The Purpose of the Tallgrass Prairie Docent Program is to promote The Nature Conservancy's mission of scientific conservation through tallgrass prairie ecosystem restoration at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

The primary function of the docents is to interact with visitors to the Preserve. The Conservancy's employees focus on activities directly related to the scientific mission. Docents explain the Conservancy and Preserve missions to visitors, provide information about the preserve history, status, bison herd, tall grasses, etc., answer visitor questions, and staff the visitors center gift shop. In order to conduct these activities effectively, docents are trained in preserve policies and visitors center procedures.

In addition to staffing the visitor center, docents can participate in "work day" activities, such as trash pickup along the preserve roadsides, maintainence of the preserve's trails and picnic area, and other such needs that arise from time to time. Workdays are often combined with field trips to scenic areas of the preserve.

The volunteer program functions with oversight from and interaction with a Staff Docent Program Coordinator. Questions may be directed to any of the volunteer representatives found on the contacts page.

New docent classes are held each winter prior to the opening of the visitor center in March. You will learn about The Nature Conservancy, the Tallgrass Prairie, bison and the history of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

Interested? Then send an email with your name, address and phone to "tallgrass.docents@gmail.com".