Ignite your love for gardening and parks by welcoming visitors to the stunning Cox Arboretum MetroPark! As a Garden Guide, you’ll have the incredible opportunity to share your passion for plants and the beauty of nature, creating an exciting experience for everyone who steps into the park.
Your enthusiasm will be contagious as you connect with visitors and educate them about the vibrant and diverse plant life in our gardens. Volunteers won't need to memorize every plant name! There will be highlights of what’s blooming at the start of each tour! From May through September, join our dedicated education team as a Garden Tour Guide and help us offer this unique and engaging experience to our guests at Cox Arboretum. Let’s inspire others to appreciate the wonders of nature together! Arboretum.
Impact
Volunteers help build access, comfort, and safety for all interested in learning about the natural world. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it accessible (via the TRAMS) and easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities. Nature is a respite for many, and Garden Tour Guides support our education team in providing this service to park visitors.
Tasks
- Review the Cox Arboretum Garden Tour Guide Handbook.
- Greet and welcome participants as they arrive.
- Assist with check-in of participants.
- Assist the staff lead during the program to create a better learning environment for this unique group tour.
- Provide logistical support such as where to find restrooms, drinking fountains, and pertinent brochures.
- Provide a quick orientation to the site, highlighting some of the locations to be visited, and any learning objectives of the tour.
- Engage participants during the tour by sharing plant knowledge and highlights of the garden spaces.
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to individual, long-term volunteers, ages 18 and up who have qualified as Garden Guide Volunteers and TRAM Drivers. This opportunity is available for OSUE Master Gardener service hours.
- GET STARTED: This opportunity requires Volunteer Onboarding (Profile, Volunteer Handbook Signature, and for those 18 and up an eligible background check), plus Garden Guide Volunteer training and Electric Cart Training and Check Off. Simply click the blue RESPOND button to begin completing the required qualifications, or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer
- Garden Tour Guide Qualification: Visit the Garden Tour Guide page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Garden Guide volunteers.
- Become qualified as a TRAM Driver. Please click here to proceed to the Vehicle Driver training page to complete the Electric Cart Driver training.
Additional Notes
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: Volunteers should park and meet the staff by the maintenance building to retrieve the TRAMs. Your shift time begins 30 minutes before the group arrives to allow volunteers to get the TRAMs, for a quick review of highlights and blooming interest, and to introduce you to the specific group information.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors - Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and may participate in some bending, kneeling, and reaching.
- Cancellation: If you need to cancel a shift at the last minute or are running late, please contact your Staff Lead at the provided number.
- Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, and your MetroParks name badge and t-shirt. Items like water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray may help make your hike more comfortable. If you have not yet received your MetroParks name badge, please reach out to volunteer services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org.
Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.
Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opport
unities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this opportunity:
