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 us for a fitness walk at Arie Crown Forest; Senior and kid friendly! What to wear/Bring: Walking shoes. Dress according to weather, a rain poncho just in case. Mosquito-tick repellent, and drinking water. Please remember that whatever we bring into the forest should be deposited in an appropriate disposal container or brought back from the […]
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 [email protected] with any questions!
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]