North Branch Restoration Project

Harms Woods
2026-06-28 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-12 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Glenview Woods parking lot, west side of Harms Road, just south of Glenview Rd., 721 Harms Road, Glenview, Il
This fine oak woodland lies on the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River in the village of Glenview. Several different species of oak are represented here; red oaks are more prevalent closer to the river while white and bur oaks are more plentiful as you move west up the moraine. In the wetter upland areas, on top of the moraine, swamp white oaks thrive.
Harms is notable for its rich native flora. In late March or April, visitors can enjoy the earliest of our spring wildflowers, including such lovelies as toothwort, hepatica, bloodroot and trout lily.A little later, they may be treated to displays of wildflowers with lyrical names like yellow pimpernel, Jack-in-the-pulpit, spring beauty and golden alexanders.The site is unusually rich in native woodland shrubs. Native yellow and red honeysuckles bloom in summer; maple-leaved viburnum turns a gorgeous magenta in the fall; while a bit later the delicate yellow flowers of witch hazel grace the fall woods.
For bird watchers, Harms Woods is a great place to enjoy the spring and fall migratory seasons, as a great variety of warblers pass through. Visitors should also watch for the great horned owls, hairy woodpeckers, red-eyed vireos and yellow-billed cuckoos that are among the nesting birds of Harms.
Directions: Meet at the forest preserve Glenview Woods parking lot on the west side of Harms Road, just south of Glenview Road.
RSVP below. For more information or to volunteer contact:
Jane and John Balaban (847) 644-8184

Miami Woods and Prairie
2026-06-28 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-07-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Miami Woods Forest Preserve, 8200 N Caldwell Ave, Niles, IL
The Miami Woods Forest Preserve covers 112 acres stretching along the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River from Oakton Street northward to Dempster Street. It is bounded on the west side by Caldwell Avenue, Waukegan Road and development at the intersection of Waukegan Road and Dempster Street. The land on the east side of the river forms the Saint Paul Woods Forest Preserve.
The main parking lot is on Caldwell about 1/4 mile north of Oakton where there is easy access to the bike path which runs from Devon Avenue to the Botanic Garden. From the bike path you can see and enjoy nature in the river, woodlands and the Miami Prairie. Things you may see include birds, butterflies, and native grasses and flowers that blossom and change throughout the seasons.
Miami Woods and Prairie contain important remnants of the original grasslands and woodlands that formed the natural heritage of the greater Chicago area. (See the Chicago Wilderness Atlas and Recovery Plan at www.chicagowilderness.org) The ultimate goal within Miami Woods and Prairie (except the turf grass picnic areas) is to achieve restoration to the highest ecological condition possible using a minimum amount of management intervention. Our approach is to restore natural processes so that the area will become as self sustaining as possible.
Restoration of the woods and prairie by Volunteers of the North Branch Restoration Project has been underway for more than 30 years. Following a five year moratorium, work resumed late in 2001 with thousands of hours of volunteer effort contributed annually since then. In addition to regular North Branch workdays, workdays have been held on multiple occasions for four elementary schools, a high school, three colleges, and the Goldman Sachs company. Help is also received regularly from the Friends of Morton Grove Forest Preserves. Restoration activities concentrate on removal of invasive brush and weeds, and on gathering and distributing hundreds of kinds of native seed from within the North Branch watershed.
Further information is available in the 2005 annual report Restoring Nature in Miami Woods, or on the website of the Cook County Forest Preserve.
Directions: Located on the east side of Caldwell, two blocks north of Oakton. Meet in the parking lot for Miami Woods.
To volunteer or for more information contact: For more information, contact Mike Andrews (773) 405-7132, Mike Bingaman (773) 203-3447) or email Miami Woods Prairie

Somme Prairie Grove
2026-06-28 16:00 - 18:30, 2026-07-05 16:00 - 18:30, 2026-07-26 16:00 - 18:30 | Somme Prairie Grove, 1714 Dundee Rd, Northbrook, IL, 60062, United States
Somme Prairie Grove is a mosaic of prairie, savanna, and woodland. Flowers and grasses such as purple milkweed, cream gentian, bottlebrush grass, and Joe Pye weed contribute to its high quality. Indian grass, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, and purple prairie clover thrive in its open areas. Rare birds and butterflies once again populate its prairies and groves. For photos and details on wildlife and flora. For a virtual tour of the site, click here.
To volunteer or for more information contact: Eriko Kojima at (847) 322-7420
Directions: The workday meeting place is the Forest Preserve parking lot on the north side of Dundee, just east of Waukegan

Bunker North Flatwoods
2026-07-05 10:00 - 13:00 | Bunker North Flatwoods, 6600 West Harts Road, Niles, IL
Bunker North Flatwoods gets its cathedral-like character from the large old pin oaks that dominate the canopy. Join the North Branch Restoration Project and Centennial Volunteers as we restore this oak woodland to health! This 76 acre site is new to restoration and will depend on the community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native seed, and much more. The preserve is also home to some beautiful spring ephemerals.
Directions: Enter the preserve from Harts Road, just west of Touhy and Caldwell. The approximate address is 6600 W Harts Road in Niles, IL.
Please RSVP (below). For more information, contact Mike Andrews (773) 405-7132, Mike Bingaman (773) 203-3447) or email Bunker North Flatwoods

Labagh-Hernandez Woods
2026-07-11 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-19 09:00 - 12:00 | Labagh-Hernandez Woods, 5275 N. Cicero, Chicago, il
Located on the North Branch of the Chicago River, LaBagh is an important stopover point for birds during their spring and fall migration journeys. Most of LaBagh is made up of floodplain and savanna communities dominated by swamp white oak, which thrives in wet conditions. The floodplain contains ponds and marshes that were carved out by the river hundreds of years ago. The upland areas are drier, but often wet in the spring and fall due to poor-draining soils that allow standing water to accumulate. Join volunteers in restoring this special site along the Chicago River with a unique focus on planting native shrubs to provide bird habitat and food.
Youth under 18 must be accompanied by a legal parent/guardian or attend with a chaperoned organized youth group (school, scouts, faith-based). Volunteers under age 18 must have their volunteer waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian.
Volunteer workdays are held two or more times a month at LaBagh. Contact labaghvolunteers@gmail.com to join our email announcement list.
Directions: Enter Forest Preserve at 5275 N. Cicero, then follow yellow volunteer signs.
To volunteer or for more information, contact the Labagh team.

Watersmeet Prairie Grove
2026-07-11 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Watersmeet Prairie Grove, 1899 winnetka road, northfield, il, 60093
Named for the joining of the Middle and East Forks of the North Branch of the Chicago River, Watersmeet Prairie Grove has a wide variety of communities, from a limey, wet woods with unusual species such as skunk cabbage, marsh marigold, dog violet and fen goldenrod to open prairie shrubland with mountain blue-eyed grass, golden sedge, and willow aster.
Directions: This site is located in the village of Northfield. From the Edens Expressway exit at Lake Avenue West. Go west to Wagner Road, turn north and take Wagner to Winnetka Road, go east on Winnetka 3/4 mile. Park on Avon Ave, a side street to the north of Winnetka Road. We meet near the Forest Preserve sign, at the northwest corner of the site.
Please RSVP (below). For more information contact John Berg at (815) 919-4916 and Eileen Sutter (773) 706-4533 or Watersmeet

Linne Woods
2026-07-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Linne Woods, 6316 Dempster, Morton Grove, il, 60053
Linne Woods boasts such spring wildflowers as windflower and toothwort under a canopy of oaks and hickories with an understory of ironwood and black cherry.
Directions: For Linne Woods north, go west from the Edens on Dempster street about 1.5 miles. The forest preserve entrance will be on the north side of the street directly across from McDonalds. Follow the winding road all the way back until it dead-ends at the turn-around circle.
Please RSVP (below). For more information contact:
Marian Thill (north) at (847) 966-0231 Linne Woods

Somme Prairie Nature Preserve
2026-07-11 09:00 - 12:00 | il
Located in the village of Northbrook, in northern Cook County, these forest preserves span the original continuum of prairie to the west and north and savanna and woodland to the east and south.
Somme Prairie Nature Preserve, dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in 1984, is gently rolling land on that includes part of the floodplain of the West Fork of the Chicago River’s North Branch. Approximately three acres of high quality prairie hold a remnant of the rich flora that once covered much of the state. Plants with names like cream false indigo, hoary puccoon, and tuberous Indian plantain color the landscape.
Directions: This site is the westernmost of the three Sommes. On workdays, we meet in the post office parking lot on the north side of Dundee Road, approximately a quarter mile west of the Metra tracks.
Please RSVP (below). For more information, contact:
Laurel Ross at (773) 218-0850 or Lisa Musgrave at (847)401-3067

St Paul Woods
2026-07-11 10:00 - 13:00 | St Paul Woods Forest Preserve, 6500 Oakton Ave, Morton Grove, il, 60053
St Paul Woods is an inviting oak-hickory woodland situated east of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Like many of our native woodlands, it needs management to clear invasive brush and trees to restore the original structure. With increased sunlight, the wildflowers and grasses will once again add to the beauty of the woods. Join North Branch Restoration Project volunteers as we remove buckthorn and other weedy species, protecting our native ecosystems.
The pre-settlement Public Land Survey (PLS) indicates the entire site (N & S) was originally timbered with diverse trees including bur oak, white oak, hickory, elm, ash, and basswood. The open canopy fostered a rich understory, including young oak seedlings. In the absence of fire, sugar maple and basswood now account for most if not all of the new growth, shading out the vast majority of the plants on the forest floor. Coupled with an over-abundant deer population, the natural community struggled to renew itself. Management is bringing back the conditions that promote a healthy woodland.
RSVP below. For more information, contact Mike Andrews (773) 405-7132, Mike Bingaman (773) 203-3447) or email St Paul Woods .
Directions: Enter the driveway north off 6500 Oakton Ave, across from Natchez Ave in Morton Grove. Look for yellow Volunteer signs at parking areas.

Forest Glen Woods
2026-07-12 09:00 - 12:00 | Forest Glen Woods Forest Preserve, 5420 N Forest Glen Ave, Chicago
An important corridor for migratory birds, Forest Glen is part of the Lower North Branch Preserves. This unique woodland, savanna, and floodplain ecosystem needs help from our volunteer community to remove invasive plants, collect and distribute native seeds, and reduce erosion issues. Join the North Branch Restoration Project with the Centennial Volunteers to learn how!
Gather at the Forest Glen parking lot, located at 5420 N. Forest Glen Ave in Chicago.
For more information or to volunteer contact:
Bill Tucker at 312-206-5928 or Deb Gohr at Forest Glen

Bunker Hill Savanna
2026-07-12 10:00 - 13:00 | Bunker Hill Forest Preserve, 6800 Caldwell Ave, Chicago, il, 60646
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Winding west and north along the bluff above the Chicago River, the bike path runs through the Forest Preserve known as Bunker Hill Savanna and Sidney Yates Flatwoods . Bounded by Caldwell, Devon and the North Branch of the Chicago River, the site is approximately 100 acres and lies within the Chicago city limits. It encompasses a mosaic of open savanna, oak woodland, and flatwoods.
Learn more about Bunker Hill Savanna
Directions: West side of Caldwell between Devon and Touhy; entrance located just opposite Tonty Street. For Bunker Hill Meet in first section of parking lot; for Oxbow, follow road until it turns north, then park along the west side.
Please RSVP (below). For more information contact:
Erin Faulkner at (708) 220-5606 or Rebecca Blazer at Bunker Savanna

Serpenteando hacia el oeste y el norte a lo largo del acantilado sobre el río Chicago, el sendero para bicicletas atraviesa la Reserva Forestal conocida como Bunker Hill Savanna y Sidney Yates Flatwoods. Limitado por Caldwell, Devon y la rama norte del río Chicago, el sitio tiene aproximadamente 100 acres y se encuentra dentro de los límites de la ciudad de Chicago. Abarca un mosaico de sabana abierta, bosques de robles y bosque plano.
Aprender más sobre Bunker Savanna
Direcciones: Lado oeste de Caldwell entre Devon y Touhy; entrada ubicada justo enfrente de Tonty Street. Reúnase en la primera sección del estacionamiento, justo al lado de Caldwell.
Contactos: Para más información o para ser voluntario: Stewards Erin Faulkner (708) 220-5606 y Rebecca Blazer en Bunker Savanna. Erin habla español y les damos bienvenidos a los miembros de la comunidad que prefieren conversar en español!

Linne Prairie
2026-07-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Linne Prairie, 8874 Lehigh Ave, Morton Grove, IL
Linne Prairie is a different site from the rest of the North Branch preserves. The area was used as temporary storage for a huge pile of limestone excavated for the deep tunnel project. After most of the limestone was removed, the contractor covered the remaining material with a layer of soil and planted purchased seeds of native plants. After the initial two years of management by outside contract, the District and North Branch now share management, with the eventual goal of a facsimile hill prairie. While this is not a bona fide recovering natural area, it can still become a functioning system that is compatible with the surrounding native communities and that provides important habitat for wildlife.
Directions: Meet at Wayside Woods Prairie Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Lehigh Ave, a few blocks east of Waukegan Road and just north of Dempster.
Please RSVP (below). For more information contact:
John Thill at (847) 966-0231 at Linne Prairie

Somme Woods
2026-07-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Somme Woods, 1714 Dundee Road, Northbrook, IL, United States
Somme Woods has bur and white oak savannas and woodlands with massive old oaks, open marshes, and ephemeral ponds. Rich with native plants and animals, the savannas and woodlands are being restored to their original beauty. Great horned owls and red-tailed hawks nest and hunt here alongside coyotes, raccoons, and opossums.
Please RSVP (below). For more information contact Eriko Kojima at (847) 322-7420
Directions: Park in the Somme Woods lot on the north side of Dundee Road, just east of Waukegan Road. Map address is 1714 Dundee Road, Northbrook.

Oxbow Prairie
2026-07-18 10:00 - 13:00 | Oxbow Prairie, 6800 N Caldwell Ave, Chicago, il, 60646
Oxbow Prairie, formed by an old loop in the river’s course, lies northwest of Bunker Hill Savanna.
This old oxbow in the Chicago River’s North Branch is a combination of low, wet prairie soils and slightly higher mesic prairie soils. A small open savanna lies on what was once the east bank of the river. The mesic prairie area had been mowed by the FPDCC for recreational use and had an abundance of Eurasion grasses, Queen Anne’s lace and tall goldenrod. With management, the more conservative prairie plants such as northern dropseed, stiff goldenrod, golden alexanders and big bluestem grass are returning.
The wetter areas are richest in native plants, including cup plant, ironweed, tall meadow-rue, water parsnip, cord grass, Virginia rye, and numerous kinds of sedges.
A small oak savanna on the old east bank has swamp white and bur oaks, in the words of landscape architect and restorationist Tom Vanderpoel, “a wonderful micro oak savanna.”
Between the prairie and the river lies a large floodplain woodland of cottonwood, basswood and box elder, where invasive garlic mustard dominates the understory. No restoration work has been done in this area yet, and poses a challenge for the future.
Directions: From the south, enter the drive off Caldwell Avenue across from Tonty; proceed ~1/4 mile, staying to the right at the split. From the north, enter the drive off Harts Road and proceed ~3/4 mile south. Look for yellow Volunteer signs at the meeting spot.

Can’t find us? Scan the QR code and follow directions:
Meeting place

For more information or to volunteer:
Mike Andrews (773) 405-7132 or Cammy Fortuna at Oxbow Prairie

Wayside Woods & Prairie
2026-07-19 09:00 - 12:00 | Wayside Forest Preserve, 8874 Lehigh Ave, Morton Grove, il, 60053
The village of Morton Grove has a constellation of sites. One of the fine prairie restorations along the North Branch is Wayside Woods Prairie. A former baseball diamond is now covered with prairie flowers joining two small, high quality prairie remnants. Many of the classic prairie plants are found here, including grasses such as big bluestem, switch grass and northern dropseed; stiff and Riddell’s goldenrods; tall coreopsis, prairie dock, compass plant and many others.
Directions: Meet at Wayside Woods Prairie Forest Preserve parking lot on the west side of Lehigh Ave., a few blocks east of Waukegan Road and just north of Dempster.
To volunteer or for more information, contact:
Larry Hodak at Wayside Woods & Prairie

Harms Flatwoods
2026-07-25 09:00 - 12:00 | Harms Flatwoods, IL, United States
In the village of Skokie, east of the Chicago River’s North Branch, Harms Flatwoods is dominated by huge old bur and swamp white oaks, with an understory of black ash, winterberry, hazelnut and other native trees and shrubs.
In January of 2017, Harms Flatwoods was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve, in recognition of its unique ecology. Illinois Nature Preserve designation affords the strongest degree of protection for Illinois natural areas.
Directions: Meet at the Harms Woods North lot, Old Orchard Road and Harms Road.
For more information or to volunteer contact:
Jette Thomassen at 773-255-6077 or Harms Flatwoods
