The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is one more organization making good use of volunteer labor. The conservancy, along with several other organizations, sponsors workshops to teach volunteers to do “low-tech” erosion control work. At the same time, the volunteers, or “urban eco-stewards,” are learning what to look for and how to prevent the damage caused by runoff.
An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette describes a recent effort by 20 volunteers, many of them students, to stabilize a trailside slope by placing horizontal logs to slow water and stop sediment. Some were college undergraduates or master’s degree candidates, but high school students also participate in the program. Some of the volunteers come back year after year. Their work includes planting native trees and shrubs, removing invasive species, installing simple BMPs, and even clearing out trash.
After placing the logs and jute netting during the recent project, the volunteers covered evidence of the work with leaves and twigs to make the repairs less apparent to trail users. A program coordinator for the Student Conservation Association, which recruits volunteers for the program, noted, “The highest compliment you can pay a trail worker is, ‘Gee, I didn’t notice anything’”—a lesson many ESC professionals could take to heart.
Are there opportunities in your area for volunteers to work on projects like these? What are some of the challenges in recruiting and organizing them to do the work?