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.
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 money for future cleanups and events. Wear long pants, sleeves, and sturdy shoes. The Hofmann Dam River Rats is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization. We […]
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 […]
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 Bunker Hill Woods. From there we’ll walk the paved path while enjoying fall colors and spotting a mushroom or two along the way. Difficulty level: The […]
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.
— 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 collecting techniques. Tools and snacks provided. Location: Galloping Hill Contact Information: Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!
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 candy and a cider beverage for volunteers 21+ after stewardship activities take place. (Note: Costumes must not be made of polyester, but heat-resistant fabrics like […]
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 to encourage our little ones’ creativity. Whether your child wants to carve a spooky face or paint a silly one, our team will be there […]
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 walking partners by your side. We’ll take the bike path going southward. After using the pedestrian bridge to cross Oakton St., the group will continue […]
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 newsletter for weekly event emails here is that link- https://citizensforconservation.org/get-involved/regular-workdays/ Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]
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.
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 Information- Please reach out to Ken DeMuth 312-316-5216 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 […]