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.
Come learn about collecting Wild Quinine, Leadplant, Purple Praire Clover, and others at Flint Creek Savanna this Saturday from 9-11am! We will be learning, collecting, and maybe even spreading some of this seed. No registration required! Visit https://citizensforconservation.org/get-involved/regular-workdays/ if you are interested in signing up for the CFC newsletter for weekly event emails. Meeting Location: […]
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 […]
Join Spring Creek Stewards as we go on a scavenger hunt for seeds to collect! All are welcome to come, learn, and lead. Meeting location: Penny Road Pond, 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: […]
Come learn about collecting plants at Flint Creek Savanna this Saturday from 9-11am! We will be learning, collecting, and maybe even spreading some of this seed. No registration required! Visit […]
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 […]
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/ […]
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
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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!
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. […]
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 […]
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!
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 and slightly higher mesic prairie soils. A small open savanna lies on what was once the east bank of the river. The mesic prairie had […]
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!
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. […]
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 […]
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: […]