EXPLORE, LEARN & SHARE THE NATURE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
EXPLORE…
What does the Natural Resources Stewards Program offer?
The Natural Resources Steward program offers a comprehensive training and volunteer support network for people who love the outdoors. If you want to learn about, explore and and engage with the natural communities of New Hampshire, this program may be just what you're looking for.
It begins with an interactive hybrid course that brings people together to explore NH’s ecosystems. Discover the many ways that trees, plants, soil, fungi, water, wildlife, and even humans are interconnected. Learn how we can help restore and protect the natural world to which we belong.
With knowledge in hand, and ongoing support from a community of professionals, teachers, and classmates, Stewards develop and deliver projects and activities in their communities and across the state. Many people come to the Stewards program because they see a need within their community, or an opportunity to contribute to a natural place in NH that they love. Together, Natural Resources Stewards are part of a longstanding program – a community of people who care and make a difference to the natural world around them.
LEARN…
What is the Natural Resources Stewards (NRS) Course?
Each year, a new discovery course begins, bringing people together who, like you, love being outdoors, and learning and caring for the natural world. On-line assignments prepare you for hands-on learning in the field throughout the course. Coursework is completed while exploring NH's natural resources, from neighborhood parks and green spaces to native woodlands and state parks.
You’ll learn how soil, water, wildlife, fungi, plants, and people are connected through ecosystems, and how outside influences, such as invasive species, impact their function. You’ll also gain knowledge, skills, and tools to improve and restore the ecosystems of our backyards and communities, as well as the greater landscape of the region.
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NH's Changing Landscape and the Impacts on Wildlife
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How Trees Impact Humans, and How We Impact Them
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Creating Ecologically Friendly Landscapes
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Tree Identification - Which tree is which, and how to choose the right tree for the right place
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Improving Habitat for Native Pollinators
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Soils - What makes a good soil, and how making better soil makes better plants
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Water - Improving water quality and storm water management through plantings
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Tree Health - best practices for planting, watering, pruning and assessment
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Tree Inventory and Maintenance for Communities
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Invasive Species - Identification and Management Tools and Strategies
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Land use/Human impact on nature
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Volunteer Roles and Opportunities in Your Community
Natural Resources Stewards Course
The 2025 course will be held on 12 consecutive Friday sessions, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Manchester, NH starting on September 5, through November 21. There will also be a pre-course orientation online meeting on August 15 at 7:00 p.m. There will be a maximum class size of 30 people.
The learning will start at home each week on your own schedule, with a range of resources being made available to you online. The curated curriculum of articles, videos, and outdoor assignments will prep you for the field work that week. You should plan for 2-3 hours each week to review these materials before the Friday class. Different topics will interest you more than others, but generally the more time and effort you put into class the more you will get out of it. There will be a series of assignments through the course, ranging from a 1-minute 'Elevator Talk' on a topic to attending a local conservation commission meeting.
Most classes will be based in parks and reserves in and around Manchester, NH. At the orientation you will be provided with a full list of locations with a map and addresses so you will know week to week where we will meet. The 12-week course is really just the start. The course will give you the foundation you need to start your stewards volunteer work, and you can start volunteering as soon as the course begins. The expectation is that you will complete 40 hours of volunteering in the first year following the course. And the goal is that stewards continue to volunteer in their communities beyond that.
The course fee for this 12-week program is $445. Once accepted, you will be able to register online. A limited number of scholarships are available to individuals unable to pay.
If you need an accommodation to participate in our programming, please contact jo Russavage (jo.russavage@unh.edu) prior to the event. Given ample time, we will make any reasonable effort to meet your needs, including language access services if requested, which will be provided free of charge.
Natural Resources Stewards Mission Statement and Goals
Fill out an application here!
Each application will be followed by an interview with one of our volunteer Natural Resources Stewards who will talk with you more about the class and answer your questions. As you will be a UNH vetted volunteer at the end of the program, we will ask you to provide three references in your application, as well as make you aware that there will be a simple background check for all final participants. This class fills up fast, so apply today!
SHARE…
What do Natural Resources Stewards do?
Graduates of the Natural Resources Steward course get to share their knowledge, skills, and passion for nature with their community and beyond. With knowledge in hand, and ongoing support from a community of professionals, teachers and classmates, Stewards develop and deliver projects and activities in their communities and across the state. Stewards volunteer 40 hours or more per year on their favorite projects.
For some, it's increasing green space in their local community with schoolyard tree plantings, helping to look after community parks, restoring habitat for a threatened species or creating trails in the town forest. Others teach youth or adults about wildlife or endangered native plants, or explore and record activities in their town's ecosystems through Citizen Science projects. Some work on removal of invasive species, while some of our keenest tree lovers hunt for the state's biggest trees or create and manage town tree inventories.
Many Stewards become local leaders as members of Conservation Commissions, Tree Boards, or Extension Advisory Councils. Together, Natural Resources Stewards are part of a longstanding program - a community of people who care and make a difference to the natural world around them.
What is your passion? As a Steward you will have a greater understanding and ability to help your community. As a Steward you become part of a larger volunteer community that is taking action and making a difference, ultimately making the world a better place.
BECOME...
Why Become A Natural Resources Steward?
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Experience and Knowledge - In addition to the hands-on learning, tools, and skills gained through the course, you get to know and work with natural resource professionals from around the state. It’s fun and educational to be part of a growing volunteer network that keeps in touch online and through newsletters, ongoing field trips, and workshops. There are always more discoveries ahead!
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Connection and Community - Stewards enjoy camaraderie with each other, within their own communities, and with natural resources experts around the state. “I have found a community where I can be myself, and made friends that share my passion for nature.” - NRS Graduate
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A Sense of Purpose and Hope for the Future - Stewards graduate feeling hopeful that the changes that they make individually can add up to make a difference. “I have learned to look at everything around me and become more confident in my convictions to get out there and share my passions for the natural world and work with others to protect it.” - NRS Graduate
How do I become a Natural Resources Steward?
You don't need a degree or experience, just the interest and time commitment to join our learning community of over 400 Natural Resources Stewards who are volunteering to make a difference.
2025 Course:
Fill out an application
Each application will be followed by an interview with one of our volunteer Natural Resources Stewards who will talk with you more about the class and answer your questions. As you will be a UNH vetted volunteer at the end of the program, we will ask you to provide three references in your application, as well as make you aware that there will be a simple background check for all final participants. This class fills up fast, so apply today!
The NRS course is a hybrid version of the course utilizing both online study and in person outdoor sessions that follow science-based safety protocols in compliance with the University of New Hampshire's Covid-19 Policies, the State of NH and and the CDC.
