Removing invasive species from trails may not be exactly what comes to mind when one sees the words "work party" together in a sentence, but it's how the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust completes much needed maintenance.

In fact, DNRT volunteers logged more than 1,000 hours of work last year through the work party program, which representatives say is among the most important of its volunteer programs.

The Trust’s weekly work parties run from September to June. Work parties involve a variety of activities, including tackling those invasive species, clearing trails and removing trash from the DNRT’s 50-plus reserves around town.

DNRT volunteers participated in 46 work parties over the past season, totaling 1,070 hours.

“All the volunteers put in amazing work, eat lots of coffee cake and have lots of fun. Without their help, we would not be able to do the breadth of work we are doing, especially, tackling invasive species on DNRT’s Reserves,” said Kate Losey, DNRT’s Land Steward and volunteer work party organizer.

The organization has big plans for work parties in 2017. The first will involve removing invasive species at the DNRT Center at Helfand Farm in partnership with Silverbrook Farm staff on January 10 and 13 starting at 9 a.m.

For more information about volunteering at an upcoming DNRT work party, contact Kate Losey at kate@dnrt.org or 508-991-2289. To learn more about the Trust, visit dnrt.org.