Volunteer
Get Involved
Thank you for your interest in becoming involved as a volunteer! We invite you to explore the volunteer opportunities available in our 5-county service area and join over 300 other volunteer colleagues who are generously dedicating their time and skills to help preserve, protect and maintain significant natural, scenic, and farm lands in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Manistee counties.
Our volunteers are the Conservancy’s lifeblood, we literally could not protect and steward the 33,000 acres of land and nearly 100 miles of shoreline we’re responsible for without the help of volunteers. They fulfill the vast and growing stewardship, communication, fund development and administration needs that we assume with each new land protection project. Our volunteers work alongside, and in partnership, with our staff. We give our volunteers the support, guidance, and tools they need, and then give them space to innovate and lead to accomplish the tasks at hand. Our volunteers’ passion and dedication – combined with the talent, experience and expertise they lend – inspires us to continue our efforts to build a conservation and stewardship ethic around conserved lands and within our broader community.
Please take a moment to explore volunteer opportunities below. The list consists of opportunities the Conservancy has regularly and if you have a particular skill you’d like to share with the Conservancy that isn’t listed below, just let us know – we rely on our community of volunteers to provide ideas too! Once you’ve read through the volunteer opportunities fill out our volunteer questionnaire and we will contact you.
GTRLC Volunteer Opportunities
Stewardship Volunteer Opportunities
Most stewardship volunteer opportunities are performed outdoors on our preserves and have varied exertion and time commitment levels. Please read through the descriptions below and contact us for additional information.
Preserve Steward
A Preserve Steward effectively adopts one of our nature preserves. With guidance from our stewardship staff the volunteer is responsible for overall preserve monitoring which includes; maintaining and restoring trails, natural habitats and preserve infrastructure; and serving as an accessible and helpful public “face” of the preserve on behalf of the Conservancy.
Trail Steward
A Trail Steward monitors trails by removing large twigs and branches, cut back encroaching vegetation, clear large trees that come down on the trail, mow grassy areas where needed, replace trail markers and maps, repaint trail blazes, and repair boardwalks and other structures as needed and able.
Land Steward Coordinators
This is an opportunity for volunteers to assume leadership and supervisory roles within the Conservancy. Volunteer Crew Leaders are needed to lead projects and work days. Lead Preserve Stewards are needed to coordinate Friends Groups.
Boundary Monitor
A Boundary Monitor walks (or paddles depending on the preserve!) preserve boundary lines at least once every 2 years noting condition/presence of boundary signs, intrusion up to or across the boundary, and changes in adjacent land use. GPS skills may be used, and GTRLC will provide training.
Invasive Species Scout
An Invasive Species Scout monitors preserves for the presence of invasive species especially along trails and shorelines. Responsibilities may also involve off-trail bushwhacking to look for plants carried in by wind, birds, deer, or other off-trail visitors. Plant identification and GPS skills are needed, and GTRLC will provide training.
Hike Leaders/Docents
Lead hikes and host other educational events on preserves and natural areas. Training provided!
Forestry Stewards
A Forestry Steward conducts plant and animal inventories, photo documentation of forest growth and development.
Workshop/Carpentry Crew
Crew members make trail signs, kiosks, boardwalks, and other structures used on our preserves. The Conservancy has tools and a shop!
Work Bee Participant
Volunteer work bees accomplish episodic projects at nature preserves such as: trail building and maintenance, invasive plant control, tree planting, cleanup of new preserves, and natural land restoration. Work days take place throughout the year, but especially between April and October. Let us know if you are interested and we will send you email updates about these events. We also post them on our website and Facebook.
Plant and Animal Species Inventory Crew Member
Visit specific sites and see rare plants and animals while helping the Stewardship Team with species documentation and inventory.
Conservancy Lumber ID Project
Work with local businesses and saw mills to create a branding process for conservancy lumber.
Land Protection Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer opportunities with the Land Protection Team are primarily indoor and require some high level skills including mapping and writing. These opportunities would be great for students, those with previous experience or a passion to learn. Please read the following and contact us with additional questions.
GIS Mapping
Works with staff to create project and landscape scale maps suitable for publication and presentations. Updates both mapping software and GTRLC digital data. Converts maps to images (JPEG/PDF) and maintains the digital and hard copy “Map Book”, which allows staff not trained in GIS to access and print maps. Must have experience with ArcView 9.x and demonstrated ability to create high-quality presentation maps, be creative, team-oriented and able to meet deadlines.
Writing Assistance
Volunteers help the Land Protection team with various tasks associated with report writing, applications submittals, and record keeping. Examples include; Baseline Documentation Reports: Aerial monitoring summary sheets, LTA Accreditation and record upkeep, Watershed Summary writing assistance, Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund application assistance.
Adminstrative, Communications & Engagement Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer opportunities with this group are quite varied but mostly revolve around internal organization to achieve consistent and effect outward messaging. Please read through the following opportunities and contact us for additional information.
Website Manager and Social Media Manager
Audit content, suggest revisions, and guidance etc.
Librarian
Organization and management of periodicals, books and other resources
Other Oppdortunities
Training leaders (hikes, trails, etc.), Graphic Designer, Events Coordinator, Writing and Editing for Print and Web, Receptionist
Fund Development/Charitable Giving Support Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer opportunities with this group help us deepen and establish relationships essential for fund development and provide guidance regarding fiscal health. Please read through the following opportunities and contact us for additional information.
Investment Specialist
Partnership with GTRLC finance committee. Must have short term and medium investment experience
Organization Wide Volunteer Opportunities
As an organization we have a wide range of needs where volunteers with various skills and a passion for our mission can connect to our work. Please read through the following opportunities and contact us for additional information or with new ways you would like to help.
Miscellaneous (All Teams) Volunteer Opportunities
The volunteer in this area will work well independently and with others to accomplish individual tasks while achieving a shared goal. Organization wide volunteer opportunities inlcude: small grant researcher and writer, photographer/videographer, IT support “help desk”, data entry, filing/administrative assistance, reduce, reuse and recycle manager and board committee member.
For more information about the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s Volunteer Colleague Program, contact Nate Richardson at 231-929-7911 or by email at nate@gtrlc.org.
