You're invited to walk through a prairie in bloom and take photos of all the colorful flowers and tall grasses that grow there. The group will learn a few tips on how to compose an attractive photo while enjoying some of the woods' wildflowers show their beauty. If we're lucky we might capture a butterfly […]
Explore the open savanna as we hike and enjoy Bemis Woods North and Bob Mann Woods scenery! Please join us as we explore the woodland trail to observe both the flora and fauna of the woodlands surrounding Salt Creek. Walks are held every third Sunday until November Challenge Level: Easy to moderate at a steady […]
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 final three miles of the Des Plaines River Trail have more lost, abandoned, and mysterious artifacts than any other stretch of the trail; we’ll discuss what these are and how they fit into the modern history of this most urban of urban rivers. Along the way, we’ll also talk about water quality, habitat conditions […]
This strenuous 3.5 mile out and back hike will take approximately 2.5 hours, and we will climb up and down hills, cross a few small creeks, some deep woods, and walk on top of an ice-age Esker. It’s a spectacular journey! Difficulty level: Although the walk is not a long one, and we’ll take our […]
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 […]
Come volunteer to restore native habitat! Filled with prairie, oak woodlands and wetlands, the Poplar Creek region in Northwest Cook County needs you. You will be given the opportunity to pursue restoration activities such as brushcutting, lopping, brush pile burn building, weed pulling, and seed planting - all while meeting others in the community. No previous […]
This strenuous 3.5 mile out and back hike will take approximately 2.5 hours, and we will climb up and down hills, cross a few small creeks, some deep woods, and walk on top of an ice-age Esker. It’s a spectacular journey! Difficulty level: Although the walk is not a long one, and we’ll take our […]
Come volunteer to restore native habitat! Filled with prairie, oak woodlands and wetlands, the Poplar Creek region in Northwest Cook County needs you. You will be given the opportunity to pursue restoration activities such as brushcutting, lopping, brush pile burn building, weed pulling, and seed planting - all while meeting others in the community. No previous […]
Beaubien Woods Forest Preserves is a 250-acre site located in the southeast part of Cook County. It is home to several 100+ year-old oak trees, high-quality prairie, oak savanna, and wetland habitat, and hundreds of species of native plants and migratory birds. Stewardship volunteers help to restore these habitats by performing seasonal restoration tasks. The […]
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 […]
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. […]
