Make a difference in the preserves
Volunteer in the forest preserves helps nature thrive while providing volunteers with numerous benefits, such as quality time outdoors, a sense of community, and new discoveries into the lives of the animals and plants within the forest preserves in Cook County.
Ecological Restoration Workdays
Volunteer Workdays are hosted throughout the year at prairies, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands throughout Cook County. All ages and levels of experience are welcome. Volunteer experiences include:
- Removing invasive plant species so native plants have space to thrive
- Collecting seeds for future native plant propagation
- Planting a beneficial mix of flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees to support a healthy ecosystem
- A variety of training, leadership, and certification opportunities
Join Our Mailing List
Learn more about Friends and volunteering opportunities.
We keep emails to a minimum and never share your email address.
Friends’ Trailblazer Program
The Trailblazer volunteer program aims to enhance visitor experience of the forest preserves by increasing user engagement and connectivity through themed walks. We’re looking for dedicated and driven individuals interested in a leadership role within the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Our Trailblazers can choose their topics/themes and frequency of their walks. You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to have passion.
We’re currently looking for Trailblazers to lead walks!
Please fill out a leadership application today. For questions, please email Sydney Armstead, Engagement Program Manager, at [email protected].
Administrative And Event Volunteers
Join Friends staff in the office or at our special events to lend a hand with event planning and execution, digital scanning, envelope stuffing, tabling, and other critical tasks that help us make a difference for the preserves. Email Alex Bravo at [email protected] if you are interested.
Volunteer with Partners
Ecological Stewardship
- Forest Preserves of Cook County – Search by zip code, County zone, or key word on the website to find opportunities throughout the county near you.
- Calumet Outdoors – South
- Citizens for Conservation – Northwest
- Deer Grove Natural Areas Volunteers – Northwest
- Des Plaines River Valley Restoration Project – West and North
- Friends of Busse Woods – Northwest
- Friends of Chicago Portage – West
- North Branch Restoration Project – North
- Orland Grasslands Volunteers – Southwest
- Palos Restoration Project – Southwest
- Poplar Creek Prairie Stewards – Northwest
- Skokie Lagoons – North
- Somme Prairie Grove – North
- Spring Creek Stewards – Northwest
Community Science
Embrace your inner scientist and contribute valuable information to our understanding about local birds, plants, frogs, insects, and more. If you like learning, exploring, identifying species, and science – you have what it takes to become a community scientist! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned naturalist – training sessions with experts will equip you with the right information to get you started.
Trail Watch
Trail Watch volunteers provide extra eyes and ears in the forest preserves to ensure that they are safer and more enjoyable for visitors. If you’re a regular trail user – or looking for motivation to become one – this is a great opportunity to get outside and make a difference at the same time.