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Volunteers Needed at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve is seeking new volunteers to become a familiar face at the Discovery Center, located at 195 New Karner Road in Albany. Volunteer Docents perform several important roles. Docents are friendly greeters that welcome visitors to the Discovery Center, and they are informal educators assisting visitors by answering questions, providing visitor orientation and assisting education staff with education program projects. Docents must possess an interest in the Albany Pine Bush, interpretation, and an enthusiastic and friendly outlook.  Docents also have the opportunity to help in the gift shop and use live animals in their presentations (extra training required). Experience as an educator or with public speaking is helpful but not required. Training for Discovery Center Docents will be provided.  To learn more or to schedule an interview, email [email protected].

 The 3,400+ – acre Albany Pine Bush Preserve (APBP), located in New York’s Capital District, protects one of the best remaining inland pitch pine-scrub oak barrens in the world. This extraordinary fire-dependent ecosystem provides habitat for many plants and animals, including more than 20 percent of New York State’s wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need, such as the endangered Karner blue butterfly. The APBP is a National Natural Landmark, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, National Recreation Trail Site, a New York State Unique Area, Birding Trail Site, Bird Conservation Area, and a National Audubon Society Important Bird Area. Characterized by rolling sand dunes and over 20 miles of trails, the APBP offers visitors many recreational opportunities including hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing and canoeing. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is a public-private partnership created by the NYS Legislature in 1988 to protect and manage the APBP and provide the public with educational and recreational opportunities. The Management Plan for the APBP guides all aspects of expanding and managing the preserve. The Commission’s goal is a preserve of 5,380 acres.

 As the gateway to the Pine Bush, the Discovery Center at 195 New Karner Road, Albany, is a “green” certified interpretive center where visitors come to understand why the Pine Bush is rare and special. A visit to this unique destination is an exciting exploration where learning comes naturally through interactive exhibits, an outdoor Discovery Trail, and numerous programs on the ecology, natural history, cultural history and management of the Pine Bush. Admission to the Discovery Center is free (there is a fee for some programs). The center is open daily weekdays 9am-4pm and weekends 10am-4pm. For more information, visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org  or call 518-456-0655.