A fantastic way to celebrate your love of the outdoors is by giving back to your local parks and wilderness areas. To inspire conservation of public lands, every fourth Saturday in September is National Public Lands Day. Below we outline five simple steps to finding the right outdoor volunteer opportunity for you.
5 Steps to Finding the Right State Park Volunteer Opportunity:
- Step 1: Make a list of your skills.
- Step 2: Make a list of what you hope to achieve from volunteering.
- Step 3: Analyze your schedule to determine a realistic volunteer commitment.
- Step 4: Determine where you want to volunteer.
- Step 5: Go to your state park website and apply to volunteer positions.
1. What Kind of Work Are You Interested In?
While trail maintenance and invasive species control are popular volunteer opportunities, being a state park volunteer does not have to mean working outdoors. You could interact with the public at a Visitor’s Center, or do data management in an office. This range of choice means you can find a volunteer position that fits your talents and personality.
When choosing your volunteer work, consider what skills you have to offer. If you are a people-person, then jobs interfacing with park visitors are a good fit. If you have knowledge on local flora, botany work would be suitable. Making a list of your skills is a great first step in choosing a volunteer position.
Recommended: 13 Ways to Give Back to the Outdoors.
What Do You Want to Get Out of Volunteering?
Volunteering is about giving back, but consider it the other way around too: what do you want to get out of volunteering? Being honest and strategic about what you want from a volunteer experience will make it more rewarding. For example, you may want to develop a skill set for personal growth, boost your career, or pair it with a fun overnight camping trip. Maybe social interaction is important for you, or simply being in the great outdoors.
Where Do You Want to Volunteer?
Do you want to volunteer in your local community, or do you want to travel somewhere new? Volunteer opportunities are often organized by State/State Park System, so determining the state in which you want to volunteer is a good start.
Next, Find Your Opportunity and Make a Trip of it!
By now you have zeroed in on your goals, expectations, and preferred location. Now it’s time to find that perfect position for you.
Once you generally know where you want to volunteer, check out that state’s volunteer opportunities. The most popular states are linked below. If you choose to travel to a location outside of your immediate community, you can find a campground near that location and pair your volunteer experience with a fun camping trip. If you can, we recommend booking a few extra days for additional exploration time!
Colorado
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks
Florida
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks
Georgia
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks
Kansas
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks
New York
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks
Pennsylvania
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks
Texas
State Park Volunteer Opportunities
List of State Parks