About
On behalf of River Bend Nature Center, Great River Greening is hosting a series of restoration events throughout early 2022. Join us for this final installment continuing vital restoration. Volunteers will work to remove wild parsnip plants to help protect the dwarf trout lily that makes its home at the nature center. The management of invasive species, accomplished by dedicated volunteers, helps to enhance and protect the dwarf trout lily habitat, the surrounding big woods habitat, and increase biodiversity.
No previous knowledge or experience is necessary, we will provide the tools and training required. Volunteers will be equipped with rubber gloves to safely handle this plant.
We will have light snacks and extra water available, however, please bring your own reusable water bottle and any additional snacks or lunch items you may need.
Once you have registered via GivePulse, organizers from Great River Greening will approve your registration and you will receive confirmation. You will continue to receive event reminders as the event nears. If you have further questions, please contact Amy at volunteer@greatrivergreening.org. If the event has reached capacity, please add your name to the waitlist and you will be automatically registered if space becomes available.
If you are a minor registering yourself, you will need to provide an email address in the "Linked Survey" box so we can send a Youth Liability Waiver to your parent or guardian. If you are an adult bringing a minor, you can add them as an attendee and simply check the "Youth Waiver" box upon registering. If you are an adult registering yourself and another adult, you will need to enter their unique email address to the Attendee registration, so they can confirm their registration and electronically sign their own waivers.
When registering, you will be able to indicate if you are available to help with check-in/registration or parking. Event support roles will arrive early to receive additional instruction. After most volunteers have parked and checked in, you will be able to join a planting unit as well. We will only need a handful of volunteers for each role. Amy will contact you and confirm your event support role prior to the event.
DAY OF:
Please arrive promptly, allowing time for parking and a short walk to check-in. When you check-in, you will be divided into small workgroups and oriented to the site and restoration activities.
LOCATION:
Additional details and directions will be sent out in the weeks leading up to the event.
SAFETY:
Ensuring the safety of our volunteers is our highest priority. It is especially important that event participants wear close-toed shoes and long sleeves to protect against exposure to wild parsnip sap as well as ticks and scratchy brush. We recommend dressing for the weather, layers are key. We will hold the event rain or shine.
While we don't require masks, we recognize they are a useful tool for reducing the spread of COVID-19. We will have additional masks on hand in case anyone needs a spare throughout the event. Thank you for doing your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and helping keep our community safe.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY:
All volunteers participating in Great River Greening events release Great River Greening and its employees, officers, directors, or agents from any and all liability from claims of any nature whatsoever arising from participation the extent such liability is directly attributable to the negligence of GRG, or its respective employees, officers, directors or agents.
In addition to signing our liability waiver, we have an additional waiver specifically pertaining to the risks of participating in events during the pandemic. We ask that participants in our events follow all safety procedures laid out by Great River Greening, and alert us if you (or anyone in your household) are directed to self-quarantine and/or test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days after attending a GRG event.
Note: By registering online, you will complete the release of liability and photo release waivers, including the release of liability regarding COVID-19. Please let us know at the event if you wish to be excluded from event photography.
QUESTIONS:
Contact Great River Greening's Outreach Program Manager, Amy Kilgore at volunteer@greatrivergreening.org or call 651.272.3989.
Learn more about Great River Greening at greatrivergreening.org.
LEARN MORE ABOUT RIVER BEND NATURE CENTER:
River Bend Nature Center was established in 1978 in Faribault, Minnesota and is a non-profit nature center located on 743 acres which includes maple basswood forests, restored prairies, wetlands and the Straight River. Prior to becoming a nature center, the land was home to the Faribault Regional Center and the land was used to raise livestock and grow crops. The Faribault Regional Center closed and all farming operations ended in July 1969. The history of River Bend began with the creation of the Faribault Area Committee for Environmental Quality (FACE-Q), which was organized to “preserve and protect the natural resources of the Faribault area.” In 1973 FACE-Q was reorganized as the Faribault Naturalist Club, members of which became the core River Bend Nature Center membership, making River Bend what it is today.
The mission of River Bend Nature Center is to help people discover, enjoy, understand, and preserve the incredible natural world that surrounds us. Through contact with River Bend Nature Center, we envision that people will develop understanding of natural systems and our connections within them and be inspired to conserve and be stewards of the natural world. River Bend is home to colonies of the federally endangered dwarf trout lily, found in only three counties in Minnesota and nowhere else in the world. The management of invasive species, accomplished by dedicated volunteers, helps to enhance and protect the dwarf trout lily habitat, the surrounding big woods habitat, and increase biodiversity. River Bend Nature Center provides environmental education, conservation and recreational programs, events, and activities for area schools and the public.
Visit year-round to explore ten miles of multi-use trails and an interpretive center open to the public with no entrance fees. Become a member, donate, volunteer, or learn more at www.rbnc.org
