Volunteer

Photo by Charles Espy

The Importance of Volunteers

Our community is at the heart of our work and we couldn’t do what we do without our many dedicated volunteers. Every year, volunteers help us care for Land Trust preserves; serve on boards and committees; share stunning photography and artwork; and pitch in on office projects, grant writing, maintaining mechanical equipment, and much much more.

We do our best to match interested volunteers with the opportunities that match their interests and schedules. If you’d like to get involved, please let us know by filling out the form below.

Contact us to find the right volunteer opportunity for you!

Here are a few ways you can get involved with Jefferson Land Trust:

Get your hands dirty helping out on the land. If you like being outdoors and are interested in helping us care for the lands we’ve protected, there are a number of ways you can help:

• Preserve Work Party Volunteer: Help us care for the land at one of our protected properties. Most months, we have two Tuesday work parties to improve habitat or work on trails at one of our nature preserves. See our Events page for a list of upcoming work parties.
  Volunteers needed: as many as possible!
• Preserve Facilities Working Group Volunteer: Are you handy with tools and/or project coordination? We’re always looking for new members to be part of our Preserve Facilities Working Group. Members of this working group undertake and support infrastructure maintenance and improvement projects at Land Trust preserves in partnership with our Preserve Manager, Carrie Clendaniel. Read the job description to see if this opportunity might work for you and your skills.
  Volunteers needed: 10+
• Seasonal Habitat Assessment Volunteer: Do you enjoy learning about forested habitats through hands-on participation in the field? We’re regularly training volunteers to measure trees, identify surrounding shrubs, assess canopy density, and more! These spring and fall assessments help us evaluate forest health within our preserves. Habitat assessment volunteers need to be comfortable walking off trail, on uneven terrain, and sometimes through thick brush.
  Volunteers needed: 10+
• Seasonal Wildlife Monitoring Volunteer: Interested in learning which wildlife species are in our area? With guidance from Jefferson Land Trust staff members, wildlife monitoring volunteers traverse off trail, and through thick brush, to install and regularly check trail cameras and then enter data into an online data form afterward. This spring and fall monitoring helps us document wildlife use over time on our preserves.
  Volunteers needed: 10+

Use your energy and creativity. If you love making a difference by rolling up your sleeves (or by putting on your thinking cap), please consider supporting our mission in one of the roles listed here:

• Front Desk Greeter: We’re looking for friendly, part-time front desk greeters to welcome visitors to the office, direct inquiries to the appropriate staff members, and to support simple front desk operations (like answering the phones and reserving meeting rooms). Familiarity with web-based calendars and office phone systems a plus. Regular 1-2 days per week.
  Volunteers needed: 2
• Grant Researcher and Writer: Do you have professional experience in research and communications? Would you enjoy putting these skills toward writing grants in support of the Land Trust? If so, we’d love to talk with you. This volunteer role is flexible, interesting, and a great “home-based” way to make a difference. Access to a computer is a requirement. Prior grant-writing experience not necessary.
  Volunteers needed: 2
• Field Photographer: Do you love getting out in the field with groups? Are you great at capturing the candid shots that tell the story of an organization’s impact on people? We are looking for volunteer photographers who can meet groups out in the field to document visitor and volunteer experiences for our newsletters and website, then share the photos with us. (If you are comfortable posting to social media, even better!) This is an occasional opportunity.
  Volunteers needed: 6
• Youth Educator: Do you want to help inspire the next generation of land stewards? Join our K-12 education team in leading and/or supporting field- and classroom- based experiences for local students. Youth education or professional-level natural resource management experience preferred (topics such as wildlife biology, ecology, geology, wetland biology, water quality, forestry). All volunteers working with children must pass a background check.
  Volunteers needed: Many
• Photography Organizer Do you enjoy organizing and tagging photographs? We could really use your help whipping our large photo archive into shape. Work flexible hours on your own schedule at home or at the Jefferson Land Trust office.
  Volunteers needed: 1
• Archivist: Are you an organizational whiz, comfortable scanning and cataloging newspaper articles and other historical information? We’d love your help whipping our paper archive into electronic shape. Work flexible hours on your own schedule at home and in the Jefferson Land Trust office.
  Volunteers needed: 1
• Event Helper: We throw great parties that celebrate the land and the people that support it, and we rely on wonderful volunteers to help plan, set up, run, and tear them down. Commitment could be limited to one event per year, or be ongoing, as your schedule allows. Come join the party — it’s fun!
  Volunteers needed: 10
• Mailing and Office Helper: Would you like to join our growing group of volunteers who help to put together mailed communications or perform other tasks for the Land Trust? Spend time in our cozy office while meeting other people and spreading the message of conservation with your community. This is an occasional opportunity.
  Volunteers needed: 3

Put your leadership and strategic thinking skills to use. If you enjoy putting your leadership and strategic thinking skills to use, the Land Trust is always looking for community members interested in volunteering at a leadership level by serving on a committee, advisory group, task force, or even one of our boards.

To learn more, please contact Board President Jane Guiltinan or Executive Director Richard Tucker by emailing info[at]saveland.org. They’ll be glad to meet with you and discuss the wide variety of options for leadership-level volunteers.

Interested in helping in other ways or need assistance getting involved? Contact us and we’ll do our best to find something that fits your interests and schedule.

Encouraging Equity and Access:

We understand that some people may face obstacles to participation due to responsibilities or financial constraints. Because we’re committed to working with individuals to address barriers to participation, we’ve established an Equity and Access Fund to help offset some financial burdens that may prevent involvement. If you’d like further information on the Equity and Access Fund, please contact us via email at info[at]saveland.org.