An American Tradition
Some 45 million Americans participate in volunteer activities each year. Of these, more than 85,000 donate more than three million hours of service in the US national parks. As the expanding use of national and state park facilities in many cases exceeds the capability and budget of allocated personnel, park volunteers often help to provide services that would not otherwise be offered. Volunteering at a national or state park offers the opportunity to meet new people, many of whom share a common interest in the outdoors, exploring nature, and a concern for protecting the environment. In the process, it affords individuals have the opportunity to gain a sense of ownership of park and in some cases, to receive valuable training and experience for their service.
National Parks
Since there are generally many more volunteer opportunities than there are paying jobs at national parks, finding a volunteer position at a national park is easier than obtaining a job. Each of the 390 units of the National Park System, including the national trails and rivers, use volunteers to help accomplish the National Park Service's goals. The centerpiece of the National Park Service's effort to enlist help is the Volunteers in Parks (VIP) Program. The VIP web pages include general information on volunteering, a list of current volunteer opportunities, and a volunteer application form. Additional information on the VIP program is available from local parks or from the National Park Service by calling the Public Inquiries Office at 202-208-4747.
Unlike regular employment opportunities, volunteer programs within the National Park Service are managed at the local level, so you will need to mail your application to the national park area where you wish to volunteer. As a volunteer, you will not be paid by the Federal Government, but some parks do reimburse volunteers for some out-of-pocket expenses, such as local travel costs, meals, and uniforms.
In addition to the VIP Program, other National Park Service opportunities for volunteers include:
Archeology Program - an online guide to volunteer and archeological fieldwork opportunities both in and out of the National Park Service.
Museum Management Program - more than 300 National Park System sites have museum collections and offer opportunities for volunteers and interns.
National Trails - in partnership with NPS, each national trail usually includes one or more volunteer-based organization that helps maintain and manage the trail.
Volunteer.gov/gov - an interagency web site of volunteer opportunities nationwide. It is a partnership among the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, State of New York Division of Veterans Affairs, the Corporation for National and Community Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S.A. Freedom Corps aimed at providing a single, easy-to-use web portal with information about volunteer opportunities. The site allows you to search for volunteer opportunities by keyword, state, activity, partner, and/or date range.