Volunteer in Indiana

There are opportunities to get involved with The Nature Conservancy through volunteering all across the state! Check out these options by region.

Northwest Indiana

• Seed harvesting and cleaning
• Invasive plant removal
• Wildlife and plant surveys
• Sign and trail construction
• Maintenance of facilities
• Visitor education
• Photography
• Prescribed fires
• Data entry and office support

Central Indiana

• General office support
• Data entry
• Marketing assistance
• Philanthropy assistance
• Garden care
• Trail construction and maintenance
• Invasive plant removal
• Wildlife and plant surveys

South Central Indiana

• Invasive plant removal
• Trail construction and maintenance
• Signage construction and maintenance
• Prescribed fires
• Wildlife and plant surveys
• Guided hikes

Far South Indiana

• Invasive plant removal
• Wildlife and plant surveys
• Trail maintenance
• Prescribed fires
• Native tree planting

Northeast Indiana

• Invasive plant removal
• Trail maintenance

Do you enjoy being on the ground, out in the field, and maybe a bit dirty after a hard day’s work? If so, then the role of Preserve Steward is for you! The Nature Conservancy is seeking dedicated volunteers to help us steward our Kankakee Sands Nature Preserve in Newton County.

Preserve Stewards will learn the art and science of conservation and restoration work. Their skills and contribution allow for stewardship staff to maximize their capacity and better care for all areas of Kankakee Sands.

Responsibilities

Preserve Steward responsibilities may include:

• Controlling Invasive plants with herbicide and/or hand tools
• Removing woody brush with hand tools or power tools
• Collecting, cleaning, and sorting native plant seeds
• Constructing firebreaks with cut brush and/or raking
• Planting native plant plugs or seeds
• Operating machinery and/or power equipment with guidance from staff
• Working independently or with staff in areas with uneven terrain, no electricity or plumbing
• Communicating with Kankakee Sands staff about prioritizing tasks
• Following the management plan provided by Kankakee Sands staff
• Completing training as needed and requested by staff
• Tracking volunteer hours for inclusion in our annual volunteer reports
• Working with TNC stewardship staff to identify and perform other stewardship tasks

Training

Preserve Stewards will receive an orientation to The Nature Conservancy and Kankakee Sands. This role will have many opportunities for training and education on equipment, tools, techniques, native plants, invasive species management and more. Experience in a related field is preferred but not required.

Time commitment

This is an ongoing role with an expected commitment of 8 hours monthly, April through November.

How to sign up

Email your interest and a little bit about yourself to indianavolunteer@tnc.org with the subject line “Preserve Steward Volunteer.”