add weight to its demands.

The environmental watchdog's membership has fallen to about 3,000 and the group wants to add at least another 500 to its numbers.

Soon it will run a series of television, radio and newspaper advertisements and the group is calling on current members to recruit a friend.

It will also target young people returning home to Bermuda from overseas colleges as it tries to boost its numbers.

The recruitment drive was announced in the National Trust's monthly newsletter.

"Although the Trust is run on volunteer power, we want everyone in Bermuda to understand that even if you don't have time to volunteer, just joining the Trust is doing something about conservation,'' says the newsletter.

"Trust members are people who believe in the importance of the things that make Bermuda our precious Island home, like open space, unspoiled coastline and Bermudian architecture.

"Every member of the Trust is another voice in the call to conserve these things,'' it adds.

The Trust's membership and communications committee chairman Dennis Sherwin said the number of members varied but were usually around 3,500.

"We want members back because we want bodies, as well as people who want to volunteer to help,'' he said.

"The members we have represent a broad range of people and a broad range of interests, but we also want more people to add weight to our voice.'' CLUB CLB