The Service in the Preserves program is a cooperative project of Columbus Audubon and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Columbus Audubon volunteers do frequent service projects in Ohio's state nature preserves to perform essential maintenance, renovation and construction work.

Service trips normally are scheduled September through May.  They provide an opportunity for members to learn new skills while communing with nature. These trips provide opportunities to see areas in the state’s nature preserves that the public does not often see. Participants get to go off trail to tour and learn about the area they will be helping to preserve with the preserve manager, who is often the trip leader on these outings. Tools and transportation are provided to adults at no cost. If a member chooses to bring their children, they must provide their own transportation. Please consider joining us to help preserve Ohio’s natural areas for future generations!

Davis Memorial SNP, in Adams County, is known for its Spring wildflowers. It also has some very interesting geology, complete with cliffs, sinkholes, and caves. April is a great time to visit Davis Memorial to catch the early spring flowers and yet still be able to see the layout of the land.

Join us on April 12 & 13 as we construct an elevated boardwalk at the base of a dolomite cliff. The posts will already be set, we will build the decking. There is also a possibility that we will cut a new trail at a nearby preserve.

All skill levels are welcome. Please call Katryn Renard at (614) 261-7171 by Tuesday, April 8 to sign up, reserve space for transportation, and determine tool requirements. Bring your lunch for Saturday, along with water, work gloves, appropriate foot gear, tent, and sleeping bag. Also bring a bit of cash to reimburse the folks providing Saturday's dinner and Sunday's breakfast and lunch.

We will meet at 7:45 am on Saturday in the ODNR parking lot. You will need to complete the Dept. of Natural Area's volunteer form to participate in this activity: you can send an email to treaster.1@osu.edu to request a form in advance, or you can fill out a form on the morning of the trip. We will return to ODNR by 5:00 pm on Sunday.

Please mark you calendar for our late May project at Conkle's Hollow. Further details will be posted here shortly.

Click here to learn how the Service in the Preserves program originated and what you can expect on a trip.