Are you interested in…

-         Helping the environment?

-         Working with others who share your love of nature?

-         Contributing your time and skills to an organization you believe in?

-         Broadening your resume and/or life experiences?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we’ve got some great opportunities for you!

            Volunteering is a great way to contribute to your community, gain experience, and foster personal growth.  Whether you would like help out just a few hours or every week, we have opportunities for you.

            Volunteers can do almost anything!  From helping to maintain a stretch of the trail to helping plan and run special events such as the Halloween Campout, volunteers make a vital contribution to the community life of animals as well as humans.  Volunteering also brings benefits to the individuals involved, it may simply be a way to have fun and meet new people but it can also be a great way to gain to some valuable new skills.

Quotes:

“I've been able to do so many things here that wouldn't have been possible without volunteering.  For example, setting prairie fires, using my woodworking skills to help maintain bridges, check and maintain bluebird boxes, and just make a difference for the community members and the environment.”

“If anyone out there is thinking of volunteering in environmental or conservation work then they should just go for it. When you volunteer you get into a community of interest and experience, and you learn so much from other people who have different ways of approaching things. Working in a team in the sun - or the rain - in a place like the Cedar Valley Nature Tail, it's just wonderful."

Volunteer Job Descriptions

for the Cedar Valley Nature Trail

For each volunteer position initial orientation and training will be provided.

Adopt a Trail

·         Clear the brush that is encroaching on the mowed area of the trail and any garbage

·         Adopt both sides of the trail in ¼ mile increments that best fits your time schedule…you will be assigned a particular site which works best for you

Time period:  Growing season…work on your own as your schedule permits…the time commitment depends on the section of trail selected

Tools:  Tools will include bow saws, pocket saws, tree loppers, and hand loppers. We will furnish tools or the volunteer may prefer to use his/her own tools. The volunteer may choose to bring work gloves, sunscreen, or bandanas.

Supervisor:  The supervisor will go over the area with the volunteer to assess what needs to be done and discuss long-term goals for the area. When needed assistance will be provided with chainsaws, chippers, and brush removal.

Adopt a Pocket Prairie

·         Help maintain a small prairie remnant

·         Clear invasive species from the prairie

·         Help with the scheduled prairie burns

·         Help with seeding and planting if needed

·         Pick an area that best fits your time commitment

Time period:  Growing season…work on your own as your schedule permits…burns, seeding, and planting will be worked out mutually

Tools:  Tools will include bow saws, pocket saws, tree loppers, and hand loppers. The supervisor will furnish tools or the volunteer may prefer to use his/her own. Assistance will be provided for burning, planting, and inter-seeding and the supervisor will furnish the appropriate equipment. The volunteer may choose to bring work gloves, sunscreen, or bandanas.

Special Events Volunteer

·         Help with a wide variety of trail and park programs

Examples include:  fish fry/Hog Roast, nature programming, Halloween campout, trail tram rides

·         Pick a program you are interested in

·         Programs will be a joint venture between volunteers and the park ranger, Leon Lindley

Time:  Check the dates scheduled to be sure you are available…you may contact Leon Lindley or the CVNT volunteer coordinator for additional information (see contact information on the last page)…events may last 2 hours, a day, or a weekend depending on the event and you can volunteer all or part of that time

Tools:  All equipment will be provided.

Bluebird Trail Volunteers

·         Check a group of bluebird boxes weekly and record your findings

·         You can pick a group of houses as small as 5 or as many as 20

·         All bluebird boxes are located on the trail from Evansdale to Brandon

·         Checking may involve destroying sparrow nests, eggs, and young

·         The supervisor will explain what to watch for and what needs to be recorded

·         A supervisor may accompany you at first, if you prefer

Time:  Bluebird boxes need to be checked once a week from the 1^st of April through July. They can be checked at your convenience as long as it is done weekly. If you are going to be unavailable for a week or two you may pre-arrange for the supervisor to check the boxes for you.

Sign Maintenance

·         Wood sign repair requires woodworking skills and will vary from simple staining and painting to construction or repair of billboards

·         Painting, gluing, routing, staining, and building skills may be needed

·         Metal signage will involve checking and replacing (bolts and nuts) and metal signs are located from Evansdale to 2 miles east of Brandon

·         For all projects the supervisor will give assistance as needed

Time:  Depends on what needs to be done and will vary… some of the wood sign work could be done at your own home at your convenience…metal signs can be done as needed at your convenience on the sections of the trail you choose to monitor

Tools:  The supervisor will provide all materials needed. The volunteer may prefer using his/her own tools.

If you are interested in any other volunteer jobs not listed here please contact Leon Lindley directly. Thank you for your interest!

If you have any questions or would like additional information please contact:

Leon Lindley

McFarlane Park Ranger

(319) 342-3844

13619 King Rd.

La Porte City, IA 50651