Habitat Defenders - Shenandoah National Park

Habitat Defenders is a restoration team focusing on revegetation efforts and controlling the worst of Shenandoah’s invasive plants. Invasive plants pose a serious threat to native plants and the health of wildlife habitat, and we need as many hands as we can get to slow the progress of these infestations. Our goals are to find volunteers willing to adopt priority sites throughout the park to be visited annually for removal of invasive plants, and invite concerned members of the public to aid us in a variety of volunteer events held year-round to improve our ecosystem.

RSVP for the Events

RSVP for the event is required by 5 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the event. Contact Bridget Harrison for additional information and to RSVP at [email protected] or by phone at 540-999-3500 x 3492.

Duties vary based on the event, but may include:

• Using hand tools such as loppers, hand saws, and pruning shears to remove invasive plants
• Hand-pulling invasive plants
• Collecting seed from native plants for revegetation projects
• Salvaging native plants
• Transplanting seedlings into larger pots
• Planting native vegetation in field locations
• Weeding nursery beds where native plants will be propagated

Required skills:

• The ability to identify the target invasive species (training provided)
• The ability to use hand tools (tools and training provided)
• Putting safety first in an outdoor work environment (protective equipment provided)
• Exhibiting professionalism when working with others, and in regards to park visitors, who may stop to ask you questions
• The ability to meet the physical demands of the task

Physical demands:

• Hiking moderate distance on uneven terrain, sometimes off-trail
• Repetitive bending, stooping, crouching, reaching, kneeling, pulling, and grabbing
• Using and transporting hand tools, and potentially removing trash bags of invasive plant debris from the work site

Work Environment:

• Outdoors, in a variety of weather conditions
• Heat, humidity, wind, cold, and pleasant weather
• Poison ivy, ticks, bears, snakes, gnats, mosquitos etc.

Volunteers should dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots. Bring anything you may need like food, water, sunscreen, bug repellent, jacket, hat and other personal comfort essentials. Personal protective equipment will be provided if necessary for the task (gloves, eye protection, etc.)

There is a possibility that the volunteers may be working with a Virginia Licensed Pesticide Applicator who may be applying herbicide as part of treatment.  In these events, the volunteer will not be using herbicides, but may be assisting the applicator by cutting the vegetation to be treated, and so therefore may be in the vicinity of herbicide.  All responsibility for safely measuring, transporting, applying and cleaning herbicide and herbicide equipment will be the sole responsibility of the licensed applicator.

Benefits

• Learning about plants and ecology
• Developing skills that can build your resume
• Having fun outdoors!
• Getting an inside look at NPS operations
• The satisfaction of doing good for a place you love ♥
• Educating others on invasive plants and ecosystem conservation
• Working with others who share your values
• The potential to earn volunteer swag as you accumulate hours

2020 Event Dates

You can volunteer for one or all of these dates. You can volunteer for 1 hour or the entire day depending on your comfort and availability. Every moment is appreciated!

• April 25th Mapping Invasive Plants with MAEDN App
• May 2 Transplanting @HQ
• May 4 Plant Salvage or Transplanting @TBD
• June 6 Garlic Mustard and Wine Berry Pulling @Dickey Ridge
• June 8 Garlic Mustard @Big Meadows Area
• June 29th Transplanting @ HQ
• July 6 Garlic Mustard @TBD
• July 11 Planting @TBD Aug 1 Weeding @HQ
• Aug 3 Planting @TBD
• Sept 12 Seed collection @TBD
• Sept 14 Seed Collection @TBD
• Sept 26- *Public Lands Day* Seed collection @Big Meadows or Dickey Ridge
• Oct 3 Bittersweet @ Pass Mt
• Oct 5 Seed Collection @TBD
• Nov 7 Bittersweet @Buck Hollow Nov 9 Seed Collection @TBD
• Dec 5 Bittersweet @Browns Gap Rd
• Dec 7 Woody Invasive Plant Removal @South District