Best Volunteering Opportunities for Students in National Parks
Are you a student looking for a way to have relevant and valuable experience by giving back to nature? Working as a volunteer in parks would be a great way to know your community better and expand your knowledge on new skills. From diverse volunteer tasks to connecting with like-minded individuals, exciting opportunities are waiting for you to explore. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best volunteering opportunities you can get involved in at a natural park.
Why should we devote our time to National Parks?
Volunteering in parks allows an individual to know how their community operate and take part in contributing to its preservation. These services mostly offer hands-on experience in conservation practices and community engagement. In that way, leaving a positive impact on the environment. With over 85 million acres to protect, you will be opportune to work alongside professionals, scientists, researchers, and fellow volunteers gaining a lot in various aspects of environmental stewardship.
There are a quite few volunteer opportunities for students available in national parks. These opportunities are open to everyone irrespective of the experience you have. You can volunteer alone or with friends and family. However, it is important to visit the official website of the National Park Service for volunteering places or contact specific parks for more volunteering opportunities and information. Below are some of the available volunteer services.
- Routine Maintenance
Every pathway needs regular maintenance to preserve the natural environment while ensuring it is safe for visitors. These particular tasks are usually maintained by volunteers and their service involves activities such as cutting away bush for pathways, maintaining signage for users, clearing debris, trimming vegetation and improving drainage to prevent soil erosion.
Also, you can adopt trial programs in parks that will offer groups or friends the opportunity to work as a volunteer. Whether these efforts were carried out by the park manager, volunteers or staff crew members, everyone is altogether engaged in the task of trail clearing and maintenance. Some parks have cooperating associations partnered with NPF to raise money to support this work. In 2020, the NPF allocated over 3.8 million to service corps programs, which provide young adults and veterans with the opportunity to gain valuable skills and knowledge through projects influenced by the legacy of the Civil Conservation Crops (CCC) from species removal to historical from the Great Depression Era.
- Local Museums and Libraries
Volunteering in Local Museums and libraries can be a great experience! Tasks usually involve cataloguing books, helping with administrative tasks, and sometimes assisting in research work. Volunteering in this service will make educational resources more accessible to everyone in the community.
Additionally, it provides valuable insights into various subjects, potentially inspiring future pursuits. Some volunteers may even find themselves drawn to exploring academic avenues further, seeking assistance from reputable essay writing services at Mercury News to enhance their learning journey.
- Receiving Visitors
Do you have good verbal skills and express them well? You can volunteer at the visitor service. Whether it is assisting guests with questions or giving directions and other inquiries. There are a lot of opportunities volunteering can offer and your presence can make a big difference. Just keep in mind to be prepared for an extended time spent on your feet before signing up with them. By volunteering in this park, you help create positive connections between the guests and the park, enriching everyone’s visit to the park.
- Planting of Seeds
Volunteers can join in the restoration of habitat and reforestation in the park, starting with the planting of seeds in various locations. They usually receive training on organized events and proper planting techniques and guidance led by government agencies or community groups. The National Park Foundation (NPF), partnered with organisations like the Arbor Day Foundation and American Youth Works, to support seed planting worldwide.
Additionally, in 2019, NPF backed the annual plant a tree at Flight 93 National Memorial alongside the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial. With nearly 500 volunteers available there were a total of 13,600 seedlings in the parks. Penn State arborists, volunteer initiative sooner emerge after the success of the planting. This volunteering work helped restore the habitat and create green space for the community to enjoy.
- Host at Campgrounds
Acting as a host in the campground would be an amazing experience for any student. Here you serve as a valuable resource for information about the park and give campground regulations, bridging the gap between the guests and NPS. Some parks give out shelter and amenities like cabins and trail pads for their workers. On the other hand, it is important to go through the volunteer application as responsibilities vary depending on the campground and park. This seasonal volunteer duty requires a regular schedule and mandatory training.
- Removing Invasive Species
Addressing invasive species, non-native organisms causing harm to the environment, plants, animals, and economy is a noble endeavour. By offering yourself in this national park, you will be working outdoors hand in hand with other volunteers to identify and remove invasive species in the local parks or report them.
Whether you decide to volunteer for a single day or make a regular commitment, this effort is a great opportunity to learn about the ecosystem in our parks. You can get quality research papers from top essay writers that meet your specific needs.
Now, let’s delve into some volunteering benefits in the national parks.
- Transformative experience
Getting yourself involved as a natural parks volunteer is a good way to give back to nature. It connects everyone to the environment and develops essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving skills, and leadership when they step out of their comfort zone. Engaging in this exercise will also link them to like-minded individuals and be thankful for the natural world.
- Pathway to Career Development
Beyond the rewards of volunteering, national park jobs are available for students interested in conservation careers. You can start as a visitor service assistant, or resource specialist and gradually move to the park manager. Whether it is through an internship, networking, or seasonal positions, working in this park can open doors for future careers and endeavours.
- Finding your place in nature volunteering
Whether it is working on trial maintenance, assisting visitors, conducting educational programs and wildlife research. By exploring different roles and services, students can identify their passion and work to ensure the preservation of future generations.
Conclusion
When you offer yourself to volunteering service there are always rewards and enriching experiences and each volunteering experience leaves a lasting impact on individuals. So why wait? Get into something today and make a difference in your favourite national park.
Remember, as Kurek Ashley famously said, ”The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution. When you work to improve the lives of others, your life improves automatically.” So, lace up your boot, pack your bags and get ready to embark on the journey of volunteering in our nation’s treasure parks.
