Help plant hundreds of Black oaks and Red oaks, Sept. 24, as part of National Public Lands Day 2011.

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County needs volunteers on Saturday, Sept. 24, to help us plant hundreds of oak trees at Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve in West Dundee. We'll dig the holes if you help us plant! The tree planting is part of an effort to create a woodland savannah.

National Public Lands Day began in 1994 with 700 volunteers, and today is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance America's public lands. In 2010, 170,000 volunteers built 1,320 miles of trails and bridges, removed 450 tons of trash, collected 20,000 lbs. of invasive plants, planted 100,000 trees and shrubs, and contributed $15 million towards public lands improvement. 2011 marks the event’s 18th year.

The Forest Preserve District tree planting gives Kane County residents a chance to get involved in this growing movement. Volunteers are asked to come to Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve at 10 a.m. to plant as many oak trees as are available. (The tree planting will last until 1 p.m. or until we run out of trees.) Volunteers should bring their own work gloves.

“A long time ago, the land in this area was cleared to make way for agriculture,” said Forest Preserve District Director of Natural Resources Drew Ullberg. “So now we are beginning work on our long-term goal of recreating an oak savannah at Schweitzer Woods. The public help on National Public Lands Day will be a great start to what may be a 50-year project,” Ullberg said.

Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve is located at 16N900 Sleepy Hollow Rd. in West Dundee.

For more information on this Forest Preserve event or to RSVP, please contact our Community Affairs Assistant at 630-444-3064.