Foundation supports volunteers’ habitat restoration efforts
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Supporting the Forest Preserve District’s volunteer services program is one of the many ways The Nature Foundation of Will County helps give people more of what they love about the preserves.
In 2025, volunteers donated more than 12,750 hours of service to the Forest Preserve, allowing the District to expand its habitat restoration efforts and connect with more people through educational and recreational programs and events. In addition to helping with corporate workdays and securing funds for volunteer supplies, we provide volunteer site stewards with grants through our Restore Will County program.
Since 2017, we have awarded nearly $30,000 through the program. This year, three grants were awarded. Site steward Scott Mortensen received $500 to purchase supplies and equipment he needs for restoration work at Hickory Creek Preserve, site steward John Fuqua received $500 to purchase native seed for the restoration work he’s conducting at Hammel Woods and the Forest Preserve District’s natural resource management crews received $2,000 to support various volunteer restoration projects.
Scott, who was named the Forest Preserve’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year, has been a volunteer since 2000. As a site steward, his focus has been to control invasive species like honeysuckle and autumn olive as well as some buckthorn.
He said he will use his Restore Will County grant to purchase chainsaw chains, bars and gloves to help “free the oaks” by removing small trees growing under large oaks so they have more space to grow.
“The Restore Will County grant greatly helps stewards with the cost of equipment, equipment repairs, PPE (personal protective equipment) and supplies we need to accomplish our tasks,” Scott said.
Scott is one of a dozen volunteer site stewards. These dedicated volunteers generally perform at least 40 hours a year to their projects at preserves across the county, said Julie Bozzo, recreation crew leader and volunteer liaison for the Forest Preserve District.
“The dedication of site stewards is an incredible asset. We are fortunate to own the vast amount of land that we do, but our crew and contractors only have so much bandwidth,” Julie said. “Being able to ask site stewards to handle smaller projects in high-propriety areas increases the amount of restoration effort being made in our preserves. In doing so, many stewards also interact with the public and help spread the word about the important work that we do.”
Julie will use the Forest Preserve District’s grant to purchase native seed to spread in areas where volunteers conduct restoration work. She is also encouraging more volunteers to get trained to support the District’s prescribed burn program, and hopes to replenish essential supplies like fire gloves and personal protective equipment.
“In 2025, volunteers donated 2,200 hours of work to the natural resource management team. They helped the Forest Preserve District do more, made it fun, and kept it safe. They are all our partners in protecting nature and we are happy to support their work,” said Tara Neff, executive director of the Foundation.
The Forest Preserve District offers a huge range of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. You can help them accomplish more by volunteering as much or as little as you like. Learn how to get involved here.