Whether he was climbing trees, bird watching or just simply being in the woods, Oak Park resident Scott Mortenson knew early on he loved being outdoors.
Now 71, Mortenson has spent his free time over the last six years volunteering for the Forest Preserve District of Will County. And because of those efforts, he was named the 2025 Volunteer of the Year recently at the district’s annual volunteer celebration.
Mortenson was also the recipient of the Nature Foundation of Will County’s 2025 Restore Will County grant program. He received $500 for supplies and equipment.
Mortenson said receiving the honor was “wonderful,” but it was a team effort.
“I think it’s important for people to know that even though it’s an honor to get, just for your colleagues and the people on the staff to put your name in the hat for volunteer of the year, but it’s not one person,” he said. “It’s all of us together, all the time.”
Mortenson initially got involved with the Will County preserves after asking a friend about his work as a steward in the district. Before becoming an official volunteer, Mortenson said he joined a group of seasoned volunteers in a winter tree identification class.
After a couple months learning, he went on to receive training certifications and has been volunteering ever since, he said.
“It’s very rewarding,” he said. “It’s also very nourishing to the soul to be in nature.”
When people first start out volunteering, they usually do small tasks like removing invasive plants, said Emily Kenny, the district’s volunteer services supervisor. But Mortenson wanted to do more.
“He’s really been able to take the bull by the horns and really do the amazing work that our Prairie People volunteers are allowed and able and are trained to do,” Kenny said.
As a steward, he helps implement management plans created by staff at the forest preserves, freeing up staff for other jobs, she said. Among the duties he’s stepped up to take care of are teaching safety techniques to other volunteers.
Mortenson’s commute from his Oak Park home to some of the preserves can take over an hour, including a session last week where he and about 10 other volunteers met at the Old Plank Road Trail — Wolf Road Access near Mokena to cut down invasive trees. The stumps were sprayed with the herbicide Triclopyr 4 to kill the roots, freeing up room for native plants to grow and thrive over the summer.
He volunteers as much as he can, he said. This week, he plans to work with teenagers at the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.
Mortenson worked as a projective executive in commercial industrial demolition for 26 years, he said. He retired on his birthday last year in January, a relaxing gift for himself.
He spends his time making pottery, something that he fell off doing nearly three decades ago, but has picked up doing again since retiring, along with spending time with his dog, Lacy, a 150-pound Irish wolfhound.
Kenny said she’s proud to have Mortenson around and believes his work will have a lasting effect.
“It really is an enjoyable experience knowing that we have a wonderful, capable volunteer that hopefully will inspire the next steward for the area” Kenny said. “Like, hey, eventually I’m not going to be able to do this either and I would love to pass of the reigns to someone else and inspire that next generation.’”
For Mortenson, he enjoys more than just being out in nature, he also values being amongst other volunteers.
“It’s really just being with people that love the same thing, especially the people that do it all the time and learning from the ones that have been doing it for like 20 and 30 years,” he said. “It’s amazing what they know, so to be around them is a real honor and treat.”
