NOTE: this is an online program only.  To receive the link for this Zoom webinar, register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q5Gs3KaISnGLSxozME0RNg

Land protection is essential for biodiversity conservation, water quality protection, and climate resilience.  The work of land trusts is becoming increasingly relevant, important, and needed. However, most trusts operate on a shoe string budget with little (or no) staff.  Volunteers fill that gap and perform critically important land protection and stewardship services that would go undone if it weren’t for their work.

The Lancaster Conservancy recently developed and implemented a Volunteer Land Steward program to increase the organization’s capacity to perform land stewardship and community outreach.  Keith Williams directs that program and will discuss best practices from a blending of land stewardship and volunteer management perspectives. He will discuss the structure of the Lancaster Conservancy program, lessons learned, a few invasive plant management methods that have worked well with volunteers, and examples of why this work is so critically important.