Volunteer
With Your Corporation, Group, or Scouts
Our Volunteer Program
Our Forest Preserve District’s volunteer program is designed to engage volunteers who are willing to donate their time, talents, and resources to support staff and programs in carrying out the mission, purpose, and guiding principles. The volunteer program offers opportunities to assist and support staff across many diverse programs.
We have many ways to volunteer on a flexible or short-term basis or with your employer, family, or civic group.
For more information about our volunteer programs, contact Volunteer Services at 630-933-7233 or volunteer@dupageforest.org.
Corporate, Group, & Scout Volunteer Opportunities
Gather your group for fun, outdoor camaraderie and a chance to work together to make one of the Forest Preserve District’s natural areas or education centers even better.
Workdays are two or three hours long and include a variety of activities: picking up litter; painting; gardening; seasonal cleanup; removing invasive plants; using loppers to remove buckthorn or honeysuckle; or planting, collecting, or processing native prairie seeds. Reserve a picnic shelter, and you can relax when you’re done while extending your day outdoors.
Sometimes we need extra help at some of the District's large special events. Your group can help by handing out maps and brochures, assisting with parking, or helping with crafts.
Corporations and groups can make long-term commitments to specific sites as well. Groups can plan regularly scheduled monthly, quarterly, seasonal, or annual workdays. Corporations often allow staff to flex their time or sponsor a shift to encourage company-wide participation in a worthwhile community volunteer effort.
Three-hour restoration workdays take place year-round and give you a way to help make some of the county’s natural areas healthier habitats. Volunteers work alongside volunteer site stewards collecting or planting seeds, cutting brush, or pulling weeds. These workdays are perfect for students who need environmental learning experiences outside of the classroom to meet course requirements.
Volunteer restoration and native plant nursery workday opportunities are available on our calendar.
The Forest Preserve District has a list of projects for Boy Scouts to complete to fulfill their Eagle Scout requirements and build their leadership, organizational, and time-management skills. Scouts should allow one year to complete the project before their 18th birthday.
Interested Eagle Scout candidates must call the Volunteer Services Office at 630-933-7233 and request an Eagle Scout packet, which includes the application and project list.
Once the application is received, the Scout is interviewed and a project is chosen and approved. The Scout will then work with the Eagle Scout Project liaison, who will oversee the project through completion. A copy of the completed workbook must be turned in as the final requirement. Scouts may also request an independent project, but this will take extra time as approvals are needed from various departments and we are unable to guarantee that a project will be approved.
The Forest Preserve District has a list of project suggestions for Girl Scouts interested in completing their Gold Award project and building their leadership, organizational, and time-management skills. Scouts have until September of the year they graduate high school to complete their project.
Interested Gold Award candidates must call the Volunteer Services Office at 630-933-7233 and request a Gold Award packet, which includes the application and project suggestions.
Once the application is received, the Scout is interviewed and a project is chosen and approved. The Scout will then work with the Gold Award Project liaison, who will oversee the project through completion. A copy of the completed workbook must be turned in as the final requirement. Scouts may also request an independent project, but be aware that this will take extra time as approvals are needed from various departments and we are unable to guarantee that a project will be approved.
