Welcome
The educational heart of Dixon's historic 200-acre Lowell Park. We are a resource for high-quality, hands-on learning, dedicated to inspiring a lifelong love for the natural world. We are a Park District resource for the people!
EDUCATION MEETS ADVENTURE
The Nature Center team is dedicated to the core principles of Conservation and Exploration. We merge formal environmental education with exhilarating outdoor recreation, ensuring every visit is both meaningful and memorable.
our team
We are a team of expert guides and passionate educators ready to partner with your organization. We specialize in creating one-of-a-kind, hands-on programs from educational field trips and ecological lessons to challenging adventure outings and team-building events all tailored to your group's specific goals.
Jessica dempsey
Assistant Director
Jessica serves as the visionary lead for the Nature Center’s branding and visitor experience. With an extensive background in creative direction and years of executive leadership on boards such as The Dixon: Historic Theatre and the YWCA, she ensures the Lowell Park legacy is communicated with professional clarity. As the founder of Demps Design Co., Jessica utilizes her expertise in high-level design to create the maps, digital magazines, and visual narratives that set our Park District a step above the rest.
Sidney Bomkamp, M.Ed.
Education Specialist
Sidney leads the development of the Nature Center's formal and informal educational curricula. With a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education (endorsed in Reading and Special Education) and a Master’s in Educational Leadership, Sidney brings high-level academic rigor to our youth and community programs. Her expertise ensures that every experience at the Nature Center—from the Lowell Park Walking Club to our curriculum-based sensory libraries—is rooted in proven educational standards and accessible to all learners.
Ryan Jandrey
Recreation Coordinator
Ryan brings a unique intersection of physical wellness and creative expression to the team. With a professional background in fitness and therapeutic bodywork, he leads the Center’s "active living" initiatives, focusing on the healing and strengthening power of the outdoors. An accomplished fine artist specializing in realistic charcoal and graphite portraits, Ryan integrates his creative eye with his deep-rooted knowledge of local trails to design and lead challenging, curated adventures for the modern explorer.
Master Naturalists
university of Illinois extension
The Nature Center is proud to collaborate with our resident Certified Master Naturalists:
Nancy Wadsworth, Dee Lahey, and Jean Gornik.
Master Naturalists are elite environmental stewards who have completed an intensive 60-hour curriculum of field and classroom training through the University of Illinois Extension. To achieve and maintain this prestigious certification, these naturalists must perform 60 hours of initial volunteer service followed by yearly continuing education and dedicated community impact hours.
Our Master Naturalists bring hands-on expertise in Illinois' natural history and ecosystems directly to Lowell Park. By working side-by-side with these experts, the Nature Center is able to provide high-quality, science-based training and community service opportunities that "cultivate a love for nature" and encourage lifelong learning for every visitor.
