Get Involved
Thank you for visiting the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s website, and for your interest in becoming involved as a volunteer! We invite you to explore the volunteer opportunities available in our 5-county service area and join over 300 other volunteer colleagues who are generously dedicating their time and skills to help preserve, protect and maintain significant natural, scenic, and farm lands in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Manistee counties.
We literally could not protect and steward the 33,000 acres of land and nearly 100 miles of shoreline we’re responsible for without the help of volunteers. Volunteer colleagues fulfill the vast and growing stewardship, communication, fund development and administration needs that we assume with each new land protection project. Our volunteers work alongside, and in partnership, with our staff. We give our volunteers the support, guidance, and tools they need, and then give them space to innovate and lead to accomplish the tasks at hand. Our volunteers’ passion and dedication - combined with the talent, experience and expertise they lend – inspires us to continue our efforts to build a conservation and stewardship ethic around conserved lands and within our broader community.
Please take a moment to explore the opportunities presented below and consider joining our committed team of volunteer colleagues in building a community stewardship ethic around the preservation and protection of forests, farmlands, open spaces and watersheds of this very special region. If you have a particular skill you’d like to share with the Conservancy that isn’t listed below, just let us know – we rely on our community of volunteers to provide ideas too!
Volunteer Opportunities
Listed below are some of our Volunteer Colleague opportunities.
Organization Wide
All teams (Land, Stewardship, Communications, Fund Development and Administration) within GTRLC are in need of Volunteer Colleagues for the positions below.
Small grant researcher and writer
Photographer/Videographer
Team Volunteer Coordinators
IT support “help desk”
Data Entry
Filing/administrative assistance
OSHA Consultant
Interior Design Consultant/Office Wellness
Land Stewardship If you want to be outdoors
Preserve Stewards
GTRLC nature preserves need stewards: a committed corps of volunteers who effectively adopt one of our nature preserves. Volunteer responsibilities include preserve monitoring; maintaining and restoring trails, natural habitats and preserve infrastructure; and serving as an accessible and helpful public "face" of the preserve on behalf of the Conservancy.
Click HERE for our online preserve steward monitoring report.
Trail Steward
GTRLC monitor trails remove large twigs and branches, cut back encroaching vegetation, clear large trees that come down on the trail, mow grassy areas where needed, replace trail markers and maps, repaint trail blazes, and repair boardwalks and other structures as needed and able.
Boundary Monitor: Walk (or paddle depending on the preserve!) the boundary lines at least once every 2 years noting condition/presence of boundary signs, intrusion up to or across the boundary, and changes in adjacent land use. GPS skills may be used, and GTRLC will provide training.
Invasives Species Scout: Monitor preserves for the presence of invasive species especially along trails and shorelines. May also involve off-trail bushwhacking to look for plants carried in by wind, birds, deer, or other off-trail visitors. Plant identification and GPS skills are needed, and GTRLC will provide training.
Hike Leaders/Docents
Lead hikes and host other educational events on preserves and natural areas. Training provided!
Forestry Stewards
Conduct plant and animal inventories, photo documentation of growth and development.
Workshop/Carpentry
Make trail signs, kiosks, boardwalks, and other structures used on our preserves. The Conservancy has tools and a shop!
Maple Bay Farm and Nature Preserve Steward
This preserve is unique because it is a historic farmstead and includes multiple historical buildings, perennial gardens and landscaping.
Work Bees
Many hands make work more fun! Volunteer work bees accomplish episodic projects at nature preserves such as: trail building and maintenance, invasive plant control, tree planting, cleanup of new preserves, and natural land restoration. Work days take place throughout the year, but especially between April and October. Let us know if you are interested and we will send you email updates about these events. We also post them on our website.
Land Steward Coordinators
This is an opportunity for volunteers to assume leadership and supervisory roles within the Conservancy. Volunteer Crew Leaders are needed to lead projects and work days. Lead Preserve Stewards are needed to coordinate Friends Groups.
Plant and animal species inventory
Visit specific sites to document plant and species inventory for a variety of uses.
Conservancy lumber ID project
Work with local businesses and saw mills to create a branding process for conservancy lumber.
Land Protection
Diverse project opportunities from farms to preserves and parks working with private land owners and/or local units of government. Certain skills required though some training and support will be provided.
GIS mapping
Works with staff to create project and landscape scale maps suitable for publication and presentations. Updates both mapping software and GTRLC digital data. Converts maps to images (JPEG/PDF) and maintains the digital and hard copy “Map Book”, which allows staff not trained in GIS to access and print maps.
Qualifications
Must have experience with ArcView 9.x and demonstrated ability to create high-quality presentation maps. Creative, team-oriented and able to meet deadlines.
Baseline Documentation Reports
Aerial monitoring summary sheets
LTA Accreditation and record upkeep
Watershed Summary writing assistance
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund application assistance
Adminstrative, Communications & Engagement
Merchandise Manager
Flexible schedule, typically one half-day per week. Manage inventory and re-order when needed; ship merchandise once a week. Organize and track merchandise.
Publications Consultant
Serve as GTRLC’s “outside eye” helping to ensure cohesiveness of all collateral, and assisting with creation of one-time and scheduled, regular publications.
Website Manager
Audit content, suggest revisions, advance the entire site; etc.
Librarian
Organization and management of periodicals, books and other resources
Social Media Manager
Training leaders (hikes, trails, etc.)
Graphic Designer
Events Coordinator
Writing and Editing for Print and Web
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle manager
Receptionist
Fund Development/Charitable Giving Support
Investment Specialist (long term)
Partnership with GTRLC finance committee. Must have short term and medium investment experience
Donor Appreciation
Board Committee Member
work well independently and with others to accomplish individual tasks while achieving a shared goal.
GTRLC 20th Anniversary Celebration Team
(2 year commitment)
2011 is our 20th anniversary and we are excited to celebrate! There is much to do this year in preparation and we are in need of creative and outgoing team members.
For more information about the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s Volunteer Colleague Program, contact Rolf von Walthausen, Volunteer Colleague Program Coordinator, at 231-929-7911 or by email.
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