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.
Join Friends of the Forest Preserves, Light of Loving Kindness, Black People Outside, and more for a restorative day in nature! Participants will be guided on a 4-mile walk of the Major Taylor Trail, followed by sound healing.
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 […]
Kickapoo Woods is a site with beautiful wet prairies in Riverdale, IL. During volunteer days, you can get up close and personal with nature performing a variety of restoration activities. Meet at the volunteer kiosk.
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 […]
Meeting Location- Beverly Lake Trail, Hoffman Estates Summary of Event/Workday- Join us for a winter stewardship workday at Healy Savanna as we remove invasive shrubs using hand tools and build a communal brush pile for a future fire. Beginners are absolutely welcome and all tools will be provided. Come learn something new, enjoy some snacks, […]
Meeting location- Hill ‘N Dale Office Join CFC as we prepare burn units at HND and Grigsby for prescribed burns this Spring. Registration: No registration required! If you are interested in signing up for the CFC newsletter for weekly event emails here is that link- https://citizensforconservation.org/get-involved/regular-workdays/ Contact Information- Please reach out to Sanketh with any […]
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 […]
Join us for a winter stewardship workday at Healy Savanna as we remove invasive shrubs using hand tools and build a communal brush pile for a future fire. Beginners are absolutely welcome and all tools will be provided. Come learn something new, enjoy some snacks, and meet great people while caring for this special landscape. […]
Please join us for our virtual program, Eggers and Elderberries: Connections within the Calumet Region! Together, we will learn about the forest preserves, zoom in to learn about Eggers Grove Forest Preserve, a gem of the East Side community. Then, we will learn about the history, benefits, and uses of elderberry, a local and native […]
Eggers Woods is a beautiful site made of woodlands, marshes, and prairies. For a better view of the flora and fauna at this site, join us for a volunteer day performing ecological restoration. Meet at the parking lot east of the caretaker’s building.
Dan Ryan Woods is an expansive area covering 257 acres of Cook County. The site is home to beautiful woodlands, and flora and fauna that thrive in it. During our volunteer days, you can help preserve these species by removing invasive plants!
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 […]
Meeting Location- Beverly Lake Trail, Hoffman Estates Summary of Event/Workday- Join us for a winter stewardship workday at Healy Savanna as we remove invasive shrubs using hand tools and build a communal brush pile for a future fire. Beginners are absolutely welcome and all tools will be provided. Come learn something new, enjoy some snacks, […]
Come hang out at Eggers Grove for a fun homeschool meet-up! Every third Thursday of the month from 10am-12pm All ages and families are invited to this free event at Eggers Grove. Whether you homeschool, unschool, or just want to hangout with other families, come for a monthly nature walk and other nature based activities.
Join us for a short nature hike followed by some crafts as we build bird feeders to take home and hang in our local areas. Seed will be provided for bird feeders. Binoculars will be provided for the walk, but feel free to bring your own. All ages are welcome.
Join us at Whistler Woods for a restoration day and holiday-themed potluck! Bring your favorite dish and come ready to cut and burn buckthorn with other volunteers.
You are invited to Spring Equinox: A Celebration of New Beginnings, an event hosted by Light of Loving Kindness and Friends of the Forest Preserves. Join us on this day for nutritious snacks, a nature walk, and storytelling centered around new beginnings & mental health. We would love for you to come out with friends […]
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 […]
Sand Ridge is a woodland and prairie site with a magnificent nature center attached. Join our volunteer crew for a restoration day to help restore our forest preserves. Meet outside of the pod on the service driveway NW of the Nature Center.
Join us at Whistler Woods for a restoration day and holiday-themed potluck! Bring your favorite dish and come ready to cut and burn buckthorn with other volunteers.