Volunteer Positions & Upcoming Opportunities
Spring is almost here, and you know what that means! Everything's starting to GROW! Take a look to see how you too can GROW with Five Rivers MetroParks this season as a volunteer. View our upcoming volunteer opportunities and trainings available this month.
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.
Don't forget to FAN the Volunteer Positions you support. When you FAN a volunteer position you receive a weekly digest email for that position that includes new volunteer opportunities. It also lets your Volunteer Services team know that you are interested in that position and its opportunities.
Animal Care
Animal Care volunteers support staff in caring for farm animals and wildlife animal ambassadors at a variety of our parks. These animals support MetroParks' mission by connecting the public to nature and education on local history, conservation, and small site sustainability.
Barn aide volunteer Elizabeth Katwyk cares for the many horses at the Carriage Hill Riding Center by mucking the stalls and supporting other barn chores.
Carriage Hill Riding Center Barn Aide:
Don't mind getting your hands a bit dirty? Consider joining our team of Carriage Hill Riding Center Volunteers! Barn Aide Volunteers assist with essential daily tasks of our equestrian facility such as cleaning stalls, turning horses out to pasture, and providing them with fresh food and water. All new Riding Center volunteers begin as Barn Aide, and then can complete additional training to assist with Pony Rides, Lessons, Camps, and Trail Rides.
Note: This opportunity is open to volunteers ages 14 or older. All volunteers at the Carriage Hill Riding Center begin as Barn Aides. Visit the Carriage Hill Riding Center Volunteer Training page to get started. Already qualified? Click the blue VOLUNTEER button below to sign up for a shift.
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.
Volunteer Gwen Owen is glad to be back to work in the greenhouse transplanting tree seedlings.
Propagation Volunteers:
NEW! Ready to play, learn, and connect with others while you support our reforestation efforts? Join our Propagation Operation team at Cox Arboretum MetroPark! In addition to trees and shrubs, the group will be growing herbaceous plants and propagating native plants to be used for restoration and conservation projects throughout the district. Learn more and sign up to support this opportunity by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
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.
Volunteers from Kettering College support garden maintenance at the Possum Creek Demonstration Garden.
Gardening at MetroParks:
Spring is here! Tuesday, March 19 marks the first day of spring and if you've been eager to Get Out & Garden, our horticulture staff would love the extra help. Horticulture staff throughout Five Rivers MetroParks have been hard at work over the cold months preparing the gardens and landscapes that beautify our parks. Grab your garden gloves and sign up to support our gardening volunteer opportunites by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below. Opportunities are available at Aullwood Garden, Wegerzyn Gardens, and Cox Arboretum MetroPark.
Park Maintenance
Five Rivers MetroParks provides clean, safe parks and conservation areas for the public to enjoy year-round. Our Park Maintenance volunteers help to manage and sustain 18 beautiful parks, 11 conservation areas, and 160 miles of hike, bike, mountain bike, and horseback-riding trails for park visitors to safely enjoy.
MetroParks Volunteer Patrol work to keep our parks, trails, and conservation areas safe, clean, and ready for visitors.
MetroParks Volunteer Patrol:
Have you heard about our INCREDIBLE MetroParks Volunteer Patrollers (MVPs), and always wanted to join the team? Are you passionate about serving your community and making a positive impact? MVPs play an important part in achieving MetroParks' mission to protect the region's natural heritage and provide outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature. On Saturday, March 23rd, we are holding the Annual MVP Training with the goal of providing important updates, distributing supplies, providing training on the patrol areas, and promoting togetherness. Join us! Sign up for this training by clicking the green RSVP button below.
Staff Lead and Trail Technician, Connor Perry, leads a team of volunteers in deberming part of a trail during a Trail Workday.
Trail Workdays:
Come learn, grow, and give back to the trails you love with this exciting trail maintenance volunteer opportunity! Led by our staff Trail Technician, these trail maintenance opportunities will focus on revitalizing the trail systems in the Twin Valley and MetroParks Mountain Biking Area. Learn alongside like-minded individuals about the why's and how's in building and maintaining a sustainable trail system on these hands-on workdays. View the opportunities available and sign up to support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Volunteers support general maintenance tasks, like mulching, early in the season at Hills and Dales MetroPark.
Hills & Dales Workdays:
Do you like getting your hands dirty, learning new skills, and supporting a variety of parks and conservation efforts? Our Hills & Dales volunteer workdays return April 3rd! Register now to reserve your spot! The Hills & Dales volunteer workday engages volunteers in a variety of parks and conservation projects, from gardening to tree plantings, and from invasive species removal to mulching. View the opportunities available and sign up to support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Volunteer Kevin Westbrook enjoys many of the opportunities we offer but is always happy supporting the 2nd Street Market with custodial tasks.
Market Custodial Support:
The 2nd Street Market is looking for WEEKEND custodial support to help us keep the place sparkling clean. Not only will you get to flex your cleaning muscles, but you'll get to meet and interact with some amazing people from your community. View the opportunities available and sign up to support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Essential attributes to a park sometimes need seasonal sprucing up, and new coats of paint can do just that with your help.
Restroom Painting: Englewood West Park
Are you ready to unleash your inner Picasso and make a difference in your community? We're looking for volunteers to help us give the East Park and West Park Restrooms a vibrant new look with a fresh coat of paint. Not only will you have a great time working with our awesome team, but you'll also be leaving a lasting impact on the park for visitors to enjoy. View the opportunities available and sign up to support 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.
New Astronomy volunteers Ron Kuckuck and Pat Craig set up the telescope at our Teacher's Night Out program.
Astronomy Assistants:
Are you interested in Astronomy? Do you enjoy working with youth and families? MetroParks is looking toward the skies in preparation for the big event this year, the eclipse, and hoping to expand astronomy program offerings beyond this event. Volunteers will have the opportunity to support our efforts either as an astronomy assistant or by providing general program support. Opportunities will be offered in our parks and assisting teachers in the classroom. To get started, submit your Astronomy Interest and Assessment form.
Want to know what astronomical events are in 2024? The Eclipse is on April 8, but also look for the full moons and supermoons, meteor showers and other interesting sky events.
Program Support volunteer Anthony Starr takes a moment to pose with staff lead Betty Hoevel before the crowds arrive at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark.
Program Support Volunteers:
Do you enjoy learning and enjoy helping others? Consider becoming a Program Support volunteer! These volunteers get to enjoy a variety of MetroParks programming while assisting with set up, tear down, registration and check in, supplies and equipment, and general program assistance. A variety of programs are available and in need of support including "try it" activities, textile classes and workdays, and youth and family programs. View the opportunities available and sign up to support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Garden Tour Guide Phyllis Strayer welcomes visitors before starting the tour at Cox Arboretum MetroPark.
Garden Tour Guides:
Share your love of our gardens with others as a Garden Tour Guide! Garden Tour Guides support our education team in providing these educational experiences to visitors May-September, mainly at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. Training is required. Learn more and start training today by visiting our Garden Tour Guide Training Page here.
Historic Interpreter volunteer Amy Korpieski shows a family how to do a simple task at the Daniel Arnold House at Carriage Hill MetroPark.
Historic Interpreters:
Do you like local history? Do you enjoy sharing information and helping others learn? Historic Interpreters bring history to life! Join us on the historic farm this season and help us share the story of the Arnold Family and demonstrate life on a 19th century farm. No experience is necessary. We'll train you! Learn more and get started by visiting our Historic Interpreter Training page here.
Volunteers help build capacity, safety and access to our programs, and are essential when offering hands on programs.
Fishing Program Support:
Know someone who likes to fish, maybe even likes to fly fish? We're looking for fishing volunteers and fly-fishing volunteers to support a variety of upcoming fishing programs! View the opportunities available and sign up to support by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Fishing Fun for Everyone, our fishing programs season opener is coming up and is a great way to get started as a fishing program support volunteer! We'll introduce you to other volunteers, provide an overview of the program schedule for the 2024 season, and provide some opportunities to build your skills. Registration is required. Please RSVP by clicking the green RSVP button below.
School Program volunteer Jan Mazza demonstrates how one of the many educational resources can be used with field trips.
School Program Volunteers:
Are you excited by new discoveries? Enjoy working with youth? Consider joining our team of volunteers that support school programs! Five Rivers MetroParks offers a wealth of onsite educational programs for area school groups. School programs this season will mainly be focused at Cox Arboretum and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks. Multi-date in-person training is required. This training will focus on the Spring program offerings, resources and best practices for working with students in nature, getting familiar with best activity locations at each MetroPark and updates in program details. View the training details and RSVP to the in-person training by clicking the green RSVP 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.
Historic Blacksmith volunteer Charlie Wiltrout works with volunteer Jim Lewis during a shadow experience opportunity at Carriage Hill MetroPark.
Historic Demonstrators:
Did you know the Historic Blacksmiths and Historic Woodworkers at Carriage Hill MetroPark are also Historic Interpreters? We are gearing up for the Spring, and looking for additional volunteers to support these skilled volunteer opportunities. Interested volunteers should start their training NOW so they will be available to support these unique opportunities. Historic Blacksmiths and Woodworkers must complete the Historic Interpreter training before beginning their historic skilled trade training. To view the Historic Interpreter training, click here. You can find the training pages in our Volunteer Training Library, and to review the details for Historic Blacksmith or Historic Woodworker.
Special Events
Event volunteers ensure that a positive, high-energy, outdoor enthusiasm tone starts at the welcome, and the event appears seamless and effortless for all who participate.
Adopt-A-Park:
Adopt-A-Park is back Saturday, April 20th! Five Rivers MetroParks celebrates Earth Day on Saturday, April 20th, during Adopt-A-Park, an annual public volunteer service day that invites community members of all ages, accessibility levels, and backgrounds to come together to help protect the region's natural heritage and MAKE A DIFFERENCE. View all the opportunities available and sign up to support your MetroParks by clicking the blue VOLUNTEER button below.
Adopt-A-Park is generously sponsored by the CareSource Foundation, Montgomery County Environmental Services, Keep Montgomery County Beautiful, and QEI Engineers.
Volunteer Services is available if you have questions or need assistance with Get Connected.
Contact us at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or call #937-275-7275 and ask to speak with a Volunteer Coordinator.
Return to the Volunteer Blog here.
