Macomb, IL – The Nature Quilt Project might sound like the name of a sewing club. But the Macomb based group does much more than needle work.
"We have developed into an entity of people who are interested in the environment," says Coordinator Eric Ribbens. "And particularly in doing things to help our young people better understand the importance of the environment and that they can do things. That they're not too small, too young, too whatever to be able to make a difference."
Ribbens says the group has organized field trips, brought in speakers, and held a writing contest.
The Nature Quilt Project will hold a public meeting Wednesday May 27, 7:00 p.m., in the Macomb City Hall Community Room. Members will provide an update on the group's progress and share plans for the future.
The group has created a quilt in each of the past two years. The most recent quilt was designed around the theme of rivers and streams. Ribbens says more than 200 school children from across McDonough County painted the various squares in the quilt.
The previous year's quilt had a rain forest theme. Both quilts will be on display during the May 27 meeting.
Ribbens says the theme for the next year will be prairies. He says only 6,000 acres of prairie remain in Illinois. Ribbens says more than 20-million acres of prairie covered Illinois during the time of Abraham Lincoln.
"They talk about it being belly high to a tall horse," says Ribbens. "Big, beautiful plants. Highly diverse."
Ribbens says there are several restored prairies in McDonough County. They include the Macomb Park District's Lakeview area and a small plot near Western Illinois University's greenhouse.
Ribbens says The Nature Quilt Project hopes to arrange field trips for local students to visit the county's prairies.