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The Five Rivers MetroParks land stewardship mission is to identify, preserve, restore
and manage plant and animal habitats while increasing public awareness of conservation.
MetroParks manages over 13,000 natural acres of park land, and despite having an
extremely dedicated staff, there is more work than the staff alone can complete.
Even though nature knows best and is in part healing itself everyday, several areas
can get out of balance. In 2003, MetroParks started a volunteer group called Habitat
Healers to assist land managers in meeting the land stewardship mission. Through
the Habitat Healer projects, volunteers have many exciting opportunities to help
restore the different habitats managed by MetroParks.
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Volunteer Opportunities
In a year, Habitat Healers volunteers might find themselves clearing out invasive
plants such as honeysuckle or garlic mustard from the woodlands, getting their feet
wet planting green bulrush in a newly constructed wetland, removing hardwoods from
pine groves or harvesting native wildflower seeds from the prairie nursery. No matter
what the project, volunteers make a difference to the many plants and animals within
the parks and share special moments with others who value these incredible parks.
Land stewardship is not only the active management of the natural resources of the
MetroParks, but it is also the active involvement of people who need to know they
are a part of nature.
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Become a Habitat Healer
If you are interested in becoming a Habitat Healer, contact Kevin Kepler, MetroParks'
Volunteer Services Manager at (937) 275-PARK (7275) or
volunteer@metroparks.org
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