Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday
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 […]

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.
Text CALUMET or NORTHWEST 545-454 for events and volunteer opportunities!
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 […]
Join us to enjoy the colors of the season and some fresh air in the woods. The group will walk through Caldwell Woods and cross over the river to reach […]
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 […]
— 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 […]
Join us for a festive all-ages afternoon of removing invasive tree species over a warm brush fire! Volunteers can come in costume to scare away the buckthorn, and enjoy Halloween […]
Families and kids of all ages are invited to join us for pumpkin activities at Beaubien Woods! This event is designed to get families out into the forest preserves and […]
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 […]
Join us for a day celebrating trees at beautiful Whistler Woods. We’ll come together to care for our trees, learn something new, and enjoy a fall day outdoors in nature. Drop by or stay all day- everyone is welcome!
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.
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. […]
he 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 […]
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 provided. Contact Information: Ken DeMuth 312-316-5216
You’re invited to view some of the last autumn leaf peeping for the season with us. About this Event: Take in the beauty of fall – fresh air, beautiful trees, and […]
Enjoy the fall colors in the prairie as we continue to go after lots of seed. Registration: No registration required! If you are interested in signing up for the CFC […]
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 […]
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. Contact […]
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 […]
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 […]