Fermilab is, of course, best known for its physics. My interest in the lab though is something a little different – I am a big fan of Fermilab's natural areas. Fermilab has a lot of land (over 10 square miles in fact) a lot of which is open to the public (just show a photo ID at the security gate) and includes wonderful hiking trails. The site has large areas of restored prairie, stunning savanna with 200 year old oak trees and marshes and lakes that are teeming with life.
This environment is supported by a small non-profit called Fermilab Natural Areas, of which I am a member and volunteer. The group formed in 2006 with the aims of assisting the lab in the ecological restoration of its land and promoting the natural areas to local people.
There are a lot of very good reasons why you might want to volunteer with our group – you get to learn more about the environment; you can keep fit outdoors whilst doing something useful; you can make new friends; or you can just know that you are helping preserve something wonderful. While I appreciate all of these things, my favorite reason to volunteer is the chance to explore many lesser known parts of Fermilab. I joined Fermilab Natural Areas when I moved to the area in 2010 and I help the group with funding. I write grant applications to businesses and foundations to help pay for things like savanna restoration, butterfly restoration projects and tools to help our volunteers remove invasive species.
Fermilab Natural Areas is always on the lookout for new supporters. We welcome volunteers to our weekly brush cutting and prairie seed processing work days; you can sign up as a species monitor or you can even train with us to become a volunteer steward and restore biodiversity within a natural area at Fermilab (and, of course, I would welcome help with grant writing!). Alternatively, you can make a donation and become one of our valued members.
If you would like to find out more about Fermilab's natural areas and our group, we would love to meet you at our annual general meeting on February 16th at 7pm in Room One West in Fermilab's Wilson Hall. Just show a photo ID at the entrance and security will gladly point you in the right direction! Alternatively, you can check out our website at www.fermilabnaturalareas.org or give us a call at (630) 840-2565.
