Help the Refuge Staff

Volunteer your time and skills and help support the Refuge! The Friends and Refuge Staff rely on volunteers to run the Friends group and to support the Refuge's programs. This page lists scheduled volunteer opportunities and work parties run by the Refuge Staff. Be sure to check our other Volunteer pages for other ways you can volunteer.

The Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge has the following volunteer opportunities:

• Front Desk Greeter:  Welcome visitors to the refuge, some might have never visited a refuge before! The duties will include suggesting hikes based on visitor’s abilities, maintaining visitor center’s cleanliness and helping staff with a few tasks. A friendly, helpful demeanor is a must!
• Nature Guide:  Be a guide for an audience of your choice such as seniors, children, adults, and/or families and engage them in the outdoors with your special interest, ie – plants, painting, biking, etc. The public program would be once a month/season and/or a special program series for your target audience. Planning for the program includes coordinating the strategic, operational and logistical activities necessary for the event, such as helping with outreach to the local community. The refuge would assist throughout the process, but we are in need of people to lead independently. For a new volunteer that is getting to know the refuge assisting staff with creating and delivering informative and exciting presentations to the local community organizations might be a good way to get started.
• Trail Steward:  Make sure all our trails get walked on a monthly basis and report to staff about any noticeable changes (ie., fallen trees/limbs, damaged signs or sign posts, dumping of debris, etc). A trail steward would also be notified for special trail day projects and clean ups. Trail stewards enhance the enjoyment and safety of visitors to the refuge. Volunteers will need to regularly communicate with refuge staff on what was seen on trails and any problems.
• Environmental Educator:  Prior teaching experience is needed for this position. If you do not have any then consider beginning with a Nature Guide position. We are in need of committed individuals who enjoy the company of children and are fascinated by the natural world. Volunteers will either be assisting refuge staff on existing environmental education programs or creating curriculum and lesson plans which meet State curriculum standards.
• Volunteer Coordinator:  A minimum of a six month commitment is required. Work closely with staff to help manage current volunteers and their schedules and to do outreach to increase our volunteer numbers. Assist the staff with planning volunteer training opportunities and volunteer appreciation celebrations. It is important you are comfortable working with different ages and abilities and that you are organized.

If you are interested in any of these types of positions, see the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge website.

Buy a Duck Stamp

If you can't volunteer your time, you can still help your local refuge by simply buying a stamp! Buying a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, more commonly known as a “Duck Stamp”, directly supports conservation on the Refuge and it gives you free access to refuges that have entrance fees. For more information on duck stamps, see the NWR Duck Stamp website. Duck stamps are available at your local post office and at Refuge headquarters in Sudbury.