Volunteer Opportunities | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Colorado Parks and Wildlife volunteers work in various capacities. These include campground, park, and wildlife area (SWA) hosts, naturalist, interpreter, special project volunteer, researcher, maintenance and construction worker, volunteer service group and much more. The following list is far from complete, however it represents the most popular volunteer opportunities available. The descriptions below are general and may change depending upon needs.

Find Parks Opportunities (online database) and Wildlife Opportunities (Call of the Wild Newsletter) available now!

Program Information

Park Campground Host

Greet and assist campers with information about the park and facilities.
Collect fees and dispense park information at an entrance station.
Assist in daily campground operations, posting campground reservations, and other campground programs.
Clean campsites, bathrooms, and laundry facilities and assist with light maintenance.
Reside on site at least 20 hours per week.
Download our Campground Host Information Flyer for additional information.

Wildlife Host

Dispense state wildlife area information about pertinent rules, regulations, facilities, and recreational opportunities in the area.
Lead educational programs at hatcheries.
Clean bathrooms and other areas as needed.
Assist with light maintenance.
Download our Wildlife Host Application .

Participating Hatcheries & State Wildlife Areas (SWAs):

Basalt SWA - Christine & Toner Units	Lake John SWA	Rifle Falls Hatchery
Bel-Air SWA	Little Hills SWA	Roaring Judy Hatchery
Chalk Cliff Hatchery	Mt. Shavano Hatchery	Tarryall Reservoir SWA
Dan Noble Reservoir SWA	Pitkin Hatchery	Watson Lake SWA
Delaney Buttes SWA - North & South	Pueblo Hatchery
Hot Sulphur Springs SWA	Radium SWA

Education

Naturalists present park and wildlife interpretive and educational programs such as campfire talks, nature walks, hatchery and museum tours, living history programs, and backcountry.
Direct educational and interpretive programs.
Lead public workshops and classes.
Support staff in educational endeavors and programming.
Teach hunting, fishing, and outdoor skills.

Maintenance & Construction

Repair and construct fences.
Assist with the construction, renovation, and maintenance of trails.
Clean up grounds and facilities.
Perform special or seasonal maintenance tasks as needed (for example: boat dock repair).
Complete carpentry, remodeling or other construction projects.
Provide landscape design expertise.
Create informational signs.
Assist with minor vehicle/boat/equipment repairs and maintenance.

Biology & Resource Stewardship

Assist staff in reclamation projects or wildlife habitat improvements.
Collect data and monitor wildlife and habitat (for example: wildlife counts and habitat monitoring).
Monitor air and water quality or other important environmental parameters.
Participate in weed control efforts.
Interview or observe visitors for visitor use survey.
Conduct oral history interviews and other historical and natural historical research.
Serve as a natural areas steward.
Update and maintain artifact collection, botanical and educational specimen
collections, and slide files.

Special Projects

Develop outdoor interpretive signs for self-guiding trails or roadside exhibits.
Coordinate volunteer resources.
Photograph or video tape park and wildlife programs, special events, visitors, or resources.
Assist in planning volunteer recognition or social events.
Train other volunteers.
Provide equipment, donated funds, or expertise on special projects.
Design and create puppets and historical costumes.
Transport sick or injured wildlife.

Customer Service

Answer phones, file, database entry, provide office support and other clerical tasks.
Provide computer training, trouble-shooting, or computer program design.
Staff a visitor center information desk or customer service office.
Inventory, organize, and maintain assets and resources.
Help coordinate special events.
Prepare exhibits, displays, and assist with trade show events.
Help market and advertise programs.
Write and edit newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, and manuals.
Produce artwork or graphic design for publications, signs, flyers, or exhibits.
Collect fees and dispense information at state park entrance stations.

Group Opportunities

This includes boy scouts, girl scouts, corporations, 4-H clubs, school community service groups, church groups, environmental groups and so forth. Duties are usually project specific and will be designed around the interests of the group as well as the needs of the park or program.