Volunteer Stewardship Projects

Below is a list of the volunteer projects we have scheduled at our preserves across the state. If you are interested in joining us, please fill out either our online form or download the project sign-up form and return it to the Ohio Chapter. (Get the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

If you have questions or would like more information regarding these work days, please contact Barbara Bhattacharya at bbhattacharya@tnc.org. Projects are for Saturdays at 10:00 am, unless otherwise noted. The designations of leisurely, moderate, and strenuous are subjective.

Please be aware that all volunteers should be properly prepared. Also, schedule changes may result from weather conditions or other reasons.

Saturday, August 16: White Pine Bog, Northeast Ohio
Cattail Control. This is your opportunity to play a part in the preservation of a National Natural Landmark. The primary target this project day is the cattail population in the Pogacnik Fen, but other cattail stands may be treated also. We will use eradication techniques such as the towel-of-death. The work area is a 20-25 minute walk from where we park. Please be prepared to do some shallow wading and work in a muddy area.
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Chuck Fletcher 0855

Saturday, August 30: Kitty Todd, Northwest Ohio
Prairie Seed Collection. We will collect the first of the ripening prairie seeds. The seeds will be planted on the preserve later in the fall in order to restore old farm fields and home sites to native prairie vegetation. This will benefit rare species such as the lark sparrow and Karner blue butterfly by providing more habitat for them to colonize.
This is a moderate project.
Crew Chiefs: Jim Toppin and Janet Traub 0856

Saturday, August 30: Morgan Swamp, Northeast Ohio
Cattail Control. Join us at this 1000+ acre preserve as we work to control the invasive cattail population by applying herbicide using the hand wicking method. We will be working in wet and muddy areas, so throw on some old clothes and get ready to get dirty!
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Amy Brennan 0857

Saturday, September 6: Beck Fen, Northeast Ohio
Cattail Control. This preserve boasts eight different native sedges. The fen environment contributes to the accumulation of sedge peat and the establishment of additional fen species such as shrubby cinquefoil and several rare willows. The cattail is a real threat to these species. Don’t miss your only chance this summer to help protect this preserve – register today!
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Brad Gamble 0858

Saturday, September 13: Kitty Todd, Northwest Ohio
Prairie Seed Collection. We will continue to collect prairie seeds on the preserve. The seeds will be planted on the preserve later in the fall in order to restore old farm fields and home sites with native prairie vegetation. This will benefit rare species such as the lark sparrow and Karner blue butterfly by providing more habitat for them to colonize.
This is a moderate project.
Crew Chiefs: Jim Toppin and Janet Traub 0859

Saturday, September 13: Herrick Fen, Northeast Ohio
Cattail Control. Help us preserve this area and the state listed species that thrive in it by coming out for a volunteer project today. We will continue our effort to eliminate this quick growing invasive plant, cattail, by using herbicide application techniques such as hand wicking or towel-of-death. Please note that we will likely be working in muddy areas or areas of standing water.
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Mark Purdy 0860

Saturday, September 13: Strait Creek Prairie Bluffs, Southern Ohio
Cedar Clearing. Our cedar clearing volunteer projects are a vital part of our efforts to open up areas that support rare Ohio prairie communities. The preserve consists of large mosaic grasslands and prairies interspersed with second-growth woods. In the past, the area was disturbed and deprived of fire, allowing the cedar trees to move in. We will be cutting down the cedar trees and piling them. Meet at 9:45 AM and be prepared to cross a small stream (only 3 inches deep at most) on the 20 minute walk to the project site. This is a strenuous project. Meeting time: 9:45 AM
Crew Chief: Mike Shifrin 0861

Saturday, September 13: Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve, Central Ohio
Honeysuckle Control. Join the fight against honeysuckle at the Big Darby Creek Headwaters Preserve. The progress we have made is quite astounding, so come see what we have done and lend a hand to help us accomplish even more. The honeysuckle is crowding out many of the native plants in the riparian corridors of the Darby Creek’s tributaries, but we are slowly progressing in the fight against this nuisance.
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Ross Lebold 0862

Saturday, September 20: Tefft Memorial Forest, Southeast Ohio
Trash clean-up. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see this wonderful preserve. There is only one project day per year on this preserve which lies in the unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau Ecoregion of southeastern Ohio. The hemlock gorge forest has been ranked by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as locally significant. This supports what is likely the largest protected population of the rare narrow-leaved toothwort in the state. Other rare plants include golden-knees and rock skullcap. Please come help us clean up trash, old tires, and other miscellaneous objects from the preserve grounds. We can’t do this project without you!
This is a moderate project.
Crew Chief: Jim Noe 0863

Saturday, September 20: Morgan Swamp, Northeast Ohio
Cattail Control. Morgan Swamp is one of the largest protected wetland communities in Ohio and we need your help as we go in for round three of cattail control. We will use a very effective and targeted method of herbicide application method called hand wicking. We will be working near the core of the swamp so be ready to get messy.
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Amy Brennan 0864

Saturday and Sunday, September 27-28: White Pine Bog, Northeast Ohio
Stewardship Weekend Campout
Back by popular demand for the 8th consecutive year! The opportunity to campout on a Conservancy property only comes around once a year, and this is it. Be sure to mark your calendars and register today! Pack your camping supplies, food and a dish for the potluck and join us for all or part of the weekend.

Saturday will start off as a regular volunteer project day at 10:00AM. We will volunteer all or part of the day at Lake Kelso which is owned by Geauga Park District. We will spend our time removing various types of invasive plants including buckthorn. To make the project even more fun we will canoe across Lake Kelso to get to our project work site. At about 4:00 PM we will finish up the stewardship and begin to set up camp and prepare for the potluck dinner. For the rest of the day and night we will enjoy food, hiking, fellowship around the campfire and star gazing.

We will have a relaxing Sunday morning and begin the White Pine Bog stewardship project, garlic mustard or other invasive removal, at 10:00 AM and wrap up no later than 2:00 PM.

Moderate to strenuous projects.
Crew Chief: Chuck Fletcher 0865

Saturday, September 27: Kitty Todd, Northwest Ohio
Prairie Seed Collection. We will collect the last of the ripening prairie seeds. The seeds will be planted on the preserve later in the fall to restore old farm fields and home sites to native prairie vegetation. This will benefit rare species such as the lark sparrow and Karner blue butterfly by providing more habitat for them to colonize.
This is a moderate project.
Crew Chiefs: Jim Toppin and Janet Traub 0866

Saturday, September 27: Strait Creek Prairie Bluffs, Southern Ohio
Cedar Clearing. Round two. If you missed out on our first work day, or just didn’t get enough, we will continue clearing the red cedar around the preserve. We will be cutting, dragging and piling as much red cedar as we can. Clearing cedar is an effort to restore the globally rare little bluestem prairie community. The walk to the project site takes roughly 20 minutes and there is a chance that we will cross a small stream no more than 3 inches deep. Meeting time: 9:45 AM
This is a moderate to strenuous project.
Crew Chief: Mike Shifrin 0867