Robert and Marcia Shelby of West Salem were named Volunteers of the year for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in 2024!

The couple has devoted their lives to avian conservation. Both serve as county compilers for the Illinois Natural History Survey Spring Bird Count, participate in the Christmas Bird Count, monitor Barn Owl populations, conduct breeding bird surveys, and record data on owls and night jars during moon route surveys.

Robert has been instrumental in restoring nesting Osprey and Barn Owl populations. He has assisted with the tower construction for Osprey nesting at Lake Shelbyville and installed several Barn Owl nesting boxes in various locations throughout Southern Illinois.

This couple has volunteered countless hours at Beall Woods State Park during the past seven years. They have presented programs and led guided hikes for thousands of students during their field trips to the park. Programs have included Woodpecker Identification, Furbearers of Illinois, Bird Identification and songs, Wildflower Identification, Edible Plants, Prescribed Burns, Bird Migration, and many more.
Robert's true passion when it comes to educating the next generation is encompassed by the Greater Prairie Chicken. He not only has presented programs on this species, but has helped manage the bird's grassland habitat at Prairie Ridge State Natural Area. He was a part of the translocation process of GPCs from Kansas to Prairie Ridge, and shares his knowledge of the birds and efforts to sustain the Illinois population. Robert became a Master Naturalist in 2019 with the mindset of learning more about our natural resources so that he could pass even more information.

When it comes to creativity and nature-based art, Marcia has developed educational and fun hands-on activities and crafts for visitors and students in which to participate while at the park. She designed an activity booklet for use in the Visitor's Center and has put together power point presentations that have been used during site programming. They both have assisted with park events such as The Old Growth Network Dedication, Sportsmen's Event, The Total Solar Eclipse, Earth Day in the Parks, and Beall Woods 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Forest and prairie habitat management is also very important to the Shelby's. Robert has been an active member of the IDNR prescribed burn team for years. He has assisted with burns at Beall Woods and many other state parks and natural areas. Both Robert and Marcia monitor invasive species locations in the Nature Preserve and prairie restoration areas at Beall Woods.

Robert has spent many days volunteering at Beall Woods but has also been employed at the park as a conservation worker since 2003. He strives to make sure the park grounds look inviting to visitors and does a wonderful job taking care of the facilities and equipment along with the other park staff.

The contributions that Robert and Marcia Shelby have made not only to Beall Woods State Park but to the IDNR do not go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated. Their time, knowledge shared and dedication to habitat management and species restoration shows that they are true conservationists and deserve being selected as Volunteers of the Year.