The Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves has honored Columbus Audubon for its long-running Service in the Preserves (SiP) program! The award was presented to SiP coordinator Katryn Renard at the recent annual DNAP conference at Mohican State Park. Congratulations to all of our wonderful SiP volunteers who have given so much time and hard work to maintain and improve Ohio's most beautiful natural areas!
Here's what Dee Hammel, Assistant Chief at DNAP, said when she presented the award to Columbus Audubon:
The Columbus Audubon Society has been in existence for over 100 years, and with 3000 current members, is one of the largest Audubon chapters in the nation.
Ecologically minded and forward thinking, Columbus Audubon members have made a longstanding commitment to the preservation of high quality natural areas in Ohio. In 1982, a model program called "Service in the Preserves" was established in which Natural Areas preserve managers and Audubon volunteers worked together to define projects at State Nature Preserves. 8 projects are selected around the state annually. They are typically one day projects and involve invasive species removal, boardwalk and bridge construction, and trail maintenance. Occasionally more labor intensive projects are needed which are scheduled over a work weekend. Recent projects like this include building 4 bridges, removing 200 tires from a preserve, and building and/or removing entire staircases.
If you take 8 projects per year, multiplied by 32 years, that equals 256 work days. If 10 volunteers attend each event (an underestimate), and volunteer 8 hours per event (also an underestimate), that would total approximately 20,500 hours of donated time!
This work is obviously not glamorous - but it is absolutely necessary to prevent the spread of non-native invasive species and provide preserve visitors a safe and enjoyable experience. And it is amazing to see the results of their efforts!
Columbus Audubon volunteers work in rain or shine, wind, and sometimes bitter cold. In fact, on a work trip at Clifton Gorge this year, the weather ran the entire gamut of conditions - from sunshine to snow showers, sleet and of course wind. On the drive home a passing sign flashed the temperature of 18 degrees! Even though it was brutally cold that day, the volunteers enjoyed the solace of the preserve - they pretty much had it to themselves! - and beauty of frozen waterfalls which looked like scenic postcards.
Founding members still participate in the "Service in the Preserves" projects, and a number of volunteers have 28 or more years of service.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, acknowledges the outstanding volunteer efforts of the Columbus Audubon "Service in the Preserves" program, and thanks this group for their 32 year commitment to protecting Ohio's State Nature Preserves.
You can see a gallery of photos of Service in the Preserves volunteers in action on recent trips to Lake Katherine State Nature Preserve , atWhipple State Nature Preserve, and at Daughmer Prairie Savanna. You also can be part of the SiP program! To learn more, visit the Service in the Preserves page on this Web site. Or skip the intro and go right to a list of upcoming SiP projects.
