Become A Volunteer

The Alabama Nature Center offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. We are seeking volunteers within a 60 mile radius. Volunteer opportunities are for those aged 16 years and older. Background checks may be required. Community or corporate groups may volunteer for projects by contacting Kristen LeMaster at (334)285-4550 or klemaster@alabamawildlife.org. Volunteer categories include, but are not limited to, the following:

Animal Ambassador Care Team—This position is open from 8 am - 5 pm, Monday through Friday. It will require an interest in animal husbandry, as well as performing these basic duties of feeding, cleaning, and enrichment of resident education animals (snakes, turtles, frogs, salamanders, and more). Volunteers are required to interview and attend a 4 hour training before beginning. Volunteers are asked to commit to working 6 times in 6 months.

Citizen Science TeamVolunteers  may participate in one of our projects to collect natural history data.  Right now we have a Project FeederWatch program that requires watching the bird feeders located at our bird blind and reporting what species and how many birds are visiting our feeders in the winter.  You could do this once a week or once a month, whatever works for you.  It will require 1-2 hours of your time.  Before beginning this project, we would just ask that you read the FeederWatch Handbook and Instructions booklet.  We will provide that as well as some helpful pictures and books for identifying the birds as well as binoculars if you need them.

Field Trip Assistance Team —Volunteers will assist with making school field trips happen. These duties include driving a golf cart to move student lunches and coolers from their buses at arrival to their lunch location, distributing lunch supplies to students, assisting with parking for parents and chaperones, driving students and/ or adults with special needs in a golf cart to follow along with their class, and to assist ANC Naturalists with the logistics of their programs as needed. Usually, Monday through Friday between 8:30 - 2:30, during the field trip season, spring and fall. 

Fishing Team—This team of volunteers will assist with fishing event and school aquatic programs set-up and breakdown. Specific activities include fishing equipment upkeep, and fishing assistance such as casting instruction, baiting hooks, and releasing caught fish. During fishing tournaments, volunteers may also tabulate and maintain harvest data. 

Floral Team—This team of volunteers, which includes a host of Master Gardeners, will assist with upkeep and maintenance of the floral gardens and grounds at Lanark. Specific activities include planting and tending to bulbs, annuals, herbs, shrubs, and trees, weeding, pruning, and flower and foliage collection.

Special Events Team—Individual volunteers are asked to commit to working 4 events in a year. Families, student or youth groups, and corporate or community groups may volunteer to work together during a single event during the year. Work may involve:
  • Set up and clean up of equipment for the event
  • Registration before and during the event
  • Assisting with game or craft activities during the event
  • Parking or visitor orientation during the event
  • Greeting visitors and providing assistance where needed
ANC Annual Special Events include: Critter Crawl 5K Trail Run, Easter Eggstravaganza, ANC Earth Day Festival, ANC Big Backyard Campout, AWF Youth Fishing Rodeo, Big Cat Youth Fishing Tournament, ANC Honey Festival, Creatures of the Night, and Christmas at the ANC.

Trail Management Team —This team of volunteers work independently to assist with periodic trail and boardwalk inspection, trimming and removal of light vegetation encroaching on trails, leaf blowing, and minor trail and boardwalk repair and improvements. This also may include periodic creek clean up by removing trash, fallen limbs and other debris. Occasionally there may be group work days.
 
Energetic, enthusiastic, dependable, and cordial individuals who have a passion for the outdoors are encouraged to apply by filling out an an online application.
 
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