Whether your interests lie in office work, stewardship, exhibit design and maintenance, trail building and maintenance, gardening, assisting our teachers, or citizen science, we can use you here. Our volunteers help with a wide variety of one-time and ongoing tasks, and we would be lost without them. Are you looking to donate some of your time to help a very worthy organization? We might be just what you’re looking for.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, unless otherwise stated. All volunteers working with children will need to pass a background check before volunteering. Volunteers under the age of 18 may volunteer with a parent, guardian, or responsible adult, or if they are part of a group whose members consist of children under the age of 18, as long as the group provides all adult supervision, and the volunteer project is age appropriate. Any volunteer under the age of 18 must have a permission form filled out by a parent or legal guardian before volunteering.
The first step is to fill out the Volunteer application. Applications can be sent to Wil by mail, email, or better yet, drop it off at Hartley Nature Center so we can meet you! Volunteers will be contacted and “interviewed” before being accepted into a volunteer program. Applicants will be accepted based on project interests and availability, as well as Hartley project needs.
Volunteer Opportunities
Wildflower Walk Garden Volunteers
We need volunteers to help with gardening in our wildflower walk gardens during spring, summer, and fall. We are looking for volunteers to help at least two times per month. Volunteers will help with weeding, watering, transplanting, and doing general gardening. Those interested in helping should have basic gardening skills & knowledge, and be able to work with minimal guidance or supervision. We can help train those with little experience. Interested volunteers should email Matt at recreation@hartleynature.org. Must commit to at least 1 hour per week for the summer & fall seasons.
Bluebird Monitors
We are looking for volunteers interested in monitoring bluebird nest boxes during the nesting season (typically April-August). Volunteers are needed to check on bluebird nests once every 5 or 6 days and take note of activity and conditions of nests. Experienced birders are preferred, but we will train interested volunteers. If interested you should email Matt at recreation@hartleynature.org
Hartley Invaders (Invasive Species Management Team)
Hartley Nature Center staff have long worked along side volunteers to remove invasive species in the park. Volunteers help us in our effort to manage and control new and old infestations. HNC is currently looking for volunteers to hike through several sections of HNC to regularly monitor, map, and remove buckthorn. These volunteers must commit to at least 2-5 work days (1-3 hrs) a month for the summer season (Fall and Winter volunteers needed as well). If interested you should email Matt at recreation@hartleynature.org
Vernal Pool Monitors
Vernal pools are important temporary wetlands that provide critical habitat for several species of frogs, salamanders, insects, and fairy shrimp. These pools can serve as indicator wetlands, providing vital information on water quality in a given area. Because of their small nature and temporary status, vernal pools can be overlooked by land managers and accidentally damaged or destroyed during projects. In order to protect these important wetlands in Hartley Park, HNC is mapping these pools so we may reference the maps anytime a project is proposed. Because we have so many potential vernal pools (over 70 have been identified already), we need help with identifying and mapping. If this is something you want to help out with, please reach out Matt at recreation@hartleynature.org
Butterfly Garden Evenings
Two evenings per month (in summer) we host a volunteer project within our gardens here at Hartley Nature Center and would love to have you join us! Our evenings will be spent in either our Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden or Water Garden weeding, labeling plants, spreading mulch or planting new baby plants. Come to see what’s blooming in the gardens, learn about native plant landscaping, get to know your fellow Hartley supporters and enjoy your community-supported nature center. Stay tuned for information on evenings and time
Groups
Groups interested in volunteering should email Matt at recreation@hartleynature.org to inquire about possible stewardship projects or Wil at operations@hartleynature.org to inquire about possible facility or trail projects. Group volunteers will be accepted based on project needs.