How to become a "Force of Nature"

On Saturday, Natural Lands Trust will kick off its new "Force of Nature" volunteer training program, which is designed to educate and train participants to serve as volunteer leaders and trail ambassadors.

The first training session will be held at Stroud Preserve on North Creek Road in West Chester at 1 p.m. and will be followed by a  "working walk" at 3:30 p.m., where participants will not only learn about a day in the life of a trail ambassador but will also get experience clearing branches and removing invasive vines. Organizers said this year's  program is full; however, anyone interested in getting a feel for the program is welcome to observe in case they want to apply next year.
 
Stroud Preserve, owned and managed by Natural Lands Trust, consists of 571 acres of culturally and ecologically important land in Chester County and is a unique site for research by the Stroud Water Research Center, one of the premier stream research labs in North America. The preserve offers nearly 10 miles of easy to moderate hiking trails and is home to diverse wildlife.
 
Under the new Force of Nature program, 34 volunteers will participate in five training sessions during which they will explore  topics ranging from tree care and planting to invasive plant identification and removal. Each training session will include a learning component and a hands-on service exercise, such as restoring trails or building nest boxes for bluebirds. Upon graduation, the Force of Nature team will play an important ongoing role in the management of many of Natural Lands Trust's 40 nature preserves in the region.