Alaska’s 16 National Wildlife Refuges Need You!
As a Friends member, you can volunteer for education, outreach, advocacy, biology and maintenance projects happening around the state throughout the year. We match your time and talents with the needs of Alaska’s refuges.
Our volunteers have led bird walks in Kotzebue, worked with Native Alaskan students in Arctic Village, staffed an education table at Oceanfest in Anchorage, pulled noxious weeds along the Dalton Highway, and compiled photography exhibits celebrating the 100th anniversaries of Yukon Delta and Alaska Maritime Refuges. Other members write letter to decision makers on Refuge issues, assist with fundraising efforts, and serve on a Committee or the Board of Directors.
Time Commitment
Projects range from staffing a festival booth for a few hours to traveling to the bush for a week or more to assist with science camps to helping refuges plan major events over four to five months. We try to have something for everyone’s schedule.
General Skills
1. Flexibility and adaptability is a must!
2. Enthusiasm for connecting our refuges and environment to adults and children of all ages through Science and culture camps, art, bird walks, community events, and many other opportunities.
3. Capacity for hard work on potentially long days on many of the projects. 4. Wiliness to learn and share with others knowledge of various subjects and ability to share this knowledge with others.
Some of the most common positions we need are listed below:
Laborer
Training you would receive: It runs the gamut from “little to none” to “designing the program yourself” to “job specific”. See #1 above! Friends will be offering a spring training to all volunteers the weekend of May 22, 2010, more information to come later.
Benefits
The Friends offer volunteer experiences that increase
- your understanding of Alaska Refuges,
- your awareness of Alaska Native cultures and bush living,
- skills in adaptation and improvisation, as project frequently are based on unplanned events in the camps or villages;
- teaching experiences, work experience, public relations experience, FUN your knowledge of natural history (wildlife, geology, climate change, invasive plants, etc)
- most experiences offer reimbursement for travel expenses
Requirements
1.You must be a Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuge Member. Join Here!
2.Attendance of Friends Monthly Teleconference or other Friends Outreach event before your volunteer experience. Monthly Teleconferences are held the third Tuesday of each month.
3.Complete on-line Application (Applications are chosen based on thoughtful responses, availability and the skill set needed by the refuge. While it is desirable to offer opportunities to as many Friends as possible, the needs of the refuge are the first priority. The needs of the refuge are matched with skills and abilities of volunteer applicants. Refuge staff also request particular Friends for some projects. The Volunteer coordinator does not make the selection. The application process may be modified to offer more pertinent information to refuge staff/project leads.)
4.Complete a “Field Report” within one month after completing your service. Contribute photos of the event (take USF&W photo releases for parents of minors to sign). Link to Page where they input field report and photos
5.Pledge to represent Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in a professional and friendly manner.
Explore current volunteer opportunities
Position Descriptions
HELPERS are great first-time volunteer experiences. You will be guided by an organizer in conducting a variety of work projects and outreach events. Helpers aid with set-up and clean-up, and learn about Alaska Refuges from Refuge staff and fellow Friends members. Opportunities hosted in your community, typically require a shorter time commitment than longer excursions may extend from a day to week. Helpers who have participated in multiple events, and attended monthly teleconferences are great candidates for longer volunteer excursions to remote communities and Refuges.
OUTREACH: Outreach volunteers staff booths at festivals, conferences and special events in large cities and remote communities. Helpers aid in shipping, and set-up of refuge and friends visual and digital displays; recruiting new members; selling promotional items and educating the public about the National Wildlife Refuge System. Organizers present demonstrations, activities and slide-shows to small and large audiences.
LABORER: Laborers need a good work ethic, a willingness to get their hands dirty, and a spirit for adventure. Volunteers are called upon to pull weeds, painting, light construction, trail building, and more. Volunteers need to be in good physical condition.
EDUCATOR: Educators typically working with children pre-school to high school in rural communities. Educators facilitate 10 minute to multi-day educational activities. Helpers/Educators assist with camp-set up, clean-up, cooking and any tasks necessary to conduct 1 day to 2 week camps in the bush. You don’t necessarily need a lot of teaching experience, but these positions require research, materials and lesson preparation.
BIOLOGIST: These volunteers assist refuge biologists with surveys, data entry, field camp work. Most positions offer on-the job training at the refuge, so recreational wildlife enthusiasts are welcome helpers.
BACKCOUNTRY: These positions have a portion or all the work in remote backcountry areas and require backcountry camping and survival skills. Participants will be camping for all or a portion of the experience. Some require specialized boating, bear-safety skills or more. Volunteers must be in good physical condition, be willing to put up with bugs, heat, cold, rain and all types of weather.
ORGANIZER: These positions require a larger time commitment, and usually work closely with the board of directors, refuge staff or remote communities to plan and implement projects. Volunteers may be asked to create a presentation or add to an existing presentation, volunteers may also be asked to help coordinate events and projects, they may be asked to help plan a reception, or help with ideas for presenters.
SPECIALTY: Sometime other specialty experience is required to participate in some projects. For example we may need Friends with an information technology expertise, real-estate knowledge, photography skills and equipment.
For more information contact: Betty Siegel, Volunteer Coordinator
(907) 235-1598
betty.siegel@alaska.net