Forest Preserve Volunteer Group Looking for New Members

Centennial Volunteers, a partnership that works in area Forest Preserve District of Cook County locations, is hosting an event in Blue Island on February 7 to invite people to join and to learn about the positive impact volunteers are making to the health of the preserves.

The informational session will be held at the Blue Island Historical Society, 13018 Maple Avenue, in south suburban Blue Island from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. This is a free event and all are welcome.

Centennial Volunteers is dedicated to restoring nine Cook County Forest Preserve sites along the Chicago and Calumet Rivers. Founded in 2014, the Centennial Volunteers program is a partnership between Friends of the Chicago River, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Friends of the Forest Preserves, and the Field Museum.

Volunteer activities improve habitat and biodiversity by removing invasive vegetation, collecting native seeds, wildlife monitoring projects, and brush pile burns. Dedicated areas in the south suburbs where Centennial Volunteers work include Whistler Woods and Kickapoo Woods in Riverdale, River Oaks Woods in South Holland, and Beaubien Woods near 130th and the Bishop Ford Expressway in Chicago.

The public is invited to learn about Centennial Volunteers’ success, including helping to raise the overall native plant species by 22 percent at the nine designated locations.

Light refreshments will be provided. This is a free event and all are welcome. RSVP (tickets) encouraged but not required. Click here to register.

The event is co-sponsored by Friends of the Chicago River.

Friends of the Chicago River is an award-winning nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve and protect the Chicago River for people, plants and animals. With over 6,000 members, volunteers, and online advocates, Friends works to make the river greener and more accessible, while building awareness of the benefits that a clean, healthy river can bring to the surrounding community. Friends of the Chicago River is working to make the Chicago River one of the world’s great metropolitan rivers. For more information go to www.chicagoriver.org.