Ivy Creek Volunteer Guides provide a wide range of interpretive events for visitors.
- A regularly scheduled Field Trip Program for classes of school children coming to the Ivy Creek Natural Area.
- Nature walks to interpret the unique plant and animal life of the Ivy Creek and Ragged Mountain Natural Area to all ages from toddlers to seniors.
- Demonstrations and talks at the Education Center on various subjects on local flora such as ferns and the specific benefits of local fauna such as bats and the unique cultural history of the farm with preceded the natural area.
In the children’s Field Trip Program, Volunteer Guides conduct specific activities with K – 6 grade children from elementary schools in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties. Teachers schedule field trip activities in advance; children are bused into the Ivy Creek Natural Area parking lot. Children are divided into small groups up to ten meet with a volunteer guide to participate for an hour in one of several environmental education activities, including a nature walk. A teacher or helping parent from the school assists each group.
Where do Volunteer Guides work?
Interpretive activities, whether for the general public or school children, are conducted outdoors at the Ivy Creek Natural Area. The Ivy Creek Foundation office in the Education Center at the Ivy Creek Natural Area provides a headquarters for the Guides.
When do Volunteer Guides work?
In the Children’s Program each guide works one morning a week during the fall and spring seasons, from mid-September through mid-November and mid-March through early June. The volunteers in the Public Interpretation Program work on a regularly scheduled basis, which may be either a morning or an afternoon, on any day of the week.
Many interpretive activities are suspended during the hot summer months, although some Volunteer Guides choose to work on special projects in the early morning hours.
What are the requirements for becoming a Volunteer Guide?
Volunteer Guides must successfully complete a training course, which provides instruction in the natural history of the area and in interpretive techniques. This training class is offered each year, starting in early September, and requires attendance Tuesday morning (9:30 am until around 11:15 am) each week for 8 weeks, plus some observation training. New graduates must spend the following spring term working in the children’s program. Supplemental Advanced Training classes are offered thereafter throughout the year. Guides are required to attend at least 2 of these sessions every year.
The most important requirements are your love of nature and the outdoors, your enthusiasm, and your willingness to commit some of your time. Much of the training and most of the interpretive events are conducted outdoors at the Ivy Creek Natural Area in a variety of weather. Therefore, prospective volunteers must enjoy being outside, even when the weather is less than ideal, and physically able to negotiate the natural terrain. An e-mail address is essential in order to maintain contact and provide necessary information.
The training class for 2011 will begin on Sept. 6 and will continue on Tuesdays through November 1.
Once an application is received (see below) an interview will be scheduled.
For a look at some of the material we’ll be looking at and inspirational nature books see http://ivycreekfoundation.org/guide-resources.html.
How do I apply?
Click on this entry – http://ivycreekfoundation.org/cform/guideinfo.php or select Volunteering in the green strip above. Choose Guide Info Form. Fill out all of the information and I’ll get an email. Or send me, Bruce Gatling-Austin, an email at programs@ivycreekfoundation.org