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Get Connected
Thank you for your interest in dedicating your time to conserving Pennsylvania nature! Volunteering with TNC provides new skills, experiences and a sense of accomplishment. Find upcoming events or sign up to become a volunteer by filling out the short form below.
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- Volunteer in PA
- Citizen Science
- 30 Years of Service
Volunteering in Pennsylvania
There is more than one way to volunteer for The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania. In addition to participating in regularly scheduled work days and trail maintenance, our volunteers perform internet research, help at events, educate members and complete administrative tasks in the office. Some needs we regularly seek to fill include:
- Hike Leaders: Lead a hike. We also appreciate suggestions for great places to hike and connect members with nature.
- Preserve Monitors: Assist with monitoring one the places TNC protects on a regular basis (approximately 4-6 visits per year) to assess the condition and needs of the preserve and keep us informed of any issues.
- Volunteer Photography/Videography: Take pictures and/or video throughout the year for use in TNC’s Pennsylvania publications, website and social media.
- Social Media: Actively share information about TNC’s work in Pennsylvania on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
- Youth Groups and Scout Troops: Taking care of the land is a great fit with the values and missions of many youth organizations. Volunteering to conserve Pennsylvania's natural heritage is a great way to learn while giving back to the community.
For more information about volunteering in Pennsylvania, fill out the short form below and we'll be in touch with opportunities!
Guide to iNaturalist
Join a community of citizen scientists using our iNaturalist fact sheet.
Become A Citizen Scientist
We are creating a citizen science database of all kinds of life—from lichens to ants, mushrooms to plants, birds to mammals and everything in between for our preserves in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
TNC's roots began with local citizens and scientists concerned about special places and species. That legacy continues today. Across our lands, we are utilizing iNaturalist—a digital platform that gives users an opportunity to share and discuss their findings.
Our 14 preserve projects in iNaturalist currently have 2,709 observations of 1,219 species made by 47 observers. Of the 14 preserve projects, nine have observations recorded; help us increase that number and our understanding of the species—good and bad, native as well as invasive—that can be found on TNC lands across the state. This information can also help guide and inform our conservation staff's management and monitoring decisions.
Get Started
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Find Preserve Projects
- Woodbourne Forest & Wildlife Preserve
- Chrome Barrens Preserve
- Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain
- Cove Mountain Preserve
- Florence Shelly Wetlands Preserve
- Thomas Darling Preserve
- Long Pond Preserve and Hauser Nature Center
- Bristol Marsh Preserve
- Tannersville Cranberry Bog Preserve
- Brush Mountain
- Edward H. McCabe Preserve
- Harry and Mary Goering Preserve
- Pemberton Forest Preserve and Ponders Tract Trails
- West Branch Forest
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Video Tutorial
In this video tutorial, learn how to make an observation on iNaturalist using the mobile app. Watch now.
30 Years of Service
It was with mixed emotions that we announced in 2020 that Dr. Jerry Skinner was retiring from his post as resident naturalist at Woodbourne Forest & Wildlife Preserve.
"I’m truly grateful and honored to have had the privilege of living on the preserve for 30 years, raising my family here, and playing in this big back yard. I couldn’t have imagined a better fit for my skills and interests," said Dr. Skinner.
It was with mixed emotions that we announced in 2020 that Dr. Jerry Skinner was retiring from his post as resident naturalist at Woodbourne Forest & Wildlife Preserve.
"I’m truly grateful and honored to have had the privilege of living on the preserve for 30 years, raising my family here, and playing in this big back yard. I couldn’t have imagined a better fit for my skills and interests," said Dr. Skinner.
For the better part of 30 years, Dr. Skinner provided environmental education experiences to countless members of the community, from 2nd graders at the local schools, to students from Keystone College, where he taught, to adults wanting to catch a glimpse of a rare bird in the spring. For those who know Dr. Skinner, he is quite the birder and always knew where they would be in Susquehanna County.
“I was fortunate enough to experience the Woodbourne Preserve for the first time with Jerry as my tour guide,” recalled PA/DE chapter Volunteer Coordinator Molly Anderson. “This preserve has held a special place in my heart ever since. Dr. Skinner’s wealth of knowledge about our natural world and his way of explaining it is very special, so it’s hard not to fall in love with the birds, plants, insects and all the interconnected intricacies of nature that he shares with visitors to the preserve.”
The preserve just won’t be the same without him. We can’t thank Dr. Skinner enough for the impression he has left on this special place and we wish him all the best for his next chapter.