Residential RV Volunteer

If you like interacting with people, both young and old, this is the volunteer position for you!! This volunteer position interacts closely with Long Island Refuge Complex’s Visitor Services team.

Stationed at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuges, volunteers will focus their energies:

• Staffing the Complex’s new interactive visitor center (Meet and cheerfully greet visitors, provide area and refuge recreation opportunity information, give orientations to the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System; assist visitors with refuge rules and regulations; concisely explain the refuge entrance fee options; answer telephones, answer visitor questions, respond to visitor correspondences, distribute brochures and restock brochures.);
• Roving refuge trails to educate refuge visitors (Engage refuge visitors as they walk trails and look for wildlife, show wildlife related props and photos.);
• Provide informal interpretation (Research, develop and present interpretive programs, talks or demonstrations);
• Doing clerical activities (Filing, answering the phone at the front desk, researching refuge history at local libraries and organizing Complex’s image library.);
• Photographing a variety of natural resources; and
• Performing basic maintenance duties (Maintain cleanliness of public restrooms; pick up and dispose of litter found along roadways, trails and visitor areas).

Skills Desired: Volunteers should have good communication skills, an interest in and ability to learn about area history and natural resources, a desire to share knowledge with visiting public and work with a diversity of staff and visitors. Experience with public speaking is beneficial, but not necessary. We especially look for volunteers with backgrounds as educators or naturalists and with skills in birding and photography. A flexibility to handle variations in routine due to shifting priorities and visitor needs is appreciated. In addition, we are looking for volunteers with a demonstrated skill for investigating refuge history through local sources. We are also looking for people with experience organizing and sorting image libraries (i.e. slides, photographs and digital images).

To apply: A minimum three-month commitment during the specified timeframe is required. Applications will be accepted up through November 30th of each year, with selections made in mid-January. Contact Ann Marie Chapman at (631) 286-0485 ext. 2131 or [email protected] (If emailing, in the subject line, type in your name followed by the position you are applying for. Example: Ann Marie Chapman: Wertheim Refuge RV Volunteer). You will be sent an application and requested to send a photo of you and your RV.