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.
Impact
Horticulture at Five Rivers MetroParks creates, maintains, and preserves green space and habitats for pollinators and native plants, as well as educates visitors on sustainable gardening practices and local food production. Gardening volunteers support the Horticulture and Outdoor Connections staff in a variety of gardening tasks.
Tasks:
Under the supervision of the assigned staff, volunteers will support and assist with the following:
- hands-on landscape and garden maintenance, including planting, watering, pruning, deadheading, mulching, weeding, edging, seasonal cutbacks, and general care of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees.
- helping create a positive park experience by keeping landscaped areas tidy and assisting park visitors with questions and wayfinding.
Eligibility
- This opportunity is open to the following volunteers: Long-Term, Short-Term, and Youth. Learn more about our types of service here.
- Youth Volunteers: Youth volunteers ages 14-17 are not required to complete a background check. If you are a new youth volunteer, contact volunteer.services@metroparks.org to have your background check waived.
- This opportunity is available for OSUE Master Gardener service hours.
Additional Notes:
- Please sign up for your volunteer shift at least 2 days in advance.
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: RiverScape and Urban Parks Garden Stewards support staff at a variety of downtown MetroParks. You will receive a weekly email from the staff lead with more information on where to meet. Volunteers support the following parks:
- RiverScape (237 E. Monument - park in a VISITOR SPOT at the Main Office)
- Deeds Point (510 Webster St - park in a VISITOR SPOT at the Main Office)
- Note: If visitor parking is not available, you must display your volunteer parking hang tag in your vehicle. Failure to display your volunteer parking hang tag may result in a parking ticket when parking in the Main Office parking lot. If you do not have a volunteer parking hang tag, please contact Volunteer Services.
- Island (101 E. Helena St.)
- 2nd St. Market (600 E. 2nd St.)
- Sunrise (50 S. Edwin C. Moses – contact staff lead for map)
- Cancelation: If you need to cancel a shift last minute or are running late, please call project staff lead, Reagen Wylie, at (937) 459-0721.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This project takes place outdoors - Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e., sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (e.g., grass, pollen, bees). Volunteers can expect to participate in bending, kneeling, twisting, reaching, and sometimes lifting objects 25 lbs or more in possibly shaded or direct sunlight.
- Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes, and have their favorite work gloves, water bottle, sunscreen, and bug spray.
