COLLINSVILLE, Ill. – Natural resource professionals play a key role in protecting our communities’ environmental assets. With ongoing research and changing conditions, it’s increasingly important to adopt responsible stewardship, manage new diseases and pests, and apply sustainable practices that safeguard the future.

Industry professionals and land stewards interested in this intersection of agriculture and sustainability can register for the 2026 Gateway Green Conference hosted by Illinois Extension. The March 4 event at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville will provide a platform for attendees to access current research findings and explore best practices to responsibly care for Illinois’ natural resources and cultivated outdoor spaces.

Sessions run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. across three main tracks: Building Sustainable Landscapes, Conservation Stewardship, and Tree Care. Conference attendees will gain insights from industry experts and researchers.

Through the building sustainable landscapes track, presenters will share information on interconnected landscapes, stormwater and rain gardens, understanding soil test results, shade gardens and invasive plant management. 

Through the conservation stewardship track, participants will learn about the mushrooms of Illinois, managing wildlife species, prairie ecosystems and the ornate box turtle, and alternative tools for conservation. An added bonus for the conservation track is a presentation from Heather Holm, a renowned pollinator conservationist, biologist, and award-winning author known for her influential books like Pollinators of Native Plants, Bees, and Wasps. Through her work, Hold has been educating gardeners and the public on supporting native bees and insects by using native plants and creating habitats.

The tree care track covers topics such as pruning shade trees, managing trees in decline, diagnosing oaks, shade tree species selections, breeding and selecting woody plants, and Tree City USA and community forestry grants.

Register online at go.illinois.edu/2026GGC. Registration on or before Feb. 27 is $80 per person; registration after Feb. 28 is $85 per person. Certified Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists with a current ID card or letter of active status from their supervising Extension county director may register for $50 per person.

Continuing education units will be available for professional association members maintaining certification through the International Society of Arboriculture, Illinois Park & Recreation Association, and Certified Golf Course Superintendent.