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Open your mind with an educational hike, or stretch your legs at one of our volunteer workdays. Join us and see how everyone – especially you – can make an impact.

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Volunteer Workday @ Ambler Flatwoods

February 13, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm CST
Free
Our amazing volunteers frame a new section of boardwalk on the project’s first public volunteer workday, October 5th.

Ambler Flatwoods is one of our largest and most diverse nature preserves. Located just outside of Michigan City, the old-growth forest that comprises the state-dedicated property supports a wide variety of plant, fungi, and animal species. The topography of this preserve is uncommonly level, one of the defining characteristics of a flatwood ecosystem. Throughout much of the preserve, rainwater has nowhere to flow.

Further, a layer of clay beneath the top level of Ambler’s soil prevents the ground from draining adequately. This means that sections of the trail are wet permanently, or for long periods of time. Since the trail meanders through wooded wetlands, an extensive network of boardwalks stretches through much of the preserve. Yet damage from downed trees, the constant wear of hiking traffic, and the steady onslaught of the elements have all conspired to break down whole sections of boardwalk.

Fortunately, we’ve secured grant funding through the Health Foundation of La Porte to repair and replace four hundred feet of failing boardwalk. We’re excited to continue our yearlong series of volunteer workdays to revitalize Ambler’s boardwalk system. Our last public volunteer workday for the project was a huge success, and our supporters built twenty-four feet of new boardwalk after removing the old one. We’re inviting our volunteers to join us again on Thursday, November 21st. We need volunteers of all types, and especially with carpentry and construction experience. The workdays generated by this project are physically demanding; we’ll be lugging lumber and sections of demolished boardwalk considerable distances over uneven ground, and using not only power tools but hand tools, as well.

Be prepared to work outside and dress appropriately for the weather. Conditions on the workday may be wet and will likely be cold.  Volunteer workdays are held in all types of weather, although if conditions become hazardous or prohibitive during or leading into the workday, we may be forced to cancel abruptly. Your safety is our first concern! We will provide all the necessary equipment, gear, light snacks, and water. We encourage you to bring your own reusable water bottle!

* * NOTE: We are entering our prescribed burn season. Controlled fire is a crucial part of the management of our preserves. If weather conditions present themselves on the workday, our stewardship staff will likely execute a controlled burn at one of our other preserves. This can happen on short notice. If it does, we’ll pivot our efforts that day to managing invasive plants at Ambler, and reschedule the boardwalk work for a future date. Stewardship staff must make use of advantageous weather when it’s available. This probably won’t happen but if it does, we’ll still have plenty of work for our volunteer day! * *

Please RSVP through the website form below. Question? Call the office at 219-242-8558 or email volunteer@heinzetrust.org.

Please fill out the online Volunteer Application prior to attending. We’ll also have hard copies for you at the workday. Come lend a hand, enjoy some time out in the woods with fellow volunteers, and learn about other meaningful opportunities with Shirley Heinze!

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