Volunteering

The beautiful, vibrant natural areas of Chicago’s Wilderness are peaceful respites, recreation venues, and windows to our natural history — and they inspire the passion of hundreds of volunteers, who enthusiastically devote thousands of hours to restoring and protecting our region’s unique nature.

Volunteers participate in “workdays” and help plant, collect seeds, remove invasive species, and build trails.  Volunteers also greet families at nature centers, lead educational programs, and reach out to their communities to advocate for open space protection. And, importantly, volunteer citizen scientists take the pulse of ecosystem health by monitoring birds, frogs, and butterflies and sometimes choose to become volunteer stewards who work closely with forest preserve employees and other resource managers to plan the long-term restoration of particular sites.

If you are interested in volunteering, you can spend a few hours one afternoon, or commit time every week or every day. Every bit helps.

For more information on volunteer opportunities, visit “How Do I Get Involved?”