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Audubon Beidler Forest
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Volunteering: Land Management

Restoring and maintaining habitat starts from the ground up. It requires a lot of work out in the woods, fields, and swamps but we get to witness native life spring back in real time, and generations from now will thank us for the shade and wildlife they get to enjoy from the saplings we plant today. If you're looking for some work outside in nature consider one of our land management volunteer opportunities.

A man down the side of a fireline (basically a dirt moat to prevent fire from passing over) is using a drip torch to pour liquid flame down onto the edge of a forest plot to help create a prescribed burn to help reduce competition for the Longleaf Pine.
Experienced burner volunteer Carl Cole uses a drip torch to propagate fire along the edge of a fire line. Fire lines help maintain control over fire by reducing the fuel needed for the fire to spread across. Photo: Richard Covey

Prescribed Burns

Volunteer opportunities, generally November-February, for prescribed burning of longleaf pine, loblolly pine, and grassland habitats. Upcoming events: burns at various sites as weather permits.

  • Fire line maintenance
    • Prior to the burn, prune branches encroaching into fire line.
  • Flapper/raker
    • Guard perimeter of burn to ensure fire does not cross fire line.Flap or rake out flames that cross fire line.
  • Water, backpack sprayer
    • Use 50-lb. backpack sprayer to douse flames crossing fire line or during mop up at the end of the burn.
  • Water, ATV
    • Operate ATV with water sprayer to douse flames crossing fire line or during mop up at the end of the burn.
  • Drip torch operator
    • At the direction of the burn manager, operate drip torch to light fire on site.
If you have questions or are interested in volunteering our Land Manager Mark Musselman at Mark.Musselman@audubon.org
A man looks back at us and is holding signs put on the boundary of Beidler Forest's property to let others know who owns it. He is in front of a truck that has signs and tools in the back and resting against the truck is another man.
Former Center Director Mike Dawson holds signs used to mark our property's boundary, with former Land Manager Assistant Collis Boyd in the background. Note Mike's "Jedi Swamp Weapon" on the tailgate, the bane of Poison Ivy everywhere. Photo: Mark Musselman

Boundary Maintenance

  • Painting
    • Painting boundary line blazes on trees and corner markers.
    • Several miles of walking carrying a half-gallon of paint.
    • Varied terrain, from field edges to open forest to dense vegetation to oft-wet swamp.
    • Expectations
      • Warm months - heat, humidity, thorny vines, insects, possible snakes.
      • Cool months - thorny vines.
  • Signing
    • Nailing signs to trees along boundary line.
    • Several miles of walking carrying a hammer, nails, and metal signs (5 lbs).
    • Varied terrain, from field edges to open forest to dense vegetation to oft-wet swamp.
    • Expectations
      • Warm months - heat, humidity, thorny vines, insects, possible snakes.
      • Cool months - thorny vines.

If you have questions or are interested in volunteering our Land Manager Mark Musselman at Mark.Musselman@audubon.org

The same men from the previous image inspect a cardboard box full of Longleaf Pine sprouts that has been placed on the bed of a truck. The sprouts will be used to plant a whole new forest of Longleaf Pine.
Mike Dawson and Collis Boyd examine Longleaf Pine plugs ripe for planting. Photo: Mark Musselman

Longleaf Planting

  • Repeated use of planting bars
  • Varied terrain, tilled firelines and fields
  • Expectations
    • Warm months - heat, humidity, thorny vines, insects, possible snakes.
    • Cool months - thorny vines.

If you have questions or are interested in volunteering our Land Manager Mark Musselman at Mark.Musselman@audubon.org

How you can help, right now