Friends of the Forest Preserves

Friends of the Forest Preserves Friends of the Forest Preserves unites people to protect, promote, and care for the forest preserves in Cook County.

As the only independent nonprofit organization solely focused on the forest preserves in Cook County, we work tirelessly to safeguard and improve the 70,000 acres of forest preserves for all of us and generations to come.

On August 27th the engagement crew hosted Trees and Teas with crew members Nathali and Taquita taking the lead. Walking ...
10/07/2026

On August 27th the engagement crew hosted Trees and Teas with crew members Nathali and Taquita taking the lead. Walking through eggers to learn about local trees native to Illinois that are used for teas the benefits of the different trees not just ecological but also for wellness. Can't forget a little plant ID as well! Thank you site steward Marianne for showing up and joining us!

A busy morning with the Barrington Greenway Initiative crew. The crew worked hard on collecting bulk quantities of a pla...
10/04/2026

A busy morning with the Barrington Greenway Initiative crew. The crew worked hard on collecting bulk quantities of a plant species known as Water Plantain (Alisma subcordatum), a wetter/mudflat prominent species. Here’s a fun photo of some of the team laying plant material out to dry in the sun! We plan on processing this seed as soon as it’s dried.

10/02/2026

On August 29th, the Engagement Crew brought the community together for our first House Music Hangout at Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve. Special thanks to our MC, Taquita; House of Bliss for the music; and UCAN for the food and drinks. Thank you to the organizations that showed up, too.

We danced, explored, connected, and celebrated summer in true Chicago fashion. Whether with family, friends, or on your own, there was something for everyone.

We'd also like to congratulate and thank all our raffle winners for participating and adding to the evening's excitement!

Until next time!

As summer comes to a close, the North Branch area still has plenty of color and elegance to share! In order of photograp...
10/01/2026

As summer comes to a close, the North Branch area still has plenty of color and elegance to share! In order of photographs, the North Branch has found these beauts- Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita), Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana), Great plains lady's tresses (Spiranthes magnicamporum), Anise Hyssop Snow Spike (Agastache foeniculum), Ditch Stonecrop (Penthorum sedoides), White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), and Slender-leaved False Foxglove (Agalinis tenuifolia)!

Enjoy a recap of our most recent Trailblazers walks in the Palos region this month! Join us for upcoming walks to explor...
09/30/2026

Enjoy a recap of our most recent Trailblazers walks in the Palos region this month! Join us for upcoming walks to explore preserves across the county or become a volunteer.

North Branch is "feline fine" treating the invasive species, Cattail! This wet-loving plant can easily take over floodpl...
09/27/2026

North Branch is "feline fine" treating the invasive species, Cattail! This wet-loving plant can easily take over floodplains and wetlands. That’s where conservation work comes in. Their seed packets (second picture) are tightly packed with hundreds of seeds that fly away once ready to disperse. By removing cattails, we can protect these unique habitats from diverse species loss.

Here is a sneak peak into the life of treating purple loosestrife! From removing seed heads to treating the plant with h...
09/25/2026

Here is a sneak peak into the life of treating purple loosestrife! From removing seed heads to treating the plant with herbicide, North Branch crew is ready to tackle it. We even had a special visit from our Safety and Training Manger, Ty!

A sweet treat for the conservation corps: plant walks with knowledgeable forest preserve staff! Th4e North Branch and BG...
09/24/2026

A sweet treat for the conservation corps: plant walks with knowledgeable forest preserve staff! Th4e North Branch and BGI crews both came together to walk through unique sites and learn different plants native to Cook county. Three North Branch members - Sabri, Nora, and Juniper -all achieved the highest prize, a native tree identification book, after learning 82 different plants! We are so proud of all our members for their dedication and engagement in learning.

ACTION ALERT: The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers are proposing to further narrow Clean Water Act protections for stream...
09/23/2026

ACTION ALERT: The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers are proposing to further narrow Clean Water Act protections for streams, wetlands and other waters, effectively removing protections from waters that don't flow 100% year
round. Around 94% of U.S. wetlands would be at risk of losing federal protections. This proposal is now open for public comment through Oct 9, 2026.

Please take the time to make your thoughts known by commenting on the proposal at the following link: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0322-15447

You can also find a helpful toolkit from the Clean Water for All Coalition & the Protect Our Waters Campaign that walks you through the proposal and the steps you can take to oppose it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ypew8bNgj6HcxlKoRXW5FvLxMERJR3ejvk-ZnWJgwRA/edit?tab=t.0 =h.d6iy5qjsdrcy

A recap from one of our summer events, Nature Field Day 🌻🌿 Friends, BIPOC Birders, Black.people.outside and Southeast En...
09/16/2026

A recap from one of our summer events, Nature Field Day 🌻🌿 Friends, BIPOC Birders, Black.people.outside and Southeast Environmental Task Force banded together to wrap up the summer with birding, seed collecting, crafts, and hiking! A huge thank you to everyone who came out; we look forward to gathering together again! 🐢

Address

411 S. Wells Street Suite 800
Chicago, IL
60607

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13123569990

Website

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