Are you ready to take your volunteer experience with Poplar Creek Prairie Stewards to the next level? Many of our volunteers choose to grow into leadership roles and skill-based certifications that increase their impact on our restoration work and get them more involved with our community.
Forest Preserves of Cook County Training & Certifications
After completing at least 15 hours of volunteer time at our restoration workdays, you become eligible for advanced training opportunities through the Forest Preserves of Cook County. These trainings deepen your knowledge and equip you with specialized skills that are valuable to both PCPS and the broader stewardship community.
Brush Pile Burn Boss Training
Through the Forest Preserves’ Chicago Wilderness Brush Pile Building and Burning Class, volunteers can receive hands-on training in safely building and burning brush piles as part of woodland and prairie restoration work. Certification includes an apprenticeship, and PCPS offers the opportunity to complete that field training alongside our experienced, certified Brush Pile Burn Bosses at workdays.
Herbiciding Certification
The Forest Preserves offer multiple levels of herbicide certification for volunteers, beginning with the Practical Herbicide class and Alternative Herbicide License, which allows participants to apply herbicide under the direction of a state-licensed Applicator. Advanced certification pathways are also available for those who wish to deepen their expertise in invasive species management.
Chainsaw Training
FPCC offers chainsaw training for volunteers who are recommended by our director and meet other prerequisites. These skills are used in selective removal of invasive trees and brush in support of habitat restoration. Training and certification encourage safe, responsible use of power tools in the field. Speak to a steward at a workday for more details.
Citizen Science & Wildlife Monitoring
The Forest Preserves offer community science programs that train volunteers to help monitor birds, frogs, dragonflies, plants, and other native species across the preserves. Participants receive guidance and resources to confidently identify species and collect data that supports long-term ecological research and restoration planning.
Additional Training
FPCC also offers certifications in power tool use (which allows you to use our brushcutters), prescribed burns (which qualifies you to join FPCC prescribed burn crews), Workday Leaders (which allows you to run workdays), and Chainsaw Safety Assistant (which allows you to assist our chainsawyers). In addition, the FPCC offers periodic training in winter tree/shrub ID, grass ID, flower ID, sedge ID, leadership, first aid, and more.
A certification as a Brush Pile Burn Boss, Chainsawyer, or Brushcutter, or training as a PCPS Workday Leader is required to join our 8:00 AM crew during brushcutting workdays.
Learn more and sign up for these training sessions and more at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County website.
Poplar Creek Prairie Stewards Volunteer Leadership Opportunities
Whether you want to build leadership skills, deepen your ecological knowledge, or play a larger role in shaping restoration efforts, there are several meaningful ways to get more involved with PCPS:
Greeters
Welcome volunteers at the start of a workday, help with check-in, answer questions, and set a positive tone for the morning.
Workday Leaders
Lead a team during a restoration project: Plan the workday in advance, help coordinate tasks, support volunteers, and ensure activities run smoothly with the help of experienced stewards.
Planning & Steering Committees
The Human Resources Committee plans social activities, publishes our Prairie Pulse newsletter, manages our website and social media, runs our greeter program, and performs other tasks. This is a great place for someone wanting to get further involved.
The Site Management Committee works with our two Site Stewards to make plans for brushcutting, prescription burns, invasive species control, seed collecting, seed processing, seed propagation, seeding, and plug planting. Those plans guide volunteer work, staff work, contract work, and conservation crew work. The committee also determines upcoming workday leaders, workday activities, and safety plans.
If you’d like to explore any of these leadership paths, we invite you to send a message to a steward to express your interest and learn more about next steps.
How to Get Started
First, create an account on the Forest Preserves of Cook County website and log your hours.
Once you’ve reached 15 hours of service, if you’re interested in training or certification opportunities, you can go to the FPCC Volunteer website and see current opportunities. You can also talk to one of the PCPS workday leaders at your next workday or send us a message that includes:
- Your name
- The role or training you’re interested in
- Any specific skills or experience you already have
- Your availability for training or committee participation
We’re happy to walk you through the requirements and help you build a path that fits your interests and strengths.
Poplar Creek Prairie Stewards 