Volunteer
Volunteering at the Refuge is a rewarding and valuable experience. Through a variety of public programs, visitors understand and appreciate the natural and cultural history of the Refuge.
You can assist Refuge employees and partners with interpretive programs, outreach events, Summer Camp, field trips, and special projects. You can volunteer to help run the Visitor Center. You can rove Refuge trails to talk to visitors, note maintenance needs, and pick up litter. You can even attend community science events to help the Refuge photograph and track native California species. No matter your experience or interests, there are many ways to get involved.
Volunteers running the Check-In Table at the Refuge’s annual Earth Day Event in 2022.
Volunteer at Environmental Education Center
Alviso, California
If you are interested in wildlife and conservation, enjoy working with people, and are enthusiastic and dependable, the Environmental Education Center’s Volunteer Program is for you! Programs are given as part of our Watershed Watchers program, encouraging the public to prevent urban runoff pollution. As a volunteer, you will receive training from staff and other volunteers in the project area you choose.
Requirements for volunteering at the Refuge at the Environmental Education Center include: attending a volunteer orientation, attending scheduled trainings, and meeting the age requirements for the program. In addition, background checks may be required. Please contact the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator at watchershedwatchers@sfbayws.org or call (408) 515-1889 for more information about upcoming new volunteer orientations.
Volunteer Positions
Interpretive Program and Outreach Volunteers
Come help out with interpretive or outreach programs, or present a program of your own. We offer a wide variety of public interpretive programs and are always looking for new ideas and faces to share our mission of wildlife conservation and pollution prevention.
- Training: Volunteer orientation, attend two public programs of your choice, and partake in additional interpretive and environmental education trainings.
- Additional Requirements: Providing or assisting at 3 public programs or outreach events for one year.
- Hours: 2+ Hours for each program (varies depending on event)
Field Trip Docents
The EEC offers environmental education programs for all student age groups. Docents will gain experience in environmental education and public speaking and will be responsible for assisting Interpretive staff with managing and leading groups of students through educational activities.
- Training: Attend a volunteer orientation and partake in additional interpretive and environmental education trainings. Volunteers with previous experience are highly desired.
- Hours: Programs are generally hosted on weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on an as-needed basis, but some school programs may fall on weekends to accommodate for ongoing construction.
Restoration Project Volunteers
Experienced volunteers are needed to work on the EEC’s upland habitat restoration project. In the Fall and Winter, volunteers plant California native plants, and in the Spring and Summer, volunteers pull invasive species to ensure that the native plants have a chance to thrive! Volunteers will coordinate with the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator but will follow instructions from current long-time restoration volunteers on needed work. Other options include volunteering on Sundays for monthly volunteer work days.
- Training: Volunteer orientation and on-the-job training with current volunteers
- Additional Requirements: Individuals and groups of all ages must be physically able to do the work. Work is primarily outdoors.
- Registration: Volunteer work days will be posted to Eventbrite.
EEC Community Science Volunteers
Become a citizen scientist! Are you interested in plants or insects? Volunteer at a BioBlitz event to learn about plant monitoring and habitat restoration, or visit the refuge and document on your own. Volunteers just need access to a smartphone with the iNaturalist app or a camera to take photos that can be uploaded later to the iNaturalist project via a computer.
- Training: If you’re new to iNaturalist, we can help direct you! Otherwise, no training is required. Please contact the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator at watchershedwatchers@sfbayws.org or call (408) 515-1889 with any questions.
- Registration: BioBlitz events will be posted to Eventbrite.
Volunteer at Don Edwards Refuge Headquarters
Fremont, California
Volunteer Positions
These volunteer positions are subject to change by the USFWS.
Nature Store Volunteer
The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is looking for a volunteers and a volunteer coordinator for the Nature Store at the Visitor Contact Station in Fremont. In addition to processing sales at the store and keeping things neat, we will train you to engage and respond to Refuge visitors, answer questions, and help orient the visitors to trails, programs, and other activities. We are seeking people with an interest in nature and wildlife, and who enjoy talking with others to help them learn to appreciate and enjoy nature and learn about wildlife and habitat preservation. Our expectation is that you will volunteer at least once a month on a regular basis (with some exceptions for your vacations and the like).
Volunteers in this position may go on to help in other ways over time. Some have developed their own public programs, or come up with ideas for improvements that reach visitors in different ways. You will become part of a group of friendly, dedicated volunteers.
Currently, we are striving to keep the store open from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. If we have no volunteers, we may cancel the Visitor Center/Nature Store opening on that day.
For more information contact: volunteer@sfbayws.org or see VolunteerMatch.org.
Visitor Center Information Desk Volunteers
(Not Actively Recruiting)
Volunteers are needed to answer visitor questions, answer phones, sell bookstore items, and check out discovery packs and binoculars to interested visitors.
- Training: Volunteer orientation and a 1-hour information desk training
- Please contact Paul Mueller at (505) 417-2561 or Paul_mueller@fws.gov.
Warm Springs Docent
Volunteers are needed to give public tours of the Warm Springs Unit of Don Edwards SF Bay NWR (Warm Springs).
Warm Springs is a vernal pool grassland in South Fremont with beautiful vernal pool flower blooms in April. This area is otherwise closed to the public.
- Training: Docents will be trained by Warm Springs staff and will attend at least two tours prior to leading a tour.
- Questions: Contact Ivette Loredo, Wildlife Refuge Specialist at Ivette_Loredo@fws.gov.
- Additional Requirements: We are looking for docents who can lead two to four tours on weekends. (Two tours can be done in one day) in mid-April and make at least a two-year commitment. Tours are two hours long and limited to 20 participants.
- Hours: Typically tours are offered at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm and last two hours.
Volunteers at the California Coastal Clean Up 2022.
Become a Supporter of the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society. Your membership will include a subscription to the Tide Rising newsletter and a 15% discount at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Nature Stores at the Visitor Center in Fremont, and the Environmental Education Center in Alviso.
Volunteering at the Refuge is a rewarding and valuable experience. Through a variety of public programs, visitors understand and appreciate the natural and cultural history of the Refuge.
Your support of our education, interpretation, and research activities is more important than ever. Any amount you’re willing to donate will be greatly appreciated! Donations may be fully tax-deductible.