Maryland Environmental Trust Offers Volunteer Training in November

Opportunity to Help Statewide Conservation Efforts

The Maryland Environmental Trust is offering one-day volunteer training sessions for individuals interested in helping to monitor state conservation easements.

The sessions will be held 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8, and 9:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 17 at the Howard County Conservancy (10520 Old Frederick Road, Woodstock, Maryland).

Interested volunteers can register for the event online.

The trust, a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, works with land trusts and landowners to conserve, preserve and protect the state’s most treasured natural areas, farm and forest land, waterfronts, historic viewsheds and scenic landscapes as a legacy for future generations. To accomplish this, the trust recruits passionate volunteers who make annual visits to conservation easements to ensure they remain protected and undeveloped.

“This is a great opportunity for those who want to do their part to conserve and protect Maryland’s beautiful natural resources,” Maryland Environmental Trust Land Conservation Liaison Wendy Hershey said. “Volunteers have a chance to explore protected areas throughout the state while adding to their resumes, gaining service hours or simply getting some exercise.”

Volunteers must participate in the two-hour training and agree to complete five or more monitoring visits annually. Those interested should be at least 20 years of age, physically able to walk over potentially rugged terrain, own camera or smartphone and have access to transportation.