Volunteer Restoration Groups:
Volunteer stewards restore natural areas throughout Cook County. They remove invasives — such as buckthorn and garlic mustard — to save habitat for native plants and animals, including threatened and endangered species. Learn more about each group and come out to a volunteer workday in your area.
Bartel Grassland Restoration Project – South
Citizens for Conservation – Northwest
Deer Grove Natural Areas Volunteers – Northwest
Des Plaines River Valley Restoration Project – West and North
Friends of Chicago Portage – West
Friends of the Morton Grove Forest Preserves – North
North Branch Restoration Project – North
Orland Grassland Volunteers – Southwest
Palos Restoration Project – Southwest
Poplar Creek Prairie Stewards – Northwest
Somme Prairie Grove – North
Spring Creek Stewards – Northwest
Forest Preserve District and Chicago Wilderness:
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
The official website of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.
Volunteer Website for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County
This Web site was created by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and Friends of the Forest Preserves to connect the public with volunteer opportunities in the forest preserves.
Chicago Wilderness
A regional alliance dedicated to protecting nature and enriching life.
Chicago Wilderness Habitat Project
Recruits and teaches people how to monitor birds, frogs, butterflies, dragonflies, and plants. A project of Audubon-Chicago Region.
Local Environmental Organizations:
Audubon-Chicago Region
Audubon saves local wildlife and habitat, using volunteer conservation efforts to keep natural areas permanently safe.
Bird Conservation Network
The BCN is a coalition of organizations located in the Chicago Wilderness area that have interest in the conservation of birds and habitat.
Calumet Stewardship Initiative
Engages residents and member organizations in partnerships that advance nature education, environmental stewardship, scientific discovery, cultural understanding and economic growth.
Friends of the Chicago River
The mission of Friends of the Chicago River is to preserve, protect, and foster the vitality of the Chicago River for the plant, animal and human communities within its watershed.
Friends of the Parks
Friends of the Parks works to protect, preserve and improve Chicago’s parks for all its citizens.
Friends of Spring Creek Forest Preserves
Mission: “We support the long-term restoration and conservation of healthy woodlands, prairies and wetlands in the Spring Creek Forest Preserves.”
The Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club
The club sponsors many Forest Preserve District activities. It also compares and endorses candidates for the Forest Preserve District Board.
Openlands
Openlands has taken leadership roles in securing more than 45,000 acres of land in the Chicago area for public parks, forest preserves, land and water greenway corridors, and urban gardens.
Southeast Environmental Task Force
A not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the Southeast Side and south suburbs of Chicago by promoting environmental education, pollution prevention, and sustainable development.
Additional Sources:
Brookfield Zoo
The Brookfield Zoo is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and operated by the Chicago Zoological Society. Enjoy a wild day at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo, 365 days a year.
Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBr)
CAMBr educates bicyclists, promotes responsible trail use, prevents trail closings, and maintains and builds trails in the Chicago area.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and operated by the Chicago Horticultural Society, the Chicago Botanic Garden, a 300-acre living museum, offers you the opportunity to experience more than 20 different gardens and absorb their unparalleled beauty.
Chicago Wilderness Magazine
A quarterly publication about nature in the Chicago region with beautiful photographs and recommendations for outdoor activities.
The Illinois Steward Magazine
An award-winning nature magazine that is grounded in the “land ethic” of Aldo Leopold. The Illinois Steward features articles about stewardship, conservation, preservation, and restoration of natural areas in Illinois.