First year of a two-year grant ($15K in 2019; $15K in 2020) In 1983, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois and the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission created the Volunteer Stewardship Network (VSN) to connect volunteers to the outdoors and the natural world. Since then, the VSN has empowered thousands of people to preserve Illinois’ lands and waters. These volunteers work to protect and restore natural areas by collecting and dispersing native seeds, removing invasive species, planting trees and other plants, performing prescribed burns and many other activities. This grant supports scholarships and tools necessary to allow volunteers to get the certification and training they need to participate in the very important function of prescribed fire and builds on prior year grants.