Sad Song Creek, Invasive Removal Workday

Friday, December 11, 2026. Meet at 9:30 am, Workday is from 10 am - 2 pm. Whispering Springs Complex, 7240 Cave Road, Bainbridge, OH 45612 (Map)

Join Land Steward Tim Pohlar and our dedicated Biodiversity Brigade volunteers as we begin removing invasive species from this remarkably diverse and beautiful preserve. This special landscape is rich with life—lush carpets of mosses and liverworts, along with bulblet ferns, walking ferns, and stonecrop clinging to nearly every rock. Vibrant wildflower displays atop the ridge to the blooms along the canyon floor will enchant future hikers. Limestone boulders scattered along Sad Song Creek form a dramatic, natural jumble—creating a small gorge all their own. With plans underway to establish a new trail next year, this workday marks the first step in shaping what will become a meaningful addition to our preserve system. Volunteers will focus their efforts in a regenerating field transitioning back to forest, where we will cut and treat invasive species, including autumn olive, multiflora rose, and bush honeysuckle. Your work will directly support the health and future of this young successional forest—while also helping lay the groundwork for a new trail that others will enjoy for years to come. Sturdy shoes or boots, a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, leather work gloves, a water bottle, snacks, and a packed lunch are recommended. We will meet at the Whispering Springs Complex to load tools and supplies for the day and travel together to the worksite. The workday is from 10 am - 2 pm. Please note that there is no restroom at this location.

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 the Arc of Appalachia 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.

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