Carolina Cares: Stewardship in Action

On the overcast afternoon of March 2, a stewardship outing was held on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. This event fulfilled the National Park Trust stewardship requirement and brought together 11 UNC students, eleven total, including ambassadors Giulia and Nico, for a campus cleanup focused on giving back to the community and spending intentional time outdoors.

Participants met on campus, received gloves and trash bags, and split into two teams to introduce a friendly competition to see which group could collect the most trash. The competitive element kept everyone engaged and motivated as they walked through campus pathways, green spaces, and common areas picking up litter. After the cleanup, the group gathered to compare their collections, take photos, and reflect on the experience. Free National Park Trust tumblers were distributed to participants as a thank-you for their service.

The outing was chosen because exam season can be an especially stressful time for students, and it offered an opportunity to step outside, breathe fresh air, and reconnect with the campus environment. Even on a cloudy day, spending time outdoors demonstrated how restorative nature can be during demanding academic periods.

Although there were no dramatic stand-out moments, there was visible joy among the participants. Many expressed appreciation for the chance to take a break from studying and engage in meaningful service. The cleanup created a noticeable improvement in campus spaces and reinforced the importance of stewardship in everyday environments.

The impact extended beyond removing litter. The outing fostered a sense of shared responsibility and community care among students. National Park Trust supported the event through resources and materials, including the tumblers, and helped connect the campus cleanup to the broader mission of protecting and caring for public lands. The event demonstrated that stewardship does not only occur in national parks, but can begin in local and campus spaces as well.