From casually discarded cans to intentionally dumped tires, every bit of trash left in the Forest Preserves hurts our natural areas and the plants and animals that depend on them. Whether you want to help clean up every once in a while or make a long-term commitment to your favorite picnic grove, trail or shoreline, we’re here to support you or your group.
Litter Cleanups are available to all ages and groups, can be self-led or staff-led and can take place at any preserve in Cook County. If you’re interested in a long-term commitment, ask about our Adopt-A-Site program.
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Self-Led Workdays
Litter Cleanups are a great way for individuals, families and organized groups to give back to the environment at your own pace. The group leader or individual organizes and leads the cleanup at a preferred location with the Forest Preserves providing supplies at designated locations for pick up.
Questions, suggestions or concerns? Contact volunteer.FPD@cookcountyil.gov.
Staff-Led Workdays
In the warmer months, volunteers can join Forest Preserves staff and fellow volunteers at organized litter cleanup events held once a month throughout spring and summer.
Questions, suggestions or concerns? Contact volunteer.FPD@cookcountyil.gov.
Hear From Litter Cleanup Volunteers
The Rimmalapudi Family are long-standing volunteers who help clean up at a local forest preserve.
Venkat: We’ve lived in Chicagoland for about 20 years, so we’re very familiar with the forest preserves. Occasionally we’d see volunteers working, which prompted me to look at your website for ways to get involved, and that’s when I found the Adopt-A-Site program. We want to be good examples for our kids as they grow up, and for them to understand what it means to be responsible. My older son just recently joined Cub Scouts and volunteering is part of being a good scout. He is more enthusiastic about these activities when we do them together as a family.
Revathy: It’s also about teaching them what is best for the earth, cultivating good habits and teaching them the importance of giving back to the community. Plus, they love being out in nature. There’s so much to explore out here and I think it’s just the best way to learn.
Venkat: Being outdoors is really important for kids. It’s easy to put them in front of a screen, and maybe that’s fine for the four months where we have challenging weather, but then we have eight months where I think we should be outside as much as possible doing something hands-on.
Revathy: When the boys are older, I want them to remember the good times we had here, and to pass on good habits to the next generation. The environment is a common thing that every community shares, so it’s important that they see their role in caring for it.
Venkat: I said to my boys this morning, “If nobody cleans up, the trash will pile up. What do you think about that?” and they said, “That’s not good because there will be raccoons all over the place!”