KENT – The Kent Land Trust is seeking volunteers who are interested in helping preserve the land in Kent and furthering the mission of the land trust.
KLT recently released a survey but hasn’t had the kind of response the organization was hoping to see. Click here to access the survey.
KLT Programs Manager Melissa Cherniske said during a recent interview that there are opportunities for stewardship, education, community science and well as other activities. Anyone interested will be added to the group’s volunteer database and contacted as opportunities arise.
Some of the volunteer work options listed in the survey are stewardship work days, both with a group or individually; individually hiking preserve trails to report downed trees, washouts and suspicious activity; leading an organized hike or leading an educational program on a specialty interest; taking photographs from KLT properties to add to its catalog of images; and assisting KLT staff by helping distributed literature and speaking with visitors at the Farmer’s Market, Summer Sale Days or pop-up events).
The land trust is hoping to reach as many people as possible to entice them to volunteer.
“There’s a volunteer opportunity for anyone,” Cherniske said. “I don’t want anyone to think that because they don’t fit into the perfect mold of an environmental friend that there isn’t a volunteer opportunity or a way to network with other people who are like minded. I see this as a way to network within your community in the outdoors.”
Those who are interested in developing their skills in using the eBird app to gather data on birds at the KLT preserves can sign up for a training workshop April 18 at 6 p.m. It will be held at 45 on Main Coffee, Chocolate and Creamery.
The workshop is open to anyone who wants to learn about collecting data on birds using the app or even just brush up on their skills.
Registration in advance online is requested so KLT can prepare for how large the group will be. Details are also available at www.kentlandtrust.org.
There will be an eBird blitz and Earth Day Stewardship Day offered April 22 at 10 a.m. at the Claire Murphy Riverwalk.
This is the second time KLT has held a Bio Blitz.
“We did it with Marvelwood School last year on Earth Day,” said Cherniske. “We went to four different preserves using eBird and iNaturalist to collect information on the preserves with the entire school.”
Stewardship Day will include activities to restore the habitat of the waterfowl that live there by removing invasive plants and replacing them with beneficial native plants. Registration is required at the same activities link to ensure communication about weather-related changes.
