Success with EVS

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Success with EVS

• Beta Alpha Psi
• The Theta Omega Chapter
• Eastern Illinois University

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Embarras Volunteer Stewards (EVS)

• Based in Charleston, IL
• Originated in 1994 to restore native prairie and
  woodland sites
• Work approximately 40 Saturdays a year
• Seed collecting, exotic species control,
  controlled burning, tree planting, trail
  maintenance, tours

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The Task

• Douglas Hart Nature Center
• Mattoon, IL
• Lafferty Nature Center
• Charleston, IL
• Charleston-Mattoon Bike Trail
• Mattoon Charleston, IL

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Honeysuckle

• Four types (Tartarian, Morrow's, Belle and Amur)
• Grows to heights of 6-10 feet
• Alien forms have a bushy growth form

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Honeysuckle

• Example of overrun honeysuckle on left and an
  adjacent area on right where honeysuckle has been
  removed.

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Involving Others

• Illinois CPA Society Young Professional Group
• Total of 16 volunteers showed up for the November
  work day

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A Successful Project Requires

• Planning
• Time Intensive
• Consistent Dedicated Leadership
• Coordinating Volunteers
• Scheduling Resources
• Phone Calls
• Execution
• Labor Intensive
• Dependant on Sufficient Manpower

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The Difficult Task

• Many projects fail to achieve their full
  potential due to a simple underestimation of the
  time commitments required of the planning stage
• Further complicated in an academic environment by
• High Student Turnover
• Summer Vacation

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Our Solution Partnership

• Leadership is shared
• EVS provides
• Consistent Focus
• Scheduling and Organizing of Workdays
• Beta Alpha Psi provides
• Labor Coordination
• Manpower

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The Result Success

• During the school year we volunteer one Saturday
  morning a month
• Resulting in the reclamation of thousands of
  square feet of habitat for public use and
  education
• Connects our membership with the community
• Partnership in its third year
• Level of involvement continues to expand each
  year

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Additional Volunteering

• Current Beta Alpha Psi President, Aaron Hubbart,
  volunteers as webmaster for EVS
• Website
• www.embarrasstewards.org

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Your Key to Success

• Build a
• Partnership!