Volunteer to Conserve Wildlife Habitat
In Your Community
Next training will be offered in September 2010.
Join the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) nationwide team of volunteers who serve their communities as Habitat Stewards™! City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and NWF, in partnership with Travis Audubon Society, are offering a specialized training to teach you how to help others create and restore wildlife habitat in backyards, schoolyards, and other private and public areas. This training is offered through the Parks and Recreation Department’s Wildlife Austin program, which spearheaded the certification of Austin as NWF Community Wildlife Habitat.
Training topics include:
- Native Plants for Wildlife
- Invasive Plants & Habitat Restoration
- Attracting Birds & Butterflies
- Landscape Design Principles
Volunteer Commitment
- Volunteers must be able to attend all of the training classes, including follow-up events after the training.
- Commit to working a minimum of (30) volunteer hours within one year of the training. Volunteers are also responsible for logging their volunteer hours with NWF.
- Spend (4) of the volunteer hours working on a Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) habitat related project such as installing a habitat garden, maintaining a habitat garden, removing invasive plants, erecting nest boxes, and/or habitat restoration. Responsible for submitting these volunteer project hours to PARD staff.
- Serve as a resource for individuals and organizations in your community who are interested in habitat creation or restoration.
Examples of Habitat Projects
- Promotion of habitat creation and conservation through education and outreach including presentations, tabling at events, writing an article for a neighborhood newsletter, etc.
- Map and inventory potential habitat areas.
- Research, select, grow and order plants and seeds for projects.
- Design the wildlife habitat project.
- Assist parents, teachers and other educators on presenting lessons and activities in or about the habitat.
- Mentor children, novice gardeners or homeowners on habitat gardening skills.
- Help certify a neighbor’s yard, a schoolyard habitat, or other site.
Habitat Stewards receive:
- 30 hours of intensive, hands-on training
- A comprehensive training manual including regional resources
- Advice and practical training from local conservation professionals
- Field trips and hands-on educational sessions with other community members
Sample Habitat Stewards Training Agenda
For more information about the National Wildlife Federation's Habitat Steward Volunteer Training program and other volunteer opportunities please visit www.nwf.org/volunteertypes/.
Training co-sponsored by Travis Audubon Society and supported by Austin Nature & Science Center, Mayfield Park, Senior Activity Center, Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Questions
Please contact Alice Nance with the Parks and Recreation Department’s Wildlife Austin program: alice.nance@ci.austin.tx.us or 512-327-8181 x29.
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