Prairie Land Conservancy’s mission is to protect wildlife habitat and sustainable agriculture in west central Illinois.
That can’t happen without teaching the next generation of land stewards. For the last two years, Prairie Land Conservancy (PLC) provided scholarship based internships to local college students interested in conservation fields. A program called Land Ambassadors since students help represent PLC’s mission on campus and in the broader community. Connecting them with community conservation and how it works at a land trust like PLC.
For the third year of the internship program, new funding had to be found due to federal budget cuts. Tracy Family Foundation and Volunteer Stewardship Network grants met this gap. This ensured the continuation of hands-on learning opportunities for college students.
From the Fall of 2025 to the end of the Spring 2026 term, six students participated in the scholarship program. Their majors ranged from botany, biology, agriculture, to community development. Students represented the land and conservation in various ways throughout the school year.
Environmental education is a key aspect of the internship.
Some interns volunteered at the Argyle Syrup Festival in Colchester. “My favorite event I volunteered for was the 1st grade environmental day [in Galesburg]… educating 1st graders on the importance of prairie burns. This event put me in the position of an educator and showed me what it could look like to educate about the environment.” - Amor Other students had opportunities to table at the Macomb Farmers Market to talk about the land trust with community members. “Before this internship, I had never…been involved in activities like tabling or volunteering at events. Through this experience, I gained new skills and learned how to talk to people about conservation, work with others, and represent an organization.” - Nevaeh Land Ambassadors got their hands in the soil several times throughout the year. In November, students helped plant city trees at the Macomb Fire Station 2. This opportunity was especially impactful to May. She appreciated “gain[ing] valuable hands-on experience that I wouldn’t get in a classroom.” This spring, students also helped broadcast native prairie seed to increase biodiversity alongside community volunteers. One student even had the opportunity to help burn a prairie. “Most memorably, participating in a prescribed burn [is an] experience I will long cherish,” said Brent, who has been a Land Ambassador for the last three years and is now graduated.
Overall, the Land Ambassadorship impacted many students. In regards to their career but also to their whole self. “In a time of increasing social and ecological fragmentation, I seek out examples of care, dedication and community. The ambassadorship was a needed reminder of what community can look like and how I can contribute to its formation. I want to carry these observations and moments with me as a model of what I could build for my life and the future communities I will inhabit as I grow older.” - Alaina “This is the kind of program I would have loved to participate in when I was in college,” says the PLC Program Coordinator Jaime “JD” Webb. He is in charge of the Ambassador program, from finding funding to creating the Land Ambassador calendar. “But now I have the opportunity to mentor these amazing students. I also learn from them about ways to connect the next generation with conservation.”
Prairie Land Conservancy hopes to continue the Land Ambassador Program for a fourth year this coming fall. To provide opportunities for students to experience community based conservation. If you’d like to support the program, you can drop off or mail a check to 321 W University Drive Macomb IL, 61455. You can also donate online at prairielandconservancy. org and make a note about the Ambassador program.
