Our Story
Founded in 2010, Friends of the Shawnee National Forest works closely with the U.S. Forest Service — its staff and volunteers — to provide high-quality recreation and conservation opportunities in Southern Illinois.
We value our public lands.
Friends of the Shawnee National Forest is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible outdoor recreation, environmental education, and land stewardship on the Shawnee National Forest.
We encourage all people to get out and experience the scenic beauty of the Shawnee. Incredible sandstone bluffs, diverse flora and fauna, easy access to rivers, creeks, and lakes, and abundant opportunities to experience nature are just a few of the reasons we love this area.
Through a combination of education, community outreach, and advocacy, together we can preserve and protect this extraordinary resource.
Fifteen years of friendship with the forest.
A few highlights from a decade and a half of stewardship, education, and community.
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2010
A motivated group of individuals organizes around stewardship, sustainable recreation, and education. Articles of incorporation are filed, by-laws adopted, and the first Board of Directors is selected.
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2011
The first Participating Agreement with the Shawnee National Forest legitimizes the Friends as an Interpretive Association with the Forest Service. Logo, brochures, and first website launch.
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2013
First hiker-equestrian trail map printed for the Herod/Eddyville area. The quarterly newsletter begins, along with the L.O. Trigg tour revival for National Public Lands Day.
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2014
501(c)(3) status application completed. Hikes hosted in all wilderness areas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Wilderness Act. First paid Executive Director hired.
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2016
The Friends participate in the America the Beautiful Quarter dedication featuring Camel Rock at Garden of the Gods — and hold the first Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Concert.
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2018
New website launches. Grant received to sign and improve the River to River Trail. Arborwild event supported with over 200 attendees.
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2022
The first Shawnee Plunge is held at Pounds Hollow. Volunteers remove nearly 350 pounds of trash for National Public Lands Day and clear acres of invasive autumn olive at Garden of the Gods.
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2024
An estimated 6,795 pounds of trash removed forest-wide with volunteers and Shawnee National Forest staff. Kid’s Fishing Derby hosted at Oakwood Bottoms.
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2025
The 4th Annual Shawnee Plunge kicks off the year, followed by a 1,964-pound trash blast near the Iron Furnace and invasive plant removal at Snake Road with the Forest Service and U of I Extension.
Where six ecological regions meet.
The Shawnee National Forest encompasses the southern tip of Illinois, where six natural ecological regions converge — creating a diversity of plant and animal species and unique geological features found nowhere else in the state.
It’s possible to traverse the forest in one day and experience vast oak-hickory forests, flourishing wetlands, razorback ridges, tupelo and cypress swamps, and thin-soiled hill prairies where rare native wildflowers thrive.
- Seven Congressionally-designated Wilderness Areas
- Six candidate Wild & Scenic Rivers
- Four National Natural Landmarks
- Two National Scenic Byways
- Eighty designated Natural Areas
The U.S. Forest Service
Administered by the USDA Forest Service, the Shawnee National Forest is one of 155 national forests nationwide. The agency’s mission: sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
Our vision is to create opportunities for collaborative work toward assisting that mission as it pertains to the Shawnee National Forest.
Visit the USFS Shawnee Site