Training Available For

Volunteers At Devil’s Den

WESTON — Every fall the Nature Conservancy’s Devil Den Preserve, a 1,756-acre nature preserve on the Redding/Weston border, holds free training sessions for people who are interested in learning more about the natural world around them and then sharing that knowledge with others of varying ages.

Guides lead hikes or topical walks on weekdays or weekends that fit their schedules. If they have weekday time, they may also guide small school groups. The commitment is greatest in the spring and fall, but is never a regular, weekly assignment.

Training is fast and organized. Prospective guides are mailed a small packet of information to read prior to the training session, which is held outdoors on the trails and taught in a casual way that makes the information easy to assimilate and remember. The knowledge learned enhances a person’s enjoyment of the preserves and allows The Nature Conservancy to offer its educational programs at little or no cost.

Training sessions last two or three hours. The mailed written materials and on-site training walk by Den staff members provide each volunteer with all information necessary. No prior scientific education is necessary.

Although one training session is usually enough to prepare a volunteer to lead a walk, volunteers are encouraged to attend another kind of program training in order to know the Den better. They must also follow an experienced guide before leading a session on their own. For convenience, a variety of training days and times, with rain dates, is offered.

One two-hour session is required for “Patterns in Nature” training. The program will be offered on Tuesday, October 3, at 9:30 am. Rain date will be Wednesday, October 4, at 1 pm.

Finally, history training can be done in one two-hour session. Programs will be offered Friday, October 27, at 9:30 am, and Monday, October 30, at 1 pm. Rain date will be Tuesday, October 31, at 9:30 am.

Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a guide should call The Den office, 203/226-4991, weekdays between 9 am and 5 pm, and ask to speak with Lillian Willis, the Den’s program and volunteer coordinator.