Stewardship Workdays
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Join us to get outdoors, get some exercise, learn new skills, meet new people and do some volunteer stewardship!
Workdays may be planned for any day of the week. This will enable us to accommodate the availability of more volunteers, and allow for activities that may pop up. (e.g., a mild winter and early spring cause invasive plants to start growing sooner). Pop-up workdays are scheduled when volunteers are available to come. This allows us to be flexible with weather and preserve needs. This information will be shared on social media and through our volunteer newsletter, so make sure you are signed up! To participate, please register in advance by contacting us at volunteer@heinzetrust.org or by calling us at 219-242-8558. For day of event information, call Eric at (219) 916-7625. |
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Barker Woods Greenhouse Restoration #8
Tuesday, May 21
1pm - 4pm
Barker Woods
Michigan City, IN
The quaint straw-bale and rough-hewn timber greenhouse at Barker Woods has been unused for a very long time. In an exciting partnership with Save the Dunes, we are reviving the greenhouse! Join our efforts as we clean out, restore, patch, and upgrade it so we can grow native species of wildflowers, grasses, and sedges to share among our restoration partners in restoring damaged habitats.
This will be the eighth in a series of Volunteer Workdays to patch the straw bale & plaster walls, attach gutters & install rain barrels, clear out the Dance Hall, check the well in the Pump House, plant native seeds, and so much more! We are so excited to bring the greenhouse back to life and welcome the community to Barker Woods as a hub of stewardship and community-building!
We will provide all the necessary tools & equipment including gloves, goggles, respiration masks, and garbage bags, as well as granola bars and water bottles, although we warmly encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle to continue our "green" efforts.
Please RSVP by calling the office at 219-242-8558 or emailing cmaloney@heinzetrust.org. For directions to Barker Woods, click here: http://www.heinzetrust.org/barker-woods.html
Garlic Mustard Pull
Wednesday, May 29
9am - 12pm (Eastern Time)
Lydick Bog
South Bend, IN
Garlic mustard, originally brought to North America by the early European settlers and grown in their gardens as a pot herb, has become an obnoxious invasive species. Putting a toxin into the soil, it limits the growth of our native plants and creates a monoculture in the understory of our forests.
Christine Maloney, our Volunteer Coordinator and local wild edibles aficionado, will teach the best technique for removing the entire root in order to prevent regrowth, as well as discuss its culinary uses. At the end of our event, we'll hike around Lydick Bog to see the varied habitats on the preserve and look for other wild spring edibles.
Meet in the parking lot at Lydick Bog. We will provide all the necessary equipment and gear, as well as water and granola bars. We encourage you to bring your reusable water bottle and dress appropriately. Wear waterproof boots as some areas may be muddy. Please note that ticks and poison ivy are on the preserve, and wear long pants and sleeves to protect yourself against ticks and poison ivy.
To RSVP, please call the office at 219-242-8558 or email Christine at cmaloney@heinzetrust.org. For information about last minute cancellations, please check Facebook.
National Trails Day - Trail Blazing Along the Little Calumet
Saturday, June 1
9am-Noon
Hawthorne Park
Porter, IN
We are excited to partner with the Town of Porter Park Department as we blaze a new trail at Hawthorne Park so everyone can enjoy a little slice of nature along the Little Calumet River. The trail will be pre-marked with flagging tape, and we'll be removing plants to create a lovely walkway through the woods for hikers, birders, and all nature lovers. Fallen branches will be used to create a biodegradable edging for the trail and provide a clear path.
Park in the gravel lot outside of the tan and green maintenance buildings to the east of the Community Center. Meet the Stewardship Staff there to get instructions and pick up equipment. We will provide all the necessary tools and protective gear, as well as granola bars and water, although we encourage you to bring your own reusable water bottle. Please dress appropriately for the weather and come prepared with protective footwear, long pants, long sleeves, hats and sunscreen.
To RSVP, please call the office at 219-242-8558 or email Christine at cmaloney@heinzetrust.org. For information about last minute cancellations, please check Facebook.
Trail Clean-up and Invasive Species Removal
Saturday, June 8
9am-Noon
Broadway & Atwater Avenue
Beverly Shores
In our continuing partnership with the Beverly Shores Environmental Restoration Group (ERG), we will be cleaning up the trail and removing invasive plants at a quaint and cozy area on the east side of Broadway between Atwater and Leewater. A native woodland wildflower and fern garden and nature trail are in development. Look in the near future for signage, plant name tags, and possibly even an information kiosk.
Due to limited parking space, we recommend that you carpool, walk, or bicycle, if possible. Park along Broadway near the preserve. We will obtain parking permits from the Marshal.
We will provide all the necessary equipment and gear, as well as granola bars and water, although we encourage you to bring your reusable water bottle. Please dress appropriately for the weather and come prepared with protective footwear, long pants, long sleeves, hats and sunscreen. There is some poison ivy and, of course, our other friends - mosquitos and ticks. Please note that there is no restroom facility here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Terry Bonace of ERG at (219) 201-4541 (tbonace@gmail.com) or Christine Maloney of SHLT at (219) 916-8940 (cmaloney@heinzetrust.org).
Clean Water Ambassadors Wanted
Save the Dunes is looking for Clean Water Ambassadors to promote clean waterways in Northwest Indiana. Volunteers will receive free training, distribute septic system outreach and education materials, encourage participation in a yard sign campaign during Septic Smart Week (Sept 16-20), and participate in check-ins and follow-up meetings. No experience is necessary and there is a $500 stipend for program participation and completion. Participants must live in an identified septic system neighborhood in Northwest Indiana; contact Save the Dunes to see if you qualify. Call 219-879-3564 x 122, or email cleanwaterambassador@savedunes.org
Tuesday, May 21
1pm - 4pm
Barker Woods
Michigan City, IN
The quaint straw-bale and rough-hewn timber greenhouse at Barker Woods has been unused for a very long time. In an exciting partnership with Save the Dunes, we are reviving the greenhouse! Join our efforts as we clean out, restore, patch, and upgrade it so we can grow native species of wildflowers, grasses, and sedges to share among our restoration partners in restoring damaged habitats.
This will be the eighth in a series of Volunteer Workdays to patch the straw bale & plaster walls, attach gutters & install rain barrels, clear out the Dance Hall, check the well in the Pump House, plant native seeds, and so much more! We are so excited to bring the greenhouse back to life and welcome the community to Barker Woods as a hub of stewardship and community-building!
We will provide all the necessary tools & equipment including gloves, goggles, respiration masks, and garbage bags, as well as granola bars and water bottles, although we warmly encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle to continue our "green" efforts.
Please RSVP by calling the office at 219-242-8558 or emailing cmaloney@heinzetrust.org. For directions to Barker Woods, click here: http://www.heinzetrust.org/barker-woods.html
Garlic Mustard Pull
Wednesday, May 29
9am - 12pm (Eastern Time)
Lydick Bog
South Bend, IN
Garlic mustard, originally brought to North America by the early European settlers and grown in their gardens as a pot herb, has become an obnoxious invasive species. Putting a toxin into the soil, it limits the growth of our native plants and creates a monoculture in the understory of our forests.
Christine Maloney, our Volunteer Coordinator and local wild edibles aficionado, will teach the best technique for removing the entire root in order to prevent regrowth, as well as discuss its culinary uses. At the end of our event, we'll hike around Lydick Bog to see the varied habitats on the preserve and look for other wild spring edibles.
Meet in the parking lot at Lydick Bog. We will provide all the necessary equipment and gear, as well as water and granola bars. We encourage you to bring your reusable water bottle and dress appropriately. Wear waterproof boots as some areas may be muddy. Please note that ticks and poison ivy are on the preserve, and wear long pants and sleeves to protect yourself against ticks and poison ivy.
To RSVP, please call the office at 219-242-8558 or email Christine at cmaloney@heinzetrust.org. For information about last minute cancellations, please check Facebook.
National Trails Day - Trail Blazing Along the Little Calumet
Saturday, June 1
9am-Noon
Hawthorne Park
Porter, IN
We are excited to partner with the Town of Porter Park Department as we blaze a new trail at Hawthorne Park so everyone can enjoy a little slice of nature along the Little Calumet River. The trail will be pre-marked with flagging tape, and we'll be removing plants to create a lovely walkway through the woods for hikers, birders, and all nature lovers. Fallen branches will be used to create a biodegradable edging for the trail and provide a clear path.
Park in the gravel lot outside of the tan and green maintenance buildings to the east of the Community Center. Meet the Stewardship Staff there to get instructions and pick up equipment. We will provide all the necessary tools and protective gear, as well as granola bars and water, although we encourage you to bring your own reusable water bottle. Please dress appropriately for the weather and come prepared with protective footwear, long pants, long sleeves, hats and sunscreen.
To RSVP, please call the office at 219-242-8558 or email Christine at cmaloney@heinzetrust.org. For information about last minute cancellations, please check Facebook.
Trail Clean-up and Invasive Species Removal
Saturday, June 8
9am-Noon
Broadway & Atwater Avenue
Beverly Shores
In our continuing partnership with the Beverly Shores Environmental Restoration Group (ERG), we will be cleaning up the trail and removing invasive plants at a quaint and cozy area on the east side of Broadway between Atwater and Leewater. A native woodland wildflower and fern garden and nature trail are in development. Look in the near future for signage, plant name tags, and possibly even an information kiosk.
Due to limited parking space, we recommend that you carpool, walk, or bicycle, if possible. Park along Broadway near the preserve. We will obtain parking permits from the Marshal.
We will provide all the necessary equipment and gear, as well as granola bars and water, although we encourage you to bring your reusable water bottle. Please dress appropriately for the weather and come prepared with protective footwear, long pants, long sleeves, hats and sunscreen. There is some poison ivy and, of course, our other friends - mosquitos and ticks. Please note that there is no restroom facility here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Terry Bonace of ERG at (219) 201-4541 (tbonace@gmail.com) or Christine Maloney of SHLT at (219) 916-8940 (cmaloney@heinzetrust.org).
Clean Water Ambassadors Wanted
Save the Dunes is looking for Clean Water Ambassadors to promote clean waterways in Northwest Indiana. Volunteers will receive free training, distribute septic system outreach and education materials, encourage participation in a yard sign campaign during Septic Smart Week (Sept 16-20), and participate in check-ins and follow-up meetings. No experience is necessary and there is a $500 stipend for program participation and completion. Participants must live in an identified septic system neighborhood in Northwest Indiana; contact Save the Dunes to see if you qualify. Call 219-879-3564 x 122, or email cleanwaterambassador@savedunes.org
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
Native Garden Helper
Shirley Heinze Land Trust is in search for volunteers to help maintain the native garden outside our offices at Meadowbrook Nature Preserve in Valparaiso. Tools can be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own. There are no set dates or times for this project. Volunteers are welcome to come as it fits in their schedule; we just ask you to let us know when you are coming by calling the office at 219-242-8558 or emailing volunteer@heinzetrust.org.
Adopt-a-Trail Program
This program is designed for volunteers to help maintain the 17 miles of hiking trails on Shirley Heinze Land Trust nature preserves. Individuals, families, or groups agree to maintain a section of trail at one of the preserves. Scouts, fraternities, sororities, and school groups are encouraged to participate. Volunteers are asked to make a 6-month commitment and may engage in the following activities:
Preserve Steward
Volunteers are available to apply for the Preserve Steward program after completing 6 months of Adopt-a-Trail. Preserve Stewards assume oversight responsibility for a specific Shirley Heinze Land Trust preserve. We need preserve stewards at all of our preserves, but currently these have the biggest need: Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve in Gary, Gordon and Faith Greiner, and Cressmoor Prairie Nature Preserves in Hobart, John Merle Coulter Nature Preserve in Portage, and the Little Calumet River Project Area in Chesterton.
Stewards may engage in some of the following activities:
If you are interested in any of these opportunities or have questions, please contact us at volunteer@heinzetrust.org or 219-242-8558.
Shirley Heinze Land Trust is in search for volunteers to help maintain the native garden outside our offices at Meadowbrook Nature Preserve in Valparaiso. Tools can be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own. There are no set dates or times for this project. Volunteers are welcome to come as it fits in their schedule; we just ask you to let us know when you are coming by calling the office at 219-242-8558 or emailing volunteer@heinzetrust.org.
Adopt-a-Trail Program
This program is designed for volunteers to help maintain the 17 miles of hiking trails on Shirley Heinze Land Trust nature preserves. Individuals, families, or groups agree to maintain a section of trail at one of the preserves. Scouts, fraternities, sororities, and school groups are encouraged to participate. Volunteers are asked to make a 6-month commitment and may engage in the following activities:
- Walk the trail at least once a month
- Provide staff with routine updates on the current conditions and needs of the trail
- Pick up litter and debris
- Help maintain boardwalks, bridges, and benches
- Trim grass, brush, and low-hanging limbs
Preserve Steward
Volunteers are available to apply for the Preserve Steward program after completing 6 months of Adopt-a-Trail. Preserve Stewards assume oversight responsibility for a specific Shirley Heinze Land Trust preserve. We need preserve stewards at all of our preserves, but currently these have the biggest need: Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve in Gary, Gordon and Faith Greiner, and Cressmoor Prairie Nature Preserves in Hobart, John Merle Coulter Nature Preserve in Portage, and the Little Calumet River Project Area in Chesterton.
Stewards may engage in some of the following activities:
- Visit and monitor sites
- Help maintain trails and parking lots
- Assist with ecological management (requires training)
- Remove invasive species
- Monitor and report native species, interesting plants, birds, frogs, etc.
- Collect and distribute native seeds, plant trees, etc.
- Participate in workdays, events, and training opportunities associated with the preserve
If you are interested in any of these opportunities or have questions, please contact us at volunteer@heinzetrust.org or 219-242-8558.