Volunteers - Forest Preserve District of Kane County

10/16/2026

🌾 Join us for Seed Team Harvest! 🌾 Please note: Seed Team is now 10 a.m. - Noon. Help the District's Natural Resource Management staff collect native seed that will be used to reestablish and enhance plant communities throughout Kane County forest preserves.

"Seed Team Harvest"
📆Wednesday, Oct. 21; 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
🌳Sauer Family Prairie Kame FP + Pingree Grove FP
📍[44W705 Lasher Rd., Elburn]; [14N187 US Route 20, Hampshire]
💲FREE
🎯TARGET SPECIES: Prairie Kame FP - New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) & Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichium laeve); Pingree Grove FP - Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) & Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris).

Hang out afterward and socialize over snacks! 🥨🍎😃

No registration is necessary for this free event. We recommend bringing your own water bottle, gardening/work gloves and safety/sunglasses. Please arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the workday start time, and make sure to sign-in with the workday leader. If you have any questions, please contact the Stewardship Specialist at (630) 200-1290.

10/13/2026

🌾 Join us for Seed Team Harvest! 🌾 Please note: Seed Team is now 10 a.m. - Noon. Help the District's Natural Resource Management staff collect native seed that will be used to reestablish and enhance plant communities throughout Kane County forest preserves.

"Seed Team Harvest"
📆Wednesday, Oct. 14; 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
🌳Burlington Prairie FP + Aurora West FP
📍[13N240 Engel Rd. Sycamore, IL]; [Old barn (not the main entrance) off Hankes Rd. (110 Hankes Rd. Aurora, IL]
💲FREE
🎯TARGET SPECIES: Burlington Prairie FP - Round-headed bush clover; Aurora West FP - Cream gentian, round-headed bush clover and rattlesnake master.

Hang out afterward and socialize over snacks! 🥨🍎😃

No registration is necessary for this free event. We recommend bringing your own water bottle, gardening/work gloves and safety/sunglasses. Please arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the workday start time, and make sure to sign-in with the workday leader. If you have any questions, please contact the Stewardship Specialist at (630) 200-1290.

10/08/2026

We'd like to thank everyone who joined us for Seed Team at Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve and Prairie Green. It was our largest attendance on record, with more than 34 participants! 👏

Thank you to R.S. Hughes for joining us, as well local park district staff, current and former District staff (Hi, Jacob!), volunteer stewards and former Prairie Green restoration volunteers. Together, we collected a ton of seed, and we're so grateful for your contributions. 🌾

For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.kaneforest.com/volunteer

10/07/2026

The Pollution Solution event scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17 at Oakhurst Forest Preserve has been canceled. Thank you for your understanding.

For more ways to get involved, please visit www. kaneforest.com/volunteer.

We invite you to be part of the District's volunteer program and help inspire appreciation for the natural world and cultural history of Kane County.

10/03/2026

Did you know that one of the main threats to oak regeneration is lack of sunlight in the understory? 🌱☀️ When invasive species like buckthorn take over, competition for light and nutrients makes it difficult for saplings to mature. You can be a friend to the oaks by helping to thin invasive brush at a restoration workday near you!

It doesn't take long to see the impact of your work, just look at what a crew of four was able to accomplish at Culver FP in one morning!

Our transition into fall means workdays will start to incorporate heavier brush removal in the woods. If you're looking for a fulfilling way to keep active and make a difference for our native plant communities, you've found the right place!

For more info on how to get involved, contact the Stewardship Specialist at [email protected] or 630-200-1290. Visit www.kaneforest.com/volunteer for more information.

09/30/2026

Seed Teamers (and wannabe Seed Teamers), join us Wednesday, 10/7, from 10 a.m. to noon, to harvest Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) seed. We've planned seed harvests at two locations: Prairie Green FP (698 N. Peck Rd., Geneva) and Muirhead Springs FP (42W855 Bahr Rd, Hampshire). Our fingers are crossed for drier weather. See you, then!

📸: Stewardship Specialist Rachel Carlson

09/29/2026

Thank you to all of the volunteers who participated in the 9/27 Harvest Festival at Oakhurst FP in Aurora. The Kane County Mounted Rangers were just some of the volunteers on hand. Pictured left to right are horse Buckaroo, Donna Liebhaber, Kandy Jones, Connie Blaney, and horse Shiloh. The Mounted Rangers handled parking detail, and then stayed with their horses to meet fest attendees.

To view the full photo album from this year's Harvest Fest, see: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=forestpreserve&set=a.1525286982962592

09/29/2026

Tonight, we celebrated Forest Preserve District volunteers.

Together, you contributed 11,266 volunteer hours, last year.
We can’t thank you enough. 👏👏

09/28/2026

*This event has been canceled due to severe weather.*

🌾 Join us for Seed Team Harvest! 🌾 Please note: Seed Team is now 10 a.m. - Noon. Help the District's Natural Resource Management staff collect native seed that will be used to reestablish and enhance plant communities throughout Kane County forest preserves.

"Seed Team Harvest"
📆Wednesday, Sept. 30; 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
🌳Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve + Aurora West FP
📍[13N240 Engel Rd., Sycamore]; [40W032 Hankes Road, Aurora]
💲FREE
🎯TARGET SPECIES: Burlington Prairie FP - Round-headed bush clover; Aurora West FP - Cream Gentian

Hang out afterward and socialize over snacks! 🥨🍎😃

No registration is necessary for this free event. We recommend bringing your own water bottle, gardening/work gloves and safety/sunglasses. Please arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the workday start time, and make sure to sign-in with the workday leader. If you have any questions, please contact the Stewardship Specialist at (630) 200-1290.

09/25/2026

Thank you, Toyota USA!