HRWC field assessment volunteers gathered to share their stories and pictures of the natural areas they assessed over the last two field seasons as part of HRWC’s Bioreserve Project. Over 77 volunteers have hiked over 290 different forests, wetlands, creeks, and fields over the last two summers.
HRWC shares the results from the assessments with the 7 land conservancies in the Huron watershed who are partners in the Bioreserve Project, as well as the township each property is in. Land conservancies and communities are using the results to target their land conservation programs, integrating the results into Master Plans, and even securing conservation easements and land purchases.
Volunteers compared their impressions of which natural areas they thought were highest quality and most deserved of protection, gave input into improving the assessment for next summer, and quizzed each other on plant identification.
At the close of the evening, prizes were awarded to volunteers who participated in the most assessments, which included a rain barrel, won by Jane Hayes.