Volunteering

Share your love of nature with school children in our beautiful wetlands Preserve. Assist Staff Naturalists and help get children outside to experience and learn about our wonderful Florida environment!

• Assist staff during onsite educational programs.

• Must be outgoing and enjoy working with school children.

• School programs occur outdoors on weekday mornings between 9:30am to 1:00pm.

• Must be comfortable hiking/wading through various terrains, including water and mud, and in various weather conditions.

• Activities may include boardwalk tours, dip netting, marsh/swamp hikes, and canoeing.

• A minimum of two shifts a month are required.  Weekly 3- to 4-hour shifts preferred.

• Minimum age 16+. Volunteer application & background check required.

Enjoy our beautiful Everglades wetland views while sharing your love of nature with visitors!

• Must be outgoing and enjoy working with the public.

• Interact with and greet all visitors, share program and exhibit information, answer phones, make program reservations, etc.

• May include minor office duties.

• Become familiar with basic Nature Center operations and develop knowledge of the Preserve’s plants, animals, and habitats.

• A minimum of two shifts a month are required.  Weekly 3- to 4-hour shifts preferred.

• Minimum age 16+. Volunteer application & background check required.

Share your love of nature as a canoe/kayak volunteer in our beautiful Everglades wetlands preserve! You will assist staff Naturalists with equipment setup and breakdown and provide backup support on guided canoe/kayak outings.

• Volunteers must be experienced paddlers, enjoy being outdoors, working with the public, and be physically fit and comfortable in all weather conditions.

• Must be able to help safely lift canoes/kayaks (approximate weight 40+ lbs.) on and off their storage racks.

• Assist with setup and breakdown of other needed safety equipment.

• May be asked to paddle with school children or inexperienced adults. On occasion, you may be required to tow another boat with struggling visitors.

• May act as sweep boat, keeping the group together.

• Shifts are 3- to 4-hours.  A minimum of two shifts a month are required.  Weekly shifts preferred.

• Minimum age: 18+ years old. Volunteer application & background check required.

Do you enjoy gardening? Would you like to learn more about native plants? Use your time, energy and talent to help our demonstration gardens grow and flourish. A strong interest in Florida native plants and conservation issues is helpful. We depend on volunteers to keep our demonstration gardens in shape. Having a green thumb is not a prerequisite! 

Currently, the Garden Group meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 9:00am to 11:30am.  Once trained, you may request a different volunteer shift based on availability.

• Primary duties include weeding and pruning.

• Occasional planting, repotting, seed collection, propagation, and more. 

• Volunteers must be able to work in the heat, bend, squat, dig, chop, and lift 20 lbs.

• A minimum of two shifts a month are required.  Weekly 3- to 4-hour shifts preferred.

• Minimum age: 16+ years old. Volunteer application & background check required.