Friends of the Forest Preserves

Seeds and Sunset - Stewardship Volunteer Days
2025-09-03 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-09-17 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-10-01 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-10-15 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-10-29 16:30 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | 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 isabella@fotfp.org with any questions!

Stewardship Volunteer Days - Flint Creek Savanna
2025-09-04 09:00 - 11:00 | Flint Creek Savanna – CFC Farmhouse Parking Lot, 5RRH+X3V, Lake Barrington, IL, United States
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 https://citizensforconservation.org/get-involved/regular-workdays/ if you are interested in signing up for the CFC newsletter for weekly event emails.

Meeting Location: Citizens for Conservation Farmhouse Parking Lot

Contact Information: luke.dahlberg@citizensforconservation.org

Xylem Seed Garden Workdays
2025-09-04 12:00 - 14:00, 2025-09-19 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-02 12:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-17 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-30 12:00 - 14:00, 2025-11-13 12:00 - 14:00 | North Branch Xylem Seed Garden, 6633 W Harts Road, Niles, IL, 60714, 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.

But some important native species are relatively rare at our sites. Others have seed that are difficult to collect in the wild. We grow some of these special plants in the North Branch seed garden, where we can better harvest their seed for restoration in North Branch sites. If you love getting your hands dirty and enjoy getting to know some of our native plants, please join the workdays at our North Branch seed garden in Niles.

Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by a legal parent/guardian or attend with a chaperoned organized youth group (school, scouts, church).

Location: 6633 W Harts Road, Niles IL, 60714 (View map)

Directions: Turn into the main driveway for the FPCC Maintenance facility then turn right into a small gravel parking area. Enter the enclosed garden area through a swinging gate.

Contact Person:Cammy Fortunatonyandcammy11@gmail.com

Secondary Contact:Mike Andrewsmike61950@aol.com

Website:https://northbranchrestoration.org/

Stewardship Volunteer Days - Grigsby Prairie
2025-09-05 09:00 - 11:00 | 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/ if you are interested in signing up for the CFC newsletter for weekly event emails.

Meeting location: Park in the circle or alongside Oak Knoll Rd

Contact Information: luke.dahlberg@citizensforconservation.org

Stewardship Volunteer Days - Galloping Hill
2025-09-07 09:00 - 11:00 | 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
2025-09-07 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-04 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-19 10:00 - 13:00 | Illinois
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 east side of the river forms the Saint Paul Woods Forest Preserve.

Miami Woods and Prairie contain important remnants of the original grasslands and woodlands that formed the natural heritage of the greater Chicago area. Miami Woods and Prairie (except the turf grass picnic areas) is to achieve restoration to the highest ecological condition possible using a minimum amount of management intervention. Our approach is to restore natural processes so that the area will become as self-sustaining as possible.

Visit The North Branch Restoration Project on Facebook!

Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by a legal parent/guardian or attend with a chaperoned organized youth group (school, scouts, church).

Directions: Located on the east side of Caldwell, two blocks north of Oakton. Meet in the parking lot for Miami Woods, look for the Volunteer sign.

Contact: Mike Andrews at mike61950@aol.com

Seeds and Sunset - Stewardship Volunteer Days
2025-09-10 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-09-24 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-10-08 16:30 - 18:30 | 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 isabella@fotfp.org with any questions!

Bunker Hill North Flatwoods Volunteer Workdays
2025-09-14 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-25 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-15 10:00 - 13:00 | Illinois
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 North Branch Restoration Project on Facebook!

Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by a legal parent/guardian or attend with a chaperoned organized youth group (school, scouts, church).

Directions: Enter the preserve from Harts Road, just west of Touhy and Caldwell and look for the volunteer sign. The approximate address is 6600 W Harts Road in Niles, IL.

Contact: Mike Andrews at mike61950@aol.com.

St. Paul Woods Volunteer Workday
2025-09-21 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-12 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-09 10:00 - 13:00 | Illinois
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 North Branch Restoration Project volunteers as we remove buckthorn and other weedy species, protecting our native ecosystems.

Visit The North Branch Restoration Project on Facebook!

Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by a legal parent/guardian or attend with a chaperoned organized youth group (school, scouts, church).

Directions: Enter the driveway north off 6500 Oakton Ave, across from Natchez Ave in Morton Grove. Look for the Volunteer sign in the parking area.

For questions, please contact Mike Andrews at mike61950@aol.com.

Oxbow Prairie Volunteer Workday
2025-09-28 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-01 10:00 - 13:00 | Illinois
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 an abundance of Eurasian grasses, Queen Anne’s lace and tall goldenrod. With management, the more conservative prairie plants such as northern dropseed, stiff goldenrod, golden alexanders and big bluestem grass are returning.

The wetter areas are richest in native plants, including cup plant, ironweed, tall meadow-rue, water parsnip, cordgrass, Virginia rye, and numerous kinds of sedges.

A small oak savanna on the old east bank has swamp white and bur oaks, in the words of landscape architect and restorationist Tom Vanderpoel, “a wonderful micro oak savanna.”

Join North Branch Restoration Project volunteers and enjoy a different view here!

Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by a legal parent/guardian or attend with a chaperoned organized youth group (school, scouts, church).

Visit The North Branch Restoration Project on Facebook!

Directions: From the south, enter the drive off of Caldwell Avenue across from Tonty; proceed ~1/4 mile, staying to the right at the split. From the north, enter the drive off of Harts Road and proceed ~3/4 mile south. Look for the Volunteer signs at the meeting spot.

Contact: Mike Andrews at mike61950@aol.com.

Hofmann Dam River Rats Fall Cleanup
2025-10-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Illinois
Meet in the forest preserve area east of the Barrypoint Bridge and the Hofmann Tower. Bring your kids, parents, neighbors, or friends! We accept AND recycle aluminum cans to raise money for future cleanups and events. Wear long pants, sleeves, and sturdy shoes. The Hofmann Dam River Rats is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization. We sign off on community service hours.

Contact Bob Bezouska at 872-239-0323 for more information.

CANCELLED - Seeds and Sunset - Stewardship Volunteer Days
2025-10-22 16:30 - 18:30 | Penny Road Pond, 3QXV+83H, Barrington Hills, IL, United States
— THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED —

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 isabella@fotfp.org with any questions!
