LISBON FALLS – The University of Maine Cooperative Extension, in collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation, will offer a Habitat Stewards training class for new volunteers this fall. Habitat Stewards is a program for people who would like to contribute to the improvement of habitat for wildlife.

The class will be held at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension office, 24 Main St. The dates for the class sessions are: Thursday, Sept. 16, from 6 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, Oct. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Habitat Stewards will receive 24 hours of practical training focusing on what wildlife need to live and how to improve their habitats, how to design backyard and community-based landscapes as habitat and use of native plant species in the home landscape.

After the initial training, each steward agrees to “give back” 30 hours of volunteer time over a 12-month period in a community-based habitat related project. Projects can include coaching homeowners who want to create or improve wildlife habitat in their yards, coaching a group that wants to create or improve wildlife habitat at a school or doing a service project with a nonprofit organization to improve habitat or provide habitat education.

Those interested in participating in the program may contact Amy Witt at 800-287-1471 or amy.witt@maine.edu for an application packet. The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, Sept. 1.

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