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Green Oaks

Green Oaks is both a research and recreation area consisting of 700 acres of forest, grassland and aquatic habitat and is the second site in the nation where a tallgrass prairie was restored.

Green Oaks Mission Green Oaks History

Our Prairie Campus

Knox College's Green Oaks is a place of serene beauty and exceptional natural diversity that has become, for many, a deeply valued part of the Knox experience.

Its trails lead through stretches of uncut native forest, past centuries-old oak trees, and along placid lakes and ponds where strip mines once scarred the land. Open fields that once grew corn have given way to one of the Midwest's oldest and most successful prairie restorations. The forests, streams and prairies of Green Oaks are home to rare native plant and animal species.

Located near the Spoon River in eastern Knox County, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of the Knox campus, Green Oaks is both a research and recreation area. It encompasses 700 acres (283 hectares) of forest, grassland and aquatic habitat and is the second site in the nation where a tallgrass prairie was restored.

And yet the land is not reserved exclusively for academic use; any member of the Knox community may hike along its well-marked trails, fish in its ponds, or stay overnight in its camping area.

  • Three students walking away from the camera on a Green Oaks trail.
  • Three students wearing life vests in a canoe on the lake at Green Oaks.
  • Members of the Green Oaks Term gathered in the kitchen at the Knight Living & Learning Center.
  • A large group of students and professors smile, surrounded by trees.
  • Two students in a kayak smile. One waves, and one gives a thumbs up sign.
A student sits crosse legged on the ground at Green Oaks, Knox's prairie campus. Her eyes are closed, and she is looking up to the sky.
A student reaches up to examine a leaf at Green Oaks, Knox's prairie campus. Two butterflies sit on rocks at Knox College's Green Oaks prairie campus.

Learning at Green Oaks

Green Oaks is a site of learning in various forms—from student Honors projects to day trips to the 10-week interdisciplinary Green Oaks Term—in disciplines ranging from environmental studies to art to philosophy. Green Oaks has also become a place for community-building gatherings of students and faculty, such as the annual Prairie Burn.

Green Oaks Term Prairie Burn Green Oaks Curriculum
Biology professor and director of Green Oaks, Stuart Allison, leads Knox students on a hiking trail at Green Oaks.

Exploring Green Oaks

The land at Green Oaks is not reserved exclusively for academic use; any member of the Knox community may hike along its well-marked trails, fish in its ponds, stay overnight in its camping area, or reserve the newly built Knight Living & Learning Center.

Knight Living & Learning Center Directions Green Oaks Rules & Regulations
A landscape view of Green Oaks on a sunny day, with a prairie in the forefront and the woodlands in the background.

Investing in Our Prairie Campus

Thanks to the generous funding from an anonymous lead donor, Green Oaks will be home to a newly constructed facility that will be available for year-round use by both the Knox and Galesburg communities. 

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From Campus to Green Oaks

Take a ride from Knox College campus to Green Oaks! Enjoy this timelapse drive that evolves into beautiful aerial drone footage of the local bioregion. Knox College's Green Oaks Biological Field Station is a place of serene beauty and exceptional natural diversity that has become, for many, a deeply valued part of the Knox experience.

Aerial image shows sprawling timber and prairie from above.

Interested in Using Green Oaks?

The Knight Living & Learning Center is available for use by members of the Knox and surrounding communities. Reach out to Olive Colangelo to learn more about reservations or inquire about dates or fees at ocolangelo@knox.edu.