VOLUNTEER for Land Stewardship!

Durham has a great tradition of volunteering. During the past few years many people have helped with stewardship on Town-owned conservation areas including UNH students, fraternities, sports teams and ROTC, high school students, Eagle Scouts, Durham Rotary, employees of NH businesses, town board members, town residents, and people from other communities. Projects have included building bridges and trails, blazing trails, erecting sign posts, clearing brush, building kiosks and benches, pulling invasive plants, planting native trees and shrubs, raising money, and more. Thanks to everyone for this important and valued work.

We welcome many more hands to help with these and other projects. Here is how to learn about volunteer opportunities in our area:

• Sign-up for Durham’s weekly electronic Friday Update
• Sign up for a weekly email about volunteer events from UNH Cooperative Extension at www.naturegroupie.org
• Contact the Durham Conservation Commission Chair or Land Stewardship Coordinator to stay abreast of Durham land stewardship work days.

From a Nature Groupie training guide:

"Working with volunteers on stewardship projects is rewarding and effective. Volunteers provide enthusiasm, skill, and energy for stewardship of lands, waters, and ecosystems, helping to tackle projects impossible for staff to accomplish on their own. Volunteer projects are also great tools for community outreach, by expanding the network of informed and knowledgeable citizens on stewardship topics such as invasive plants, shoreline erosion, habitat restoration, trails, and the need for conservation land."

There is more information about nature-based volunteer opportunities and training in the weblinks below.

If you are interested in volunteering contact the Durham Land Stewardship Coordinator at stewardship@ci.durham.nh.us