Try Volunteering with Tatum: Cover Mapping!

Jul 7, 2025

by Tatum Buhiru - Volunteer Services

Try Volunteering with Tatum

Cover Mapping!

My third volunteering opportunity this summer was Cover Mapping at Twin Creek MetroPark! I really enjoy hiking and being immersed in nature, so this was right up my alley. I also learned a few things about invasive species and plants in the area. During this opportunity, we hiked off-trail and identified various invasive species, as well as the amount of space they occupy in specific areas.

Something about this experience that I thought was cool was that we ended up in place that I would never have discovered without participating in this opportunity, which provided a unique perspective on the park. I usually don't go this deep into nature, but this was a nice chance of pace and makes me want to spend more time in nature in the future.

They also gave me the chance to navigate the team using the map. If I'm being honest, I'm not very good at directions, but thankfully, they were all patient with me, and I started to get the hang of it towards the end! This was a fun experience that I would love to do again because now that I have some experience, I can be more helpful to my next team.

You can support conservation opportunities like this one too. Learn more about volunteering with Conservation here and then view training materials and get started here.

Next up, I will be trying out another gardening shift at Cox Arboretum. Follow me on my next volunteering adventure right here in the volunteer blog.

Tatum Buhiru is a student volunteer with Five Rivers MetroParks serving in partnership with Miami University's ULIP, Urban Leadership Institute Program. As part of their service, Tatum is trying out a variety of volunteer opportunities with us this summer and sharing those experiences here in our volunteer blog. Read more of Tatum's posts here.