Adult and Family Programs

Check out the lists below to see our upcoming adult and family programs.

Click on the name of the program to see more details. You will find registration for events by clicking on the red link.

Adult and Family Programs

Yoga + Hike – Moonbird Yoga is headed to the Nature Institute for a 60-minute hike in nature before connecting more in a 60-minute yoga practice with a view of the Mississippi River. Then, stick around for a coffee from a local coffee shop. Mark your calendar and grab your hiking boots along with your mat for a nature-centric Saturday morning outing! This program runs from 9 – 11 a.m on select Saturday mornings.

September 12

October 3

Moonlight Hike – Join us on a night hike through the woods. On the trails of the Mississippi Sanctuary and Olin Nature Preserve the terrain is light to moderate (may include some elevation change) and is appropriate for families. You can expect the hike to be about 2 miles, and will include stops along the way.

August 28 – 8:00 pm

September 26 – 7:30 pm

October 25 – 6:30 pm

November 24 – 5:00 pm

December 23 – 5:00 pm

Telescope Night – Have an old telescope laying around, but never use it?  Always wanted to look at the universe through a telescope, but don’t own one?  You are in luck!  Come on out to the Talahi Lodge on the night of the new moon and we will have some set up.  You can also bring your own and we can help you use it.  We will talk about how telescopes work and look at the moon and other night sky objects.

August 19 – 8:15 pm

September 11 – 7:30 pm

October 10 – 6:45 pm

November 9 – 5:15 pm

December 9 – 5:00 pm

  • Heartland Prairie Hikes – Heartland Prairie Hikes are a long-running volunteer-led hike at Heartland Prairie at Gordon Moore Park in Alton. Join other prairie enthusiasts on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month April – October at 5:30 pm for a leisurely hike around Heartland Prairie.Registration is not required for this event, you can just show up the night of and join the group.
  • Masters of the Night – Join us for this free, online program all about Illinois bats! Dive into species morphology, adaptations, and general surveying techniques. Thursday, October 29th, 6 – 6:45 pm. FREE for both members and non-members. Pre-registration to receive the Zoom invitation. Registration opens July 1st.
  • Winter Garden Seed Sowing 101 – Come learn how to winter sow some of your seeds for your 2027 garden season. Winter sowing is a low-maintenance, eco-friendly method of starting seeds outdoors during winter by using clear, recycled containers as “mini-greenhouses.” Seeds are sown in pots with drainage, moistened, and placed outside, allowing nature to manage stratification, germination, and hardening off, resulting in strong seedlings for spring. November 14 at 10 am.
  • Winter Native Seed Sowing – Do you want to learn how to start your native plant garden this winter? Join us for a class on sowing native seeds after the growing season has ended. We will talk about how to prepare the ground, how to prep your seeds, and what native plants are best for winter sowing. We will also take some time to winter sow some seeds collected this fall in newly cleared areas of the preserve. November 5 at 5:30 pm.
  • Seed Collection Workshop –  It is very important for TNI that we collect and use native seed on our property to plant new areas of the preserve. Seed costs can be outrageous when you are sowing hundreds of acres. Come out for a day of learning what to look for in seeds ready to collect, talk about some of the techniques for collecting and cleaning seed to be used later. We will touch on seed stratification and storage as well. September 5 at 10 am
  • Wildcrafting Workshop – This new workshop is for teens (14+) and adults! Explore a menagerie of wildcrafting activities, including making natural cordage, creating paints from natural materials, candlemaking, and more. Limited to 10 participants. All supplies are provided.Date: Friday, November 20th, 6 – 7:30 pm

Roaming Naturalists is a held the second Tuesday of select months. We will focus on a variety of topics from bird watching to nature journaling.

Heartland Prairie in Full Bloom – September 8 at 9 am

Making the Most of Fall – October 13 at 9 am

Nature Journaling – November 10 at 9 am 

Volunteer Opportunities

During our restoration workdays, help us remove invasive species by pulling and cutting. All workdays run from 9 am to 12 pm.

Honeysuckle Removal Workday – Honeysuckle is on our top 5 list of most hated plants here at TNI. It is an invasive species that can take over the understory of a forest in seeming no time at all. Help us combat this aggressive woody species with a morning of cutting and pulling. Bring your water, and wear long pants and sturdy shoes for a morning of tromping around in the forest.

  • November 13
  • November 18
  • December 4

Heartland Prairie Clean-up Day – The Nature Institute manages Heartland Prairie at Gordon Moore Park. This prairie jewel has been growing continuously for over 40 years and was the dedicated work of a group of amazing volunteers. Be part of that legacy by coming out for a day of cleanup in the prairie. We will work to remove invasive species, cut back some of the aggressive species, and get the prairie ready for winter rest.

  • October 23

Did you know TNI uses millions of seeds each year to increase biodiversity of the prairies and woodlands on the preserve? Our goal is to collect most of that seed from our property so that we can utilize it in new places and help spread it even wider. You can help us collect these crucial packages of plant life. Bring your gloves, water and wear long pants. We will give you the collection tools and a demonstration of proper seed collection techniques.  All workdays run from 9 am to 12 pm.

Native Seed Collecting at TNI

  • August 28
  • September 30

Native Seed Collecting at Heartland Prairie

  • September 16
  • October 6

The Nature Institute has a few native plant demonstration gardens scattered around the property and they need some occasional tender loving care. We have weekly volunteers that help keep the garden weed free, but they could always use a little extra help during the heat of the summer. If you want to get your hands dirty and help us maintain these beautiful gardens come out for a garden workday. Bring your gloves and water. We will provide the tools. All workdays run from 9 am to 12 pm.

Special Events

Movie Nights – This year marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.  Therefore, we will celebrate by watching various movies set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth!  Come experience the awe and majesty of this bygone age and see the natural beauty of the lands of the fourth age with us this year at TNI.  This free event takes place monthly from April through October. Watch a classic movie on our giant inflatable screen. Bring your own seating (lawn chairs or blankets), as well as your own snacks. No alcohol is permitted. See below for our upcoming presentations. No pre-registration required. While this event is FREE, donations are welcome! Limited parking is available, so arrive early to grab your seat.

  • April 18th at 8:30 PM: The Hobbit (1977)
  • May 9th at 8:30 PM: The Lord of the Rings (1978)
  • June 20th at 9:00 PM: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
  • July 18th at 9:00 PM: The Two Towers (2002)
  • August 15th at 8:30 PM: The Return of the King (2003)
  • September 19th at 7:30 PM: The War of the Rohirrim (2024)
  • October 17th at 7 PM: The Return of the King (1980)

Join The Nature Institute and the Alton High School Symphonic Orchestra for our revived In Harmony with Nature concert, to be held on the beautiful Mississippi Bluffs on September 26th, 2025. The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with a chance to picnic with your family at the Skeet Range, and the orchestra performs at 6 p.m.

This concert will serve as a fundraising event for The Nature Institute.

Check back for registration.

The Nature Institute has switched all registration to Amilia SmartRec. Please check out this information page to learn more about setting up your account and registering for programs.