Responsibilities

• Visit designated conserved land to help Kestrel meet its annual monitoring obligations.
• Complete 1 to 4 property visits per year and inspect the designated lands by trails and bushwhacking.
• Document property conditions and any concerns (encroachment, dumping/littering, vandalism, non-native invasive plant species, etc.).
• Fill out and submit a property monitoring report for each visit, including photos as needed.

Optional Responsibilities:

• Note and report observations of wildlife and plant communities.
• If desired, participate in Kestrel’s special events or projects such as clean-ups, large-scale invasive species removal, etc.
• If needed, recruit and train additional volunteers in consultation with Kestrel staff.

Qualifications

• Interest in spending time outdoors and a commitment to conservation.
• Access to personal transportation and ability to travel independently to monitoring locations.
• Willingness to review written information about properties and master the necessary skills to monitor.
• Reliability in completing visits and submitting monitoring reports.
• General knowledge of local flora and fauna is helpful but not required.

Typical Time Commitment

Reviewing property information, completing a property visit, and filling out the accompanying report may take 2 to 3 hours. This varies depending on the size, location, and characteristics of the property. Time is shortened as familiarity with the property increases.

Tools & Training Provided

• Annual training offered on the principles of property stewardship, the steps of monitoring, navigation techniques, and tools such as GPS or mobile apps. We encourage volunteers to attend training at least every other year.
• Forms; property maps & information; option to borrow Kestrel equipment such as GPS unit, camera, compass, or safety vest.
• Other skills as required for special projects.