Volunteer Land Stewards
The Land Stewardship Program increases the capacity of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) to meet the legal and ethical requirements for monitoring and stewarding properties and conservation easements held by WPC. The program provides volunteer opportunities for people interested in helping WPC preserve and protect the important ecological resources of Pennsylvania.
In the warm months, typically May through October, WPC has frequent work projects occurring on WPC properties through out western Pennsylvania, from Erie to Fayette. This might be a day cleaning up an illegal dump, removing invasive weeds, building a bridge, repairing a trail, or marking a property boundary. Volunteers are always welcome at these events, many hands makes for light work. Applicants will be added to email and phone list providing updates regarding the time and location of these events. Although we call these events work days, they are informal and offer a chance to socialize with other conservation minded people and an opportunity to explore and learn about the ecology of the preserve where the work project is occurring.
WPC occasionally has the opportunity to assign volunteers to steward a specific property, where they take on increase monitoring responsibilities, and commit to visiting a property a certain number of times, and provide monitoring reports, maps, and pictures to document these visits. Openings for property specific assignments are made only as available, and we cannot guarantee that all applicants will be assigned to a specific property. We typically tap volunteers who have shown a strong commitment to the program by volunteering with our work days, and look for good fits between a volunteer’s interests and skills and the needs of the properties.
Land Steward Qualifications:
Land Stewards do not have to be ecologists, biologists, or naturalists. Some natural history, map-reading and out-door experience is helpful but not required. Volunteers must meet the following Land Steward Program criteria.
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be at least 18 years of age
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have own transportation
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have the ability to traverse rough trails and grounds. While you are not required to disclose any medical conditions, please keep in mind that Stewardship requires spending a significant amount of time outdoors, in what can be unpredictable conditions. Please reflect on your ability to safely perform the duties described. Consider any allergies or other factors that may affect your safety or comfort in the outdoors
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Be willing to educate WPC constituents and the general public about WPC and conservation issues.
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have interest in preserving western Pennsylvania’s ecological, recreational and scenic resources.
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support the mission and goals of the WPC.
The Benjamin Thomas Holland Memorial Fund
Since December 1998, the Benjamin Thomas Holland Memorial Fund has contributed to the success of the emerging program. As of 2004, 104 volunteers have been trained to protect 38,000 acres of high conservation-value land in Western Pennsylvania. To sustain the program's success, we now ask for your financial contribution.
Featured Steward :: Calendar of Events :: Donate to the Ben Holland Memorial Fund
