WHO CAN ADOPT?

You alone can Adopt-a-Spot and contribute to environmental stewardship. However, having a flock of volunteers makes the work pleasant and increases the scale of your good work. A small group of friends or family is good for most cases. For large efforts, MCA and other organizations may have interested groups who can join your effort (such as a workplace, school, or house of worship). The most important skill required is a will to participate. The knowledge and best practices can be learned.

WHY GET INVOLVED?

Whether you are raising a roof or child, all projects require occasional monitoring and maintenance.

With the Adopt-a-Spot approach, you’ll catch issues when they are small and limited, help environmental restoration projects stay on track, and lock in the long-term benefits of keeping sites in a low-maintenance naturalized state.

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

The Adopt-a-Spot program involves the long-term monitoring and maintenance of an environmental restoration site. The goal is to establish and maintain sites in a low-maintenance naturalized state. It includes:

Monitoring –

• Observe the spot you have adopted. You’ll build knowledge of the nonliving and living characteristics of your site including the land and the vegetation. You’ll look for changes from the last time you visited. Photographs and a few written notes are welcome record keeping.

• Get technical assistance from MCA to learn how to evaluate your observations. (i.e. are any observed changes signs of improvement, degradation, or of no concern?)

• Read publications and talk to knowledgeable people at MCA and elsewhere to better understand what you see. For starters:

  • Complete a simple site survey

  • Research invasive plant information from the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture

  • Find native plants information from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Maintenance - Take action at the site!

• Report your observations to others

• pick up litter

• remove invasive plants (i.e. honeysuckle and porcelain berry)

• water existing plants

• install native plants and seeds

MCA can provide some basic supplies for the monitoring and maintenance work. If you do not have personal tools available, MCA will work with you to assure you have what you need.

WHERE WILL I WORK?

MCA has completed restoration projects throughout the watershed. Look for a site near your community on this Site & Community list. These sites would benefit from you adopting them for long-term monitoring and maintenance. The knowledge, skills, and abilities you develop will help you address other places of concern to you. (Before you take on other locations, be sure you have permission from property owners to work at the sites.)

WHEN WILL I WORK?

Group leaders will schedule events at the convenience of themselves and a few volunteers. You will monitor monthly, each season, year-round to build a deep understanding of your site.

Prioritize your safety by bringing a buddy, preparing for the weather, and bringing essential safety items listed by the American Hiking Society.

Some maintenance activities can be done year-round such as litter pickup. Other activities are entirely dependent on the season. (For example take a look at an Indiana calendar for chemical control of invasive plants.) MCA will work with you to assure you are oriented and have a site-specific plan.

Your group will stay in touch with MCA and will report volunteer hours spent at your site. You should conduct maintenance activities within your knowledge and ability when seasonally appropriate.

Thanks in advance for all you do!