Stewardship Opportunities

For more information, or to register for any scheduled events, please contact us at kentucky@tnc.org.

Trail Maintenance
With a small staff and many visitors to our public preserves, we can always use a hand with trail maintenance. These activities may range from weed whacking around trails to actually building them from the ground up. Moderate to strenuous activity.

Litter Cleanup
There are a few preserves where, unfortunately, litter cleanup is needed almost daily. These activities could range from picking up light litter from a preserve parking lot, to helping haul away an old dumpsite. Light to strenuous activity.

Firebreak Preparation
Firebreak preparation is generally a difficult and time-consuming task. It is also a crucial volunteer activity, as we would not be able to conduct prescribed burns without first cutting proper firebreaks! These activities can range from weed whacking and leaf-blowing grassy areas to cutting paths through dense growth with a chainsaw. Moderate to strenuous activity.

Preserve Monitor
Preserve monitors are critical to our volunteer program. Because the Conservancy’s preserves are spread across the state, it is impossible to visit them as often as we’d like. Preserve monitors generally monitor one to two preserves on a monthly basis to make sure there are no problems. They then complete a report describing what they have seen and send it back to us. Monitors also refill sign-in boxes, talk with preserve visitors, and perform various tasks as necessary. Reliability is a must for this job! Moderate activity.

Exotic Species Removal and/ or Control
Here in Kentucky, one of our biggest problems in natural areas management is controlling exotic species. Native plant and animal species must compete with and can even be displaced by aggressive exotic weeds. We need your help in removing them before they take hold! Exotic weed removal includes everything from pulling small weeds to cutting down trees, and everything in between. In extreme cases, we do use herbicide. Moderate to strenuous activity.