Volunteers Needed for Audubon Bring Conservation Home Program

by Mitch Leachman 
St. Louis Audubon Society Director of Programs and Wild Ones member 

St. Louis Wild Ones is a partner with St. Louis Audubon on their Bring Conservation Home program which provides an on-site native landscape consultation service to landowners in the St. Louis region. Since the program began in 2012, over 1,200 landowners have received personalized advice on how to improve their landscapes for the benefit of birds, butterflies, other wildlife and the community in general.

Each spring, St. Louis Audubon looks to recruit passionate native plant advocates to serve as volunteer Habitat Advisors to perform those consultations. A number of their current consultants are Wild Ones members. Perhaps you would be interested in this highly flexible and creative way to share your passion for native plants and to help inspire others to do in their yard what you’ve been doing in yours.

Training starts in just two weeks. Read on to learn all about it!

• Habitat Advisors work in teams or with the Program Coordinator to conduct the consultations. They never work alone.
• Habitat Advisors decide when and where they volunteer through a private scheduling website.
• After the visit, Habitat Advisors work together or with the coordinator to produce the written report.

Advisors are asked to commit to at least 8 site visits per year that average two hours each on-site. The time required to compile your recommendations will vary by landscape and your experience.

Certified Habitat Advisors also receive a complete survey of their own landscapes at no charge, including discounts at a variety of area retailers.

Some of our most passionate Habitat Advisors are landowners just like you!

This training covers the BCH program, our procedures, and key native landscaping concepts. Prior experience with native and invasive plants and a long-term commitment will be essential for your success. BCH is a great way to creatively use your knowledge to improve our community one landscape at a time. Click here for a full description of the position, essential qualifications and a required application.

Training begins Monday February 24th and runs for five Monday nights from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM thru Monday March 23rd, 2020.
All sessions will be at either the Grants View branch of the St. Louis County Library or the Kirkwood Library.

You will be contacted after your application is received and reviewed. Those meeting the qualifications will receive additional details about the training.

Visit our web page for more details about the Bring Conservation Home program.

Bring Conservation Home is a St. Louis Audubon Society community partnership with essential support from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Partners include St. Louis Wild Ones, the Illinois and Missouri Master Naturalists and St. Louis Master Gardeners.