You must register to volunteer your Service Learning or you will be asked to come back another day.  Call (312-744-5472).  Volunteer work days occur from 9 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on most Wednesday and Sunday mornings (check the Urban Naturalist newsletter for any changes to this schedule). Please try to arrive before 9:00 a.m. If you arrive at the nature center after 9:00 a.m., check in at the front desk (or with a staff member) to find out where to find the work day crews.

Management of the nature preserve contains 2 primary objectives: 1--creating and maintaining appropriate native wildlife habitats (i.e.planting, seeding, removing weeds, etc.); and 2--carrying out general nature preserve maintenance (i.e. mulching trails, pruning trees and shrubs, watering gardens, etc.).

The primary objective of volunteer work day projects is to engage interested volunteers in assisting the nature center staff with the management of the nature preserve property. In doing so, all volunteers are representatives of the Chicago Park District while they are assisting it with management activities. As such, volunteers are required to treat all other volunteers with respect. In addition, all volunteers must treat all nature center property with respect. Tools should only be used for management activities that they were intended for.

In general, volunteers are here to help out with planned work day activities. If any volunteers engage in horseplay or other unruly behavior not in keeping with the work day activities, they will be asked to leave. Volunteers should only carry out activities that were laid out by the volunteer coordinator. No other management activities should be carried out, unless otherwise requested by the volunteer coordinator.

If volunteers are observed behaving inappropriately or treating any other volunteer or tool with disrespect, they will be given 1 warning. If their inappropriate behavior continues, they will be asked to leave the nature center and discontinue volunteering. The use of profanity will result in being asked to leave. No warning will be given.

Most work day activities will occur outdoors. Volunteers are expected to dress appropriately to handle the weather and the possibility of getting dirty. The volunteer coordinator reserves the right to turn any volunteer away who is not dressed appropriately.

Any student interested in gaining community service credit for their school must bring a form from their school that will be signed by the nature center volunteer coordinator. The nature center will not create records for the student to use.

Volunteer work days will be cancelled if temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit or go below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. It will also be cancelled if the wind chill is below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

If requested work dates are filled, there are 2 other sources of volunteer work in natural areas in the Chicago region: 1--Call Becky Schillo, Volunteer Coordinator with the Chicago Park District (312) 742-4072, to learn about weekend work day activities in natural areas in other Chicago parks; 2--Look up “North Branch Restoration Project” on your computer to find out about work day activities in forest preserves in the area. Also, we can reschedule anyone for other future work days.

If you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to call the North Park Village Nature Center staff at (312) 744-5472.