Most volunteer roles require no experience; train on the job! For those positions that require some skills, such as the Volunteer Naturalist Program, we provide full training for free to help you develop what you need. See below for more details about the typical areas where volunteers serve ASWP.
When you are ready, please download a Volunteer Application, complete it and send it to us, and we'll find a place for you. Questions or comments or prefer an application to be mailed to you, just let us know!
We are also a great place for your business, organization, fraternity, sorority, scout troop or club to offer community service opportunities.
Volunteer opportunities:
Environmental Education: This includes the Volunteer Naturalist program, as well as a variety of administrative support opportunities and seasonal activities. The volunteer naturalists lead groups of ten or so school children on thematic nature walks. Each fall and spring, we offer Volunteer Naturalist Training, where we give new naturalists all the natural history background and educational activity plans they need to lead our visiting school children on our trails. Training for new naturalists is offered every March and September.
Audubon Nature Stores: Nature Store volunteers are needed for re-occurring, weekly shifts in our 3 nature stores, located at: Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel, Succop Nature Park in Penn Township (Butler County), and Buffalo Creek Nature Park in Sarver (Butler County). For more information, contact Samantha, Retail Manager, at sditch<@>aswp.org.
Administrative Assistance: Volunteers fill the roles of telephone receptionists, data entry personnel and clerical support staff at Beechwood, ASWP's headquarters. These are slots are usually a regular schedule, such as of one morning or afternoon a week.
Native Plant Nursery: We have regularly scheduled volunteer work sessions and regularly occurring, independent opportunities as well. To learn more about other opportunities with the native plant nursery, contact Roxanne Swan, Native Plant Center Coordinator, at rswan<@>aswp.org. Learn more about Native Plant Nursery Volunteering here.
Special Events: Our larger public events, such as Maple Madness or Creatures of the Night always need extra support to operate activity stations, guide groups, help set up and take down, etc. A whole family, class, club or social group can lend a hand together. These are single-day events, so they are easy on your schedule, too. Our events calendar is a great place to see when these events are coming.
Conservation: Each year, we work hard to protect and improve habitat on our nature reserves and beyond through activities such as tree plantings and litter clean ups. Check out our events calendar for upcoming opportunities
Volunteer Naturalists: With training and support from Audubon, Volunteer Naturalists lead field trips at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve. Contact Scott Detwiler, Environmental Educator, at sdetwiler<@>aswp.org for more information.
Beechwood Conservation Corps: Do you like getting your hands dirty? We need you to help us make Beechwood even more bird-friendly! BCC participants adopt and steward sites for at least 1 year, committing to visit their site at least 4 times during that time. Training, supplies, and support will be provided by ASWP. For more information, contact Sarah, Conservation Director, at skoenig<@>aswp.org. Be sure to check out our events calendar for upcoming trainings!
Beechwood Grounds: If you’d like to help with grounds and trail maintenance at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, contact Brian Shema, Operations Director, at bshema<@>aswp.org for more information.
Succop Grounds: If you’d like to help with grounds maintenance at Succop Nature Park, contact Larissa Cassano-Hamilton, Center Coordinator at lcassanohamilton<@>aswp.org for more information.
General Inquiry: Have something else in mind? Contact Sarah Koenig, Conservation Director, at skoenig<@>aswp.org to explore additional volunteering opportunities.
