Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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​

​

​Restoring an ecosystem involves help from volunteers ​like you!

Volunteer Opportunities

Conservation and habitat restoration are part of Nachusa Grasslands' core mission and one of the preserve's greatest needs. Initially, the first preserve acquisitions contained small, rich, remnant hills separated by farm fields. Over the past several decades, these agricultural lands have been restored to prairie. This work is ongoing. Of all these opportunities, our greatest need is for folks willing to help with restoration, mainly seed collection and weed management, but all volunteer activity is appreciated.

To volunteer at Nachusa Grasslands, there is no need to complete a volunteer application. Volunteers have diverse backgrounds, wide ranging skills and abilities, and, above all, a strong desire to make a difference.
Picture
YouTube Video

Getting Started
Volunteers participate in many, if not all, aspects of managing and restoring habitat, leading tours, and running events. They even help with behind the scenes activities that keep the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands organization running. Volunteers are treated as colleagues and are given training at the same level as staff. Volunteers may even work with chainsaws, tractors, and participate in controlled burns if they have the ability and pass safety and online training. Specific volunteer tasks are shown below. 

Thursday and Saturday Workdays as well as Stewardship Teams are a great way to begin volunteering and find out what happens at Nachusa. Activities vary depending on the time of year and weather conditions.

​​Join Our Weekly Volunteer Workday E-Mail List!
​​

Volunteer Workday Schedule
Advanced Stewardship​
Volunteers who have the desire to lead restoration efforts are encouraged to become land stewards. Information about stewardship and how to become one can be found on the Stewardship page.  

College Students
College students seeking extra credit or fulfilling class requirements are welcome to participate in workdays as long as they come prepared to engage fully in the planned activities.

If you are planning on attending a workday, please discuss your participation with your instructor and bring any paperwork that the steward leader should sign.

You do not need to telephone or email us, but you do need to sign up in advance.

Seasonal and Year-Round Volunteer Activities

Outdoor Volunteer Activities
Restoration
  • Participating in Thursday and Saturday Workdays
  • Stewarding Units
  • Leading Workdays​
  • Joining a Woodies, Weeds, or Seeds Stewardship Team
  • ​Harvesting/Processing Seeds for Restoration (Fall)
  • Planting Seeds (Winter)
  • Weeding and Brush/Tree Clearing
  • Applying Herbicide to Invasive Plants
  • Serving on a Fall/Spring Controlled Fire Crew (Certification Required)
  • Monitoring the bison corral, exclosures, and fences
  • Maintaining two-tracks
Outreach
  • Leading Hiking, Riding, or Bison Tours
  • Serving as a Docent at the Visitor Center (Summer and Fall)​
  • Taking Photographs & Video
  • Serving on the Autumn on the Prairie committee
Community Science
  • Stream Monitoring (Summer)​
  • Species Monitoring  (Spring and Summer)
Indoor/At Home Volunteer Activities
Outreach
  • Serving on the Social Media Team (website, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Blog)
  • Writing Thank You Letters
  • Reaching out to Donors
  • Giving Presentations
  • Coordinating or Helping with Special Events
Hands-on
  • Maintaining Equipment and Vehicles
  • Doing Woodworking and Construction
  • Cleaning TNC-owned houses
​Science
  • Serving on the Science Grants Committee
  • Helping with the annual Science Symposium Event
Administrative
  • Writing Grants
  • Designing Newsletters and Annual Report
  • Writing Articles about Nachusa for Publication
  • Updating Charity Databases

    Are you interested in volunteering at Nachusa Grasslands, where willing hands as well as new and innovative ideas are always welcome? Tell us how you would like to contribute your skills and abilities towards restoring Illinois grasslands, and we will respond within one week.

Submit

Workday and other volunteer event emails are sent via MailChimp from [email protected] – please add this address to your contacts to avoid having messages go to spam.

UPDATED 04/2025

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Map & Directions

8772 S. Lowden Road  (mailing address)            
2075 Lowden Road (Visitor Center)           
Franklin Grove, IL 61031

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© 2025 FRIENDS OF NACHUSA GRASSLANDS The content on this website is owned by us and our licensors. Do not copy any content (including images) without our consent.
  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission, Leadership, Objectives, and Financials
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2025
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Guided Hikes
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • Autumn on the Prairie >
      • Yearly Festival
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Workday Email List
    • Volunteer Recognition
    • Docents
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Weed Reports
    • Native plant resources
    • Volunteer Stewards
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Resource Links
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Symposium 2025
    • 2025 Science Symposium Abstracts
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2025
      • Science Grants 2021 to 2024 >
        • Science Grants 2024
        • Science Grants 2023
        • Science Grants 2022
        • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2016 to 2020 >
        • Science Grants 2020
        • Science Grants 2019
        • Science Grants 2018
        • Science Grants 2017
        • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2011 to 2015 >
        • Science Grants 2015
        • Science Grants 2014
        • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Anderson Science Award
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Nachusa Staff
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • Websites of Interest
  • Teacher Resources
    • K-2nd grades
    • 3rd-5th grades
    • 6th-8th grades
    • High School
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs