Volunteer Opportunities in the Outdoors

If you're interested in volunteering to work in an outdoor setting, there are a variety of options available at the national, state, county, or local levels besides working at a national or state park. Volunteer.gov/gov is 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.

If you are interested in volunteering, you might also consider participating in a park cleanup or conservation project in your own area. To find out what activities are taking place, contact your local Sierra Club or National Audubon Society chapter or the Environmental Conservation Department (or its equivalent) for your county or municipality.

Other organizations and agencies that offer opportunities for volunteering include:

Bureau of Land Management- provides general information on volunteer opportunities on BLM lands, including a list of state volunteer contacts.

Christian Ministry in National Parks- includes information on how to become involved in A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (ACMNP) program.

The Nature Conservancy - volunteer opportunities searchable by state.

Student Conservation Association - volunteer, internship, and employment opportunities.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - information on volunteer opportunities.

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)- places individuals with community-based agencies to help find long-term solutions to the problems caused by urban and rural poverty. Includes national database.