Preserve Stewards

Volunteers  have a unique opportunity to participate in workdays or even to adopt a preserve, helping with all phases of preserve stewardship and maintenance.  Becoming a Preserve Sterwards includes a minimum commitment of 4 site visits per year, maintenance issues (downed trees, presence of invasive species, broken gates, evidence of trespassing and similar activities), plant health, and other observations.  Volunteers will visit the site with staff whil will point out issues of concern and a plan will be developed for future work. 

For information contact Lesley Starke.

Educational Programs

Programs on issues of plant conservation are scheduled from time to time:

· North Carolina’s Endangered Plants and their Habitats

· Habitat Restoration As Conservation Technique

· Venus Fly Traps & Ginseng:  Effects of Poaching

· Photographing North Carolina’s Natural Gardens

· North Carolina’s Native Orchids

 Speakers Bureau

Members of the Friends board of directors are available to the general community to present programs on the topics listed above or others as arranged.

To schedule a program, contact us by email or phone.

Travel expenses, if applicable, are required.

Donations are appreciated.

Guided Visits to Preserves

Plant Conservation Program preserves are undeveloped land without trails or facilities, thus are closed to casual visitors.  A visit to a preserve can be arranged with NCPCP staff or volunteers, who will provide background on the preserve and the protected plants within.

Not generally suitable for children or pets, and terrain can range from easy to difficult.

Annual Meetings of Members

Members of the Friends organization are invited to an annual meeting in November of each year.  The meeting is held in various locations around the state and may include:

· Reports on activities of the organization

· Planning for future activities and events

· Speakers of note from around the state

· Lunch

· Election of officers

· Opportunities to meet in small groups to chart the course of plant protection in North Carolina

· A preserve visit if appropriate