Shellbark Woods Spring Invasive Workday

April 19, 2025. Meet at 9:45 am; the workday is from 10 am - 2 pm.  13491 Barrett Mill Rd, Bainbridge, OH 45612 (Map)

Join Tim Pohlar, Arc Land Stewardship Manager, land steward Jean Farkas, and fellow Biodiversity Brigade volunteers as we work together to tackle invasive species such as garlic mustard, bush honeysuckle, and multiflora rose. We will be in the beautiful Shellbark Woods Preserve, a hidden gem within the Highlands Nature Sanctuary, surrounded by stately hickories, oaks, and other forest neighbors. No experience is necessary, and all are welcome to participate. Please note that this work will require walking off the trail on some uneven terrain. While significant physical strength is not required, you should be prepared for a lot of bending to reach the plants at ground level. Our efforts to remove these invasive plants will help protect and preserve populations of ephemeral spring wildflowers. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes, bringing work gloves, and packing snacks and a water bottle. As a thank you for your hard work, Jean and her friends Dee and Julie will provide a hearty lunch after our workday, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Dear Friends,

We apologize that we are obliged to require our volunteers to sign a liability waiver. Accidents befalling our volunteers are rare, but they are possible. Given the litigious nature of our society and the fact that we have 13,000 precious acres of natural communities that we have to be solvent to be able to protect in perpetuity, we regretfully state that only volunteers who sign this waiver may perform physical volunteer services on our properties. If you do not wish to sign this waiver, there are other ways to serve the Arc’s wildlands preservation mission from your home, and we are happy to chat with you about them.

 Please read and sign the following volunteer agreement:

I am interested in volunteering for Highlands Nature Sanctuary, Inc. (dba Arc of Appalachia, hereafter known as "the Arc") and its preserve system, headquartered at the mailing address of 7660 Cave Road, Bainbridge, OH 45612.

I acknowledge that by volunteering for the Arc I am exposing myself/or my child to the risks of working in potentially dangerous situations that could result in physical or emotional injury, paralysis, death, damage to me, damage to property, or damage to third parties. I understand that, statistically, these risks are rare occurrences, but they cannot be eliminated without jeopardizing the essential qualities of the services to which I have volunteered my time. When working outdoors,  risks include, but are not limited to, the use and misuse of hand-held equipment, herbicide application, exposure to insects, extremes of heat and cold, tick bites and associated diseases, and poison ivy.

I accept and assume the risks associated with the voluntary services I have offered to the Arc. My participation comes from my free will, and I choose to participate regardless of the risks. I hereby voluntarily release, forever discharge, and agree to indemnify and hold the nonprofit, its employees, volunteers, and board members harmless from any and all claims and demands on behalf of myself, my spouse, my children, parents, heirs, and assigns, and release the Arc and its associates and representatives for any action that is connected to my volunteer participation, including claims that allege negligence and omission. Should the Arc or anyone acting on their behalf be required to incur attorney's fees and costs to enforce this agreement, I agree to indemnify and hold them harmless for all such fees and costs.

I agree to bear the cost of any injury or damage that I/or my child might experience as a result of being a volunteer, and willing to assume the risk of any medical or physical condition that I/or my child may have now and in the future, so long as I/or my child remain an active volunteer with the organization.  I hereby waive my right to maintain a lawsuit against the Arc on the basis of any claim from which I have released them herein.

My signature below indicates that I have read, understand, and agree to the above terms.

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