social distance at parks and on trails.
Our partners at Openlands prepared a list of northern Illinois natural areas that have remained open during the COVID-19 crisis. Inspired by their list, we have prepared one for east central Illinois.
Here’s a running list of east central Illinois preserves and parks that have open natural areas and trails during the COVID-19 crisis.** Please note that the majority of park facilities are closed and that playgrounds should be avoided per the Governor’s order.
County Forest Preserves
Champaign County Forest Preserve
Piatt County Forest Preserve
Vermilion County Conservation District
Macon County Conservation District
McLean County Parks and Recreation
City Park Districts
Champaign Park District, facilities and playgrounds are closed, but parks remain open as long as park uses comply with social distancing requirements.
Urbana Park District, facilities and playgrounds are closed, but parks remain open as long as park uses comply with social distancing requirements.
Decatur Park District, open green space, parks and trails continue to be accessible to the public at this time. Golf courses, dog parks, and all public playgrounds on district property are closed until further notice.
Check your city website or facebook page for information on city park districts.
Local Land Trusts, Foundations, Non-Profits, etc.
Allerton Park and Retreat Center, limited south side trail access in Piatt County
Land Conservation Foundation, properties in Piatt, Champaign, and Vermilion Counties
Grand Prairie Friends, properties in Champaign, Iroquois, Shelby, Vermillion, and Coles County
Douglas Hart Nature Center, nature trail in Coles County
Illinois Department of Natural Resources State Parks, Fish and Wildlife Areas, and other properties remain temporarily closed.
*Consider contacting a mental health professional if your symptoms are serious.
**Be sure to check websites and facebook pages for up-to-date information before planning your visit.
And we’ll leave you with a lovely poem, The Peace of Wild Things, by Wendell Berry.
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
