Friends of the Forest Preserves

Stewardship Volunteer Days- Kickapoo Woods and Prairie
2025-05-24 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Kickapoo Woods & Priarie, J9J3+GP, Riverdale, Illinois, United States
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.

Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday
2025-05-24 10:00 - 13:00 | IL
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.

To volunteer or for more information contact Nick Conde at Miami Woods.

Stewardship Volunteer Days - Flint Creek Savanna
2025-05-24 09:00 - 13:00 | Flint Creek Savanna – CFC Farmhouse Parking Lot, 5RRH+X3V, Lake Barrington, IL, United States
Join us for a Garlic Mustard Search-and-Pull Adventure! Help protect our woodlands by removing invasive garlic mustard while enjoying the spring beauty of the preserve. If conditions are right, we may also collect and scatter seeds from spring ephemerals as they begin to ripen—supporting the next generation of native wildflowers!

Registration Link- 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: mevans@citizensforconservation.org

Sketch and Stroll / Nature Journaling
2025-05-22 12:00 - 14:00 | Bakers Lake, 42°08'41.5"N 88°07'38.9"W, Barrington, Illinois, United States
Join BGI at our upcoming Sketch and Stroll hike! All are welcome and free to attend, this will be led by a beginner artist All supplies will be provided but please feel free to bring art supplies that you particularly enjoy. We will be going on a short walk admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom followed by time to sit and doodle.

Meeting Location- S Highland Ave, Barrington

Contact Information: isabella@fotfp.org or mevans@citizensforconservation.org

Stewardship Volunteer Days - Craftsbury Preserve
2025-05-22 09:00 - 11:00 | 19th Street, Barrington, 42°10'20.6"N 88°09'28.9"W, Barrington, Illinois, United States

Potting-up Seedlings with Luke
2025-05-22 09:00 - 11:00 | Barn 5 Hill N Dale, 42°09'26.1"N 88°12'13.8"W, Barrington Hills, Illinois, United States
Join CFC seed technician Luke Dahlberg in potting up incredible native seedlings. These will one day be plugged into active restoration projects!

Registration Link- 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- luke.dahlberg@citizensforconservation.org

Stewardship Volunteer Days- Dan Ryan Woods
2025-05-21 10:00 - 13:00 | Dan Ryan Woods, P8HJ+FR, Chicago, Illinois, 60643, United States
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! Join us and learn more here.

Wellness Wednesdays at Whistler Woods
2025-05-21 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Whistler Woods, M946+6JQ, Riverdale, Illinois, 60827, United States
Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827.

Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required.

Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing more than 5 people! Yoga lead by Community Health, Illinois Extension.

Contact Gloria Orozco at gloria@fotfp.org with any questions.

Stewardship Volunteer Days- Sand Ridge Nature Center
2025-05-20 09:00 - 12:00 | Sand Ridge Nature Center, JC4M+8M5, Calumet City, Illinois, United States
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 at the pod northwest of the Nature Center off of the service driveway.

Wellness Tuesdays at Kickapoo Woods
2025-05-20 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-13 09:00 - 11:00 | Kickapoo Woods, Kickapoo Woods, Riverdale, Illinois, United States
Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827.

Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required.

Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing more than 5 people! Yoga led by Studio Yogi.

Contact Gloria Orozco at gloria@fotfp.org with any questions.

Warbler and Wildflower Walk
2025-05-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Healy Savanna, Beverly Lake, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States
Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching.

Meeting Location- Beverly Lake Trail, Hoffman Estates

Contact Information: isabella@fotfp.org or mevans@citizensforconservation.org

St. Paul Woods Volunteer Workday
2025-05-18 10:00 - 13:00 | IL
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.

Warbler and Wildflower Walk
2025-05-17 12:00 - 14:00 | Bakers Lake, 42°08'41.5"N 88°07'38.9"W, Barrington, Illinois, United States
Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching.

Meeting Location- S Highland Ave, Barrington

Contact Information: isabella@fotfp.org or mevans@citizensforconservation.org

Yoga: Gentle Flow & Mindful Breath
2025-05-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Dan Ryan Woods Visitor Center, P8P9+9X, Chicago, Illinois, 60620, United States
Gentle Flow & Mindful Breath: Unwind and restore balance in this 60-minute, outdoor, gentle yoga class, designed to nurture your body and calm your mind. We’ll begin with a series of slow, flowing asanas (poses) and integrate deep breathing techniques (pranayama) to cultivate inner peace and release tension. This focus on breathwork will help you connect with your body on a deeper level and create space for relaxation.

Yoga Instructor: Donisha Reed with Wellthy Living

A Family PEACE Gathering: Eggers Grove Nature Block Party!
2025-05-17 11:00 - 15:00 | Dan Ryan Woods Event Pavillion, W 87th St & S Western Ave, Chicago, Illinois, 60620, United States
Nature-based peace circles for people of all ages & ethnicities to connect, celebrate, and build community through art, wellness, & play.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world at Nature Block Party 2025! Join LOLK, Friends of the Forest Preserves, and other organizations and community members for a day of celebration and exploration as we honor the incredible diversity of the Chicago region. See the Sand Ridge Nature Center Facebook Event page for more exciting details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1166200504865647/.

Stewardship Volunteer Days- Whistler Woods
2025-05-17 09:00 - 12:00 | Whistler Woods, M946+6JQ, Riverdale, Illinois, 60827, United States
Join us at Whistler Woods for our volunteer days! We will be performing a variety of restoration activities in this woodland and prairie-dominant site. Meet at the end of the parking lot.

Trailblazers: Des Plaines River Relics Walk Saturday May 17th, 9am-11am
2025-05-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Sunset Bridge Meadow, Des Plaines River Trail, River Grove, Illinois, 60171, United States
Join us as we admire the beauty of the Des Plaines River

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 in the Des Plaines watershed, and flooding.

Difficulty level

Moderate to fast pace. Easy 5-mile hike, mostly flat trail; est. 1.5 to 2 hours.

Parking/Meeting location:

Sunset Bridge Meadow parking lot; North Ave. east of N 1st Ave River Grove, IL

Meet your volunteer guide:

Hobby hiker and nature lover, Dan Witte built a fan site dedicated to the Des Plaines River: www.thedesplaines.com

What to bring/wear:

Water, sunscreen, weather-appropriate clothing (layers are recommended), and sturdy hiking boots/comfortable shoes.

Photo Credit: Dan WitteThis event is free, but please register to secure your spot. If you have any questions about this walk or the Trailblazers Walking Series, contact Sydney Armstead, Engagement Program Manager, at sydney@fotfp.org.

Trailblazers: Hiking the Ravines of Deer Grove West
2025-05-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Deer Grove West, Deer Grove West, Palatine, Illinois, 60074, United States
Join us as we hike and explore the ravines which define the interior of Deer Grove West!

The hike will follow the stream which created, and still shape the ravine today. Deer Grove Lake and the Deer Grove Lake Dam will also be on the hike’s route. Architectural remnants from the work done by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930’s, along the hikes route will also be pointed out.

Difficulty Level: This is a hike for those wishing to experience the adventure of getting off the beaten path. The primary surfaces for the hike are singletrack dirt trails adjacent to the streams within Deer Grove West. The single track trails have obstacles to be navigated such as: downed trees, exposed roots, rain run-offs, stream crossings and short but steep up and downs. The trail surface and obstacles can be challenging.

If due to weather conditions the single track trails within the ravine are unusable, we will still hike using crushed gravel trails within Deer Grove West. The crushed gravel trails will not display the ravines and the hike would then become a walk and talk

Duration:The hike will be 2 hours in duration, give or take, and the distance hiked will be approximately 4 miles.

Parking / Meeting location:

We will meet by the picnic shelter at Grove 4 within Deer Grove West. The entrance road is on the west side of Quentin Rd, north of DundeeRoad and south of Lake Cook Road. The entrance road is directly across from the Camp Reinberg campground on the east side of Quentin Rd.Once within the Preserve follow the signs to Grove 4.

What to wear / bring:Water is not available at the Preserve. Be sure to bring your own water and enough to last the duration of the hike. Long pants, notshorts, should be worn. Hiking boots offering some water protection and sturdy enough for the obstacles detailed above are recommended. Expect your boots or shoes to get dirty, possibly muddy.Optional equipment: trekking poles, rucksack with personal equipment, insect repellant

Meet your volunteer guide: Tom is retired after a 30 plus year career in Information Technology. He’s an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys exploring the woods through day hikes, snowshoeing, trail running and alpine skiing. Tom especially enjoys and appreciates the beauty of each season within the preserves.

This event is free, but please register to secure your spot. If you have any questions about this walk or the Trailblazers Walking Series, contact Sydney Armstead, Engagement Program Manager, at sydney@fotfp.org.

Xylem Seed Garden Workdays
2025-05-15 16:00 - 18:00 | 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).

6633 W Harts Road, Niles IL, 60714

View map

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 Fortuna tonyandcammy11@gmail.com

Secondary contact:Mike Andrews mike61950@aol.com

Website:https://northbranchrestoration.org/

Warbler and Wildflower Walk
2025-05-15 12:00 - 14:00 | Farm Trails North, 42°14'17.7"N 88°09'55.0"W, Lake Barrington, Illinois, United States
Summary of Event/Workday- Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching.

Meeting Location- Twin Pond Road, Lake Barrington

Contact Information: isabella@fotfp.org or mevans@citizensforconservation.org

Homeschool Hangout at Eggers Grove
2025-05-15 10:00 - 12:00 | IL
Come hang out at Eggers Grove for a fun homeschool meet-up!

Every third Thursday of the month from 10am-12pm until June 19, 2025

Warbler and Wildflower Walk
2025-05-11 13:00 - 14:00 | IL
Summary of Event/Workday- Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching.

Meeting Location- Penny Road Pond, Barrington Hills

Contact Information: isabella@fotfp.org or mevans@citizensforconservation.org

Stewardship Volunteer Days - Healy Savanna Bowl
2025-05-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Beverly Lake, Beverly Lake, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States
Meeting Location- Beverly Lake Trail, Hoffman Estates

Summary of Event/Workday- Garlic Mustard Search-and-Pull

Contact Information: Ken DeMuth 312-316-5216

Warbler and Wildflower Walk
2025-05-10 12:00 - 14:00 | Bakers Lake, 42°08'41.5"N 88°07'38.9"W, Barrington, Illinois, United States
Join BGI at one of our upcoming Warbler and Wildflower Walk hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that is in bloom along with some bird watching.

Contact Information: isabella@fotfp.org or mevans@citizensforconservation.org

Meeting Location- S Highland Ave, Barrington

A Family PEACE Gathering: Play to Strengthen Family & Community Connection
2025-05-10 11:00 - 13:00 | Dan Ryan Woods Event Pavillion, W 87th St & S Western Ave, Chicago, Illinois, 60620, United States
Nature-based peace circles for people of all ages & ethnicities to connect, celebrate, and build community through art, wellness, & play.

As part of family play, everybody plays! Participants practice active listening, respectful communication, collaboration and cooperation through playful activities for all ages. These will take place outdoors and indoors, and will focus on celebrating children and the child in all of us. Activities highlight the fun of learning from each other and the importance of play for connection and community building. Workshops will be led by LOLK program staff, Friends of the Forest Preserve program staff.

Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday - Chicago River Day
2025-05-10 09:00 - 12:00 | IL

St. Paul Woods Volunteer Workday - Chicago River Day
2025-05-10 09:00 - 12:00 | IL

Oxbow Prairie Volunteer Workday - Chicago River Day
2025-05-10 09:00 - 12:00 | IL
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.
