Volunteer Positions & Upcoming Opportunities
There are so many ways for you to get outside and support your MetroParks this month as a volunteer including Service Saturdays, our public volunteer days, Native Planting, Gardening, a host of programs and several events. Check them out below and on Get Connected!
See something that interests you, but have questions?
Contact a Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call #937-275-7275.
Looking for opportunities where we need the most help right now? View our high-need, high-priority opportunities here.
Ambassador
Ambassadors are often the first friendly face a visitor sees welcoming them to the park and can be counted on to share helpful information and answer a variety of questions. Are you a people person? Here is a great opportunity to share your enthusiasm for Five Rivers MetroParks, 2nd Street Market, and shopping local!
MetroParks Ambassadors are the face of MetroParks at MetroParks programs, events, visitor centers, and out in the community!
Bike to Work Day: MetroParks Booth Ambassadors:
MetroParks Booth Ambassadors help the Marketing team get the word out about all MetroParks has to offer. Ambassadors are the face of MetroParks and exhibit knowledge and enthusiasm for the parks, programs, events, and mission of Five Rivers MetroParks! Booth Ambassadors will help greet and welcome event participants to Riverscape, help with wayfinding, distribute marketing materials, promote upcoming events and programs, and assist the marketing team in setup and tear down of the booth. Learn more and sign up to help by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button.
Conservation
Protecting open space and natural areas is a priority for Five Rivers MetroParks, which protects nearly 16,000 acres of land - 90 percent of it in its natural state. Conservation volunteers are a part of our regional conservation story by assisting in implementing a variety of natural area management plans.
Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly on Chalone glabra (White Turtlehead).
"Enjoyed making a contribution and working with the Fiver Rivers team. Also enjoyed the exercise." - Spring Run Planting Volunteer
Spring Run Conservation Area Planting:
Do you want to help us create something special? Land once slated to become a landfill is one step further toward a long-term vision of becoming a new MetroPark. The 550-acre Spring Run Conservation Area is comprised of two land parcels: the 190-acre former Larch Tree Golf Course and the 360-acre Great Miami Wetland Mitigation Bank, the property once planned to become a landfill. This Wetlands Restoration Project will create approximately 22 acres of wetlands on the former golf course property. We're looking for volunteers to help us plant 400 Chalone glabra (White Turtlehead) plugs Thursday, May 2nd from 9am-11:30am. White turtlehead is the host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly. This plant is very important to this species of butterfly to complete its lifecycle. Learn more and sign up to help by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button.
Some bat species have drastically declined over the last few years due to the cumulative effects of habitat loss, wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. Volunteers help our conservation team monitor roosting patterns.
Bat Box Monitoring:
Are you looking for a COOL way to spend your summer evenings? We are looking for several small teams to monitor bat boxes during the summer. Volunteers will watch, count, and identify bats that exit the boxes. The purpose of this project is to determine the species of bat utilizing the box and the approximate size of the roosting populations. By tracking the difference in colony size across the season and across several years, we can start to understand where bats are living and how their populations are changing in our state. View the training details and RSVP by clicking the green RSVP button below.
This year's Adopt-A-Park volunteers removed tons of invasive species from many our parks -thank you! Join us to remove some invasive species at this season's Service Saturdays!
"Excellent leader was on time with the tools, instructions, and a pleasant attitude. Definitely plan on doing this again." - Service Saturday Volunteer
Service Saturdays:
Services Saturdays are BACK! Join us in the parks on the third Saturday of each month from 9 am-Noon, kicking off in May and concluding in September. These public volunteer service days are an easy and convenient way for community members to support our mission and make a difference at Five Rivers MetroParks! Look for projects at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, and MetroParks Mountain Biking Area. Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the project specific opportunity below or to view all Service Saturday opportunities, click the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Cox Arboretum Invasive Species Removal
Gardening
Gardening volunteers support our horticulture and education staff in caring for a variety of gardens throughout our parks. These gardens not only provide beautiful spaces for Miami Valley residents to get outside, explore, and connect to nature, but many also provide fresh local produce to those in need in our community.
Our gardening opportunities are GROWING at Adventure Central at Wesleyan MetroPark!
"It was fun. The staff was well organized and all the necessary tools and materials were ready. They made sure that they made the best use of our volunteer time." - Gardening Volunteer
Adventure Central Garden Education Support:
Are you ready to dig deep and make a difference in your community? Adventure Central is looking for some green-thumbed volunteers to help maintain their vegetable and flower gardens while also educating and involving youth. We need volunteers who are willing to sow the seeds of knowledge and cultivate a love for gardening in the next generation. We're looking for volunteers who already have some gardening skills, such as knowledge of planting, weed identification, and basic garden maintenance. But if you're a beginner, no worries - we'll still provide you with all the training you need to succeed! And the best part? You'll be working alongside a staff member and some amazing young individuals who are excited to learn and grow alongside you. So let's blossom together at Adventure Central and get our hands in the soil! Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Adopt-A-Park volunteers helping our staff mulch throughout RiverScape MetroPark - Thank you!
"Always good to work with a committed group of volunteers and knowledgeable staff." - Gardening Volunteer
Gardening Volunteers: Riverscape & Urban Parks Garden Stewards, Cox Gardeners & other garden opportunities!
Looking for a way to support Metroparks' gardening efforts in our downtown parks? Do you enjoy promoting beautiful green spaces in an urban setting? Learn and apply effective horticulture techniques with plants chosen for their horticultural benefits, while fostering healthy biodiversity for pollinators. No experience is necessary! Grab your garden gloves and check out our other gardening volunteer opportunities available at Aullwood Garden, Cox Arboretum, COMING SOON: Carriage Hill, Possum Creek, Riverscape and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks. Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Programming
Five Rivers MetroParks provides a wide variety of high-quality programs to help the public get outside and get connected to nature. Programming volunteers work alongside staff to provide support at programs year-round that help participants master new skills, learn about the natural world, and appreciate the value of open spaces.
Volunteer Sandra Worley enjoys showing young gardens how to plant a seed for her home garden.
"Super great time. First time volunteering with the metro parks, everyone was super friendly and helpful." - Program Support Volunteer
Program Support Volunteers:
Do you enjoy helping others learn? Are you looking for an opportunity to learn while helping others enjoy the many programs offered through MetroParks? Program Support volunteers are critical in ensuring we can provide the public with high-quality, engaging programming like "try it" activities, skill building in beginning textile classes and workdays, and more individualized attention in youth and family activities to the public by supporting basic tasks like program set up, tear down, passing out equipment and supplies, and assisting with registration. Program Support Volunteers can assist with a variety of program opportunities without needing to be the expert, and bonus! You get to learn from the programs you support! Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Skilled Trades
Five Rivers MetroParks takes pride in the variety of hands-on, skilled trades opportunities we offer, both in historical and modern-day settings. Our Skilled Trades volunteers help drive our mission forward by assisting with maintenance projects in fabrication, repair, and interpretation.
Join Historic Woodworker Volunteers Frank and Steve in the woodshop at Carriage Hill MetroPark!
"It was a great time. I really enjoyed talking to the kids." Historic Blacksmith Volunteer
Historic Blacksmiths and Woodworkers:
Did you know the historic craft shop volunteers, blacksmiths and woodworkers, are part of the historic interpretation team at Carriage Hill MetroParks Historic Farm? We are looking for new volunteers to join this team and help us bring the Arnold farm to life for visitors this season. No experience is required. We will teach you! Learn more about becoming a Historic Blacksmith or Historic Woodworker on the farm by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Notes: Historic Blacksmith and Historic Woodworkers must complete a training series to qualify for these opportunities. You will be prompted to complete all required qualifications including the training series when you click the blue RESPOND button for each opportunity. You can also go directly to the required training in our Volunteer Training Library:
Historic Interpreter Training (Required for Historic Interpreters, Historic Blacksmiths and Historic Woodworkers)
Historic Blacksmith Training (Required for Historic Blacksmiths)
Historic Woodworker Training (Required for Historic Woodworkers)
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact yvonne.dunphe@metroparks.org, or join us at an upcoming Volunteer Open House. We'll be glad to help you!
Special Events
Five Rivers MetroParks provides an array of outdoor events and large programs throughout the year for residents of the Miami Valley to get connected to recreation, music, history, family, and most of all nature. Special Event volunteers serve a critical role in ensuring that each special event or large-scale program runs smoothly from set-up to tear down.
Volunteers make it happen! Bike to Work Day volunteers from 2023 -thank you!
"Great event. Wonderful coworkers, nice crowd, good music, fun morning." -Bike to Work Day Volunteer
Bike to Work Day:
Five Rivers MetroParks celebrates National Bike Month with our annual Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast on Friday, May 18th from 7 am to 9 am at RiverScape MetroPark featuring live music, a fun photo booth, an expo of cycling-related businesses and clubs, and, of course, a FREE pancake breakfast! Join us! Volunteers like YOU make events like these possible! Learn more and sign up to support by clicking the quick opportunity links below or view all event opportunities by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Sustainability Volunteer Ann Wallace with Experiential Learning Program volunteer Clay Rosso at last year's Passport to MetroParks - thank you!
"Had a great time checking in the vendors for the festival. All of the vendors were very grateful for our help and the staff were so helpful. Really enjoyed the volunteer experience." - Passport to MetroParks Volunteer
Passport to MetroParks:
Join us Friday, May 24th at RiverScape MetroParks for this year's Passport to MetroParks! This event aims to build community awareness of what our MetroParks offer and will highlight various Metroparks' events, programs, and parks. Throughout the event, guests can visit more than 16 vendor booths hosting games and activities. Visitors will be able to learn more about the upcoming festivals and various recreation, education, conservation, and volunteer programs Five Rivers MetroParks offers. Volunteers are needed before, after, and during the event. Learn more and sign up to support by clicking the quick opportunity links below or view all opportunities for this event by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Return to the Volunteer Blog here.
Volunteer Services is available if you have questions or need assistance in signing up.
Contact us at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 (PARK).
Join us at an upcoming Volunteer Open House!
Your Volunteer Services Team
Yvonne Dunphe - Outdoor Connections Programming #(937) 277-4147
Allie Zimmerman - Parks & Conservation #(937) 274-3176
Janelle Leonard - Administration & Animal Care #(937) 277-5445
Amanda Wheatley - Ambassador & Special Events #(937) 277-4109
Jenny Hymans - Human Resources Manager of Volunteer Services #(937) 567-1413
