The Deer Grove Natural Areas Volunteers is a volunteer ecological restoration group dedicated to Deer Grove and supported by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Nature Conservancy’s Volunteer Stewardship Network (VSN). Our goal is to restore the natural communities of Deer Grove to pre-settlement conditions, and to enable them to support the native plants and animal communities historically found in Deer Grove Forest Preserve.

How You Can Help

Consider volunteering with the Deer Grove Natural Areas Volunteers. No previous experience is required, just an enthusiasm for nature. You will find yourself among people of various backgrounds who share a joy of learning and an appreciation for this amazing pocket of natural history in the center of urban life.

Some of the volunteer opportunities include:

• Gathering and planting native seeds
• Cutting and burning invasive brush
• Monitoring native plant and wildlife populations
• Promoting public awareness of prairie, savanna, wetland and woodland restoration