Natural Area Preservation
One third of NAP's field work is done by volunteers, so community involvement is vital to the success of its conservation efforts. NAP projects take volunteers well beyond the realm of litter clean-up into broader areas of concern, such as maintaining biodiversity and restoring damaged ecosystems. Through the combination of hands-on involvement and scientific understanding, NAP hopes to encourage and support a connection between individual volunteers and their surrounding natural environment. By sharing this experience with friends and neighbors, volunteers play a crucial role in fostering an environmental ethic in the community.
Natural Area Preservation (NAP) works to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic among its citizens. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring, and stewardship projects in Ann Arbor parks. These tasks are performed by both staff and volunteers.