Photo of outdoor event with people and booths

Connect, Learn and Explore: Dive Into Our Schedule of Events

Friends of the Forest Preserves hosts numerous events throughout the year designed to connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural wonders of the forest preserves in Cook County.

Guided hikes, educational workshops, wellness programs, volunteer workdays, golf outings, fundraisers, cultural programs, and more await you.

Browse our schedule of events below to learn more.

Events

Stewardship Volunteer Days – Grigsby Prairie

Grigsby Parking Location 5R78+XF9, Barrington HIlls, IL, United States

Enjoy the beginnings of the fall prairie as we continue to go after Leadplant, White and Purple Prairie Clovers, Side-oats Grama, and other prairie species. No registration required! Visit https://citizensforconservation.org/get-involved/regular-workdays/ […]

Stewardship Volunteer Days – Galloping Hill

Penny Road Pond 3QXV+83H, Barrington Hills, IL, United States

Spring Creek Stewards will traverse this amazing restoration for various prairie seeds! Meeting location: Penny Road Pond, Barrington Hills Contact: Ken DeMuth at 312-316-5216

Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday

The Miami Woods Forest Preserve covers 112 acres stretching along the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River from Oakton Street northward to Dempster Street.  It is […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Penny Road Pond 3QXV+83H, Barrington Hills, IL, United States

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: […]

Bunker Hill North Flatwoods Volunteer Workdays

Join the North Branch Restoration Project to restore this oak woodland to its former beauty! This 76-acre site depends on a community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Spring Creek Longmeadow 4Q6J+R29, Barrington Hills

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: […]

Xylem Seed Garden Workdays

North Branch Xylem Seed Garden 6633 W Harts Road, Niles, IL, United States

Seeds are the lifeblood of healthy woodlands and prairies. By growing successive generations of species, they help ensure resilient, self-renewing natural areas for years to come. Restoration volunteers hand collect […]

St. Paul Woods Volunteer Workday

St. Paul Woods is an inviting oak-hickory woodland situated east of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Like many of our native woodlands, it needs management to clear invasive brush […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Penny Road Pond 3QXV+83H, Barrington Hills, IL, United States

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: […]

Oxbow Prairie Volunteer Workday

Formed by an old loop in the river’s course, lies the Oxbow Prairie. This old oxbow in the Chicago River’s North Branch is a combination of low, wet prairie soils […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Spring Creek Longmeadow 4Q6J+R29, Barrington Hills

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: […]

Xylem Seed Garden Workdays

North Branch Xylem Seed Garden 6633 W Harts Road, Niles, IL, United States

Seeds are the lifeblood of healthy woodlands and prairies. By growing successive generations of species, they help ensure resilient, self-renewing natural areas for years to come. Restoration volunteers hand collect […]

Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday

The Miami Woods Forest Preserve covers 112 acres stretching along the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River from Oakton Street northward to Dempster Street.  It is […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Penny Road Pond 3QXV+83H, Barrington Hills, IL, United States

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: Galloping Hill Contact Information: Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!

St. Paul Woods Volunteer Workday

St. Paul Woods is an inviting oak-hickory woodland situated east of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Like many of our native woodlands, it needs management to clear invasive brush and trees to restore the original structure. With increased sunlight, the wildflowers and grasses will once again add to the beauty of the woods. Join […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Spring Creek Longmeadow 4Q6J+R29, Barrington Hills

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: Spring Creek Longmeadow Contact Information: Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!

Xylem Seed Garden Workdays

North Branch Xylem Seed Garden 6633 W Harts Road, Niles, IL, United States

Seeds are the lifeblood of healthy woodlands and prairies. By growing successive generations of species, they help ensure resilient, self-renewing natural areas for years to come. Restoration volunteers hand collect seeds of many different species in Forest Preserve sites along the Chicago River North Branch, then distribute them to other less healthy North Branch sites. […]

Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday

The Miami Woods Forest Preserve covers 112 acres stretching along the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River from Oakton Street northward to Dempster Street.  It is bounded on the west side by Caldwell Avenue, Waukegan Road and development at the intersection of Waukegan Road and Dempster Street. The land on the […]

Seeds and Sunset – Stewardship Volunteer Days

Penny Road Pond 3QXV+83H, Barrington Hills, IL, United States

Help us collect seed at Spring Creek Prairie to distribute back into the area. Enjoy nature, learn plant identification skills, and responsible seed collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: Galloping Hill Contact Information: Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!

Bunker Hill North Flatwoods Volunteer Workdays

Join the North Branch Restoration Project to restore this oak woodland to its former beauty! This 76-acre site depends on a community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native seed, and much more. Large pin oaks are a unique feature of this preserve, which is also home to some beautiful spring ephemerals. Visit The […]