We appreciate your interest in becoming a volunteer. The Watershed relies on our volunteer family to help us protect our water and environment in central New Jersey. We have a small staff, but a large mission, so we have plenty of opportunities for volunteering. Whatever your talents and interests are, we will find a way for you to contribute.
Please explore the section below and see what appeals to you!
If you’re interested in organizing a work group for your business, school, or another organization, please click here.
Help with our rain gardens, trail maintenance, stewardship, planting and invasive removal, among other things. In the spring and summer, stewardship volunteers might be needed to help transplant and water our trees. If you have a string trimmer and can bring that to the Watershed Reserve to help address some of the edges around our boardwalk and trees, please come help out! Other opportunities occur sporadically.
Minimum age: 15 and above to volunteer solo.
NJ Salt Watch engages community scientists to assess the impacts of winter road salting on New Jersey freshwater nontidal streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. No training is required to participate. Click below to request your own set of NJ Salt Watch chloride test strips to start monitoring.
StreamWatch is our most hands-on science program. We have three teams of StreamWatchers:
CAT volunteers commit to taking water quality measurements on the third weekend of each month for at least one year. Currently, volunteers measure temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient levels using tools provided by The Watershed Institute. The results are analyzed and reported to the public through our quarterly subwatershed report cards, municipal report cards, and online. Data is also submitted to the EPA’s Water Quality Exchange.
StreamWatch CAT requires a minimum one-year commitment because of the extensive training required. (Due to the one-year minimum requirement, CAT is not a good option for rising seniors or 12th graders.)
BAT volunteers collect samples at their assigned site once a year. They conduct habitat assessments and monitor populations of organisms called macroinvertebrates. Because these organisms vary in their sensitivity to pollutants, the types and relative abundance of macroinvertebrates serve as indicators of water quality. Sampling is conducted once a year in the spring.
BACT volunteers help to monitor Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels in the water. HABs are caused by a type of photosynthesizing bacteria which can produce toxins. E. coli is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans. The presence of this bacteria indicates that disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites of a fecal origin may be contaminating the water. Monitoring helps to rapidly identify bacterial problems and monitor their status throughout the summer.
Minimum age for StreamWatch: 14 with an adult; 16+ solo.
Many of our largest special events take place in the spring and summer, including World Water Day in late March (March 21) and our largest event of the year—the Butterfly Festival on August 1. In the fall, we host our Halloween Hike in October, among others. Volunteers for these events help with registration, education, and entertainment, as well as setup and cleanup.
Some individual event shave a higher minimun age.
Volunteers help us with photography at some of our special events (such as our Butterfly Festival or World Water Day). They also help document other events such as the Watershed Conference, the Watershed Fest, and other programs that we run. Volunteers don’t need to have a 35 mm SLR to do so, but if a volunteer is using their camera phone, they need to be willing to get close to their subjects (usually people!)
The Butterfly House Crew assists in the maintenance and care of the native plants and gardens in our Butterfly House. Tasks include weeding, watering, helping to catch butterflies, and caring for caterpillars. The Butterfly House Crew begins mid-June and operates through the end of August, volunteering on Tuesday mornings. All training is provided! The Butterfly House Crew is for people looking for an on-going opportunity for service, education, and stewardship.
Minimum age: 16
Our critter care volunteers come weekly to either feed our critters (turtles, snakes, insects, frog, toad, fish) or clean their cages and do other care. If you love slithery and slimy things, this is the task for you! Younger volunteers may need parental assistance with moving heavy things or reaching things on higher shelves, but parents do not need to have contact with the critters themselves. If you can commit to coming weekly on the same weekday or even a weekend day, please let me know.
Critter Care does require a minimum one-year commitment because of the extensive training required.
Minimum age: 14
Our volunteer teacher naturalists help supplement our staff during student field trips. Teacher naturalists need to be comfortable working with children from K-12 and have formal experience (teacher) or informal experience (scout leader, out-of-school time educator, tutor, camp counselor) working with students. Volunteers should be comfortable teaching outdoors in a variety of weather and natural settings. We provide training on content and pedagogy with time to shadow staff before presenting on your own. Orientation and training will be offered twice a year, once in September and again in February.
All volunteer hours are logged online through the Watershed volunteer hours tracker. You’ll receive that link after submitting your volunteer information form.
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