Deer Grove Natural Areas Volunteers

The Deer Grove Natural Areas Volunteers is a project of the Nature Conservancy's Volunteer Stewardship Network (VSN) in conjunction with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Our goal is to restore to pre-setelment conditions, the native plant and animal communities found in Deer Grove Forest Preserve. Volunteers are what make this project possible and new faces are always welcome. Deer Grove Forest Preserve is located in Palatine, a northwest suburb of Chicago, IL. The western half of the preserve, where most restoration work is done, is bounded by Quentin Road on the east, Dundee on the south, Ela on the west and Lake Cook/Hillside on the north. (Click on the White Oak picture above for it's story.)

Workdays are from 9am to noon, on the first and third Saturday of each month. For added information contact the Co-Stewards Ron Vargason 847-398-1853 or Pete Jackson 847-577-4438. If the weather is poor (extreme cold or pouring rain) call Ron or Pete after 7:30AM of the work day to find out if the workday is canceled. To get added to the E mail reminder list, send an E mail to Ron at 'barbandron@wowway.com'.

General work day information on where to meet and how to dress.
Trail map and Policy information from the Forest Preserve District of Cook Cty WEB site
Flowers of Deer Grove pictures of rare and common flowers found in the Deer Grove Forest Preserve
Work day pictures of the site and our volunteers.
Streams of Deer Grove describes sources and names.
Deer Grove Ravine web site explaining what was done (behind the fence now) and why.

Friends of the Forest Preserves is a group of people dedicated to the mission of the Cook County Forest Preserves and emerged from the Stewards. The Friends of the Forest Preserves are attending Board meetings, educating Commissioners and their staffs, and working with the District.

Picture of the month below

Mark reminded Ron of the plaque at the NW corner of Quenting and Dundee roads where the bike trail enters Deer Grove. Picture taken by Ron Vargason. March, 08. It reads:
The Heritage to Posterity
The Forest Preserve District organized February 11, 1915, is the heritage of far-seeing men of cook county and Illinois who, by legislative act, seek to perpetuate the forests and streams, hills and vales, prairies and fields, for another generation than this. Thousands of acres of forests skirting cook county shall remain as the red-men left them; - that the health, strength womanhood and manhood of our American posterity may benefit by this foresight. To the athletically inclined there are out door sports – to the fishermen well stocked streams – to the floriculturist the wild flowers – to the tourist comfort – to the infirmed hope – to the future the untrammeled unmolested virgin fields and forests – our tribute to future generations

Other local volunteer stewardship groups who have web sites:
(If you have such a site, we would be happy to add a link to it)