Current Volunteer Opportunities:
Invasive Management of Delta Park Volunteers Needed!
Help the Winooski Valley Park District with management of invasive plants at Delta Park in Colchester. The WVPD will be leading several invasive removal work days over the winter to help remove seed bearing stems of various invasive plant species. Species include but are not limited to – common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), and honeysuckle species (Lonicera spp). While the ground is still soft we will utilize weed wrenches to remove stumps and roots, and when this is no longer possible we will be targeting the larger seed-bearing stems and cutting them to reduce the abundance of mature seed bearing individuals throughout the natural area.
Workdays will be held on Monday and Tuesdays from approximately 9:30am – 12:30pm. Current dates are (weather dependent):
Tuesday December 5, 2023
Monday December 11, 2023
Tuesday December 12, 2023
More dates will be scheduled throughout the winter as the weather permits.
To sign up please reach out to WVPD Parks Superintendent Timothy Larned at [email protected] for more information. Or sign up for works days here.
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under assistance agreement (LC 00A00981-0) to New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) in partner ship with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
Burlington Wildways Trail Stewards
Do you use the natural area trails in Burlington? Are you looking to give back to these spaces or interested in volunteering to help maintain them? Become a Burlington Wildways Trail Steward! Trail stewards help maintain our natural area trails by picking up litter, removing small limbs and debris, reporting larger maintenance issues, and serve as ambassadors to other trail users. Learn more and sign up today here.
As a non-profit organization, the Winooski Valley Park District relies heavily upon community support and volunteers to maintain a high level of ecological and environmental quality within its park system. The assistance the Park District receives from dedicated volunteers supports the Park District’s ultimate mission of land preservation and maintenance for human and wildlife enjoyment.
Contact the Park District or [email protected] to learn more about our various volunteer opportunities.
Group Volunteers
Great opportunities for business and corporate volunteer or team bonding opportunities. Volunteers are needed year-round to assist with seasonally-appropriate projects. Typical volunteer opportunities include:
- Invasive species management
- Trail work and maintenance
- Wildlife monitoring
- Planting trees or native plants
Volunteers from Youth Build improve access along the Riverwalk Trail at Salmon Hole in Burlington, Spring 2016. Photo credit: Tim Larned
- Raking leaves
- Park clean ups of trash & debris
Please contact the Park District to set up a project or volunteer work day that best suits your group’s abilities and timing.
Individual Volunteers
Although most of the Park District’s projects are best suited for several individuals working together, couples or individuals can contribute on an independent level. During the winter, the Park District needs individuals familiar with the parks and trails to ski or snowshoe trails shortly after snowfall in order to track them for enthusiasts who may follow. With minimal direction from Park District staff, individuals interested in volunteering in the fall can rake leaves at the various parks. Spring and summer hikers can remove and properly dispose of trash from along trails.
At any time of year, individuals with an interest in wildlife can use tracking keys to report wildlife signs to the Park District. Over the past several years, trained volunteers have been monitoring signs and tracks of wildlife at the parks. Tracking information helps identify sensitive habitat and guides us in the placement of trails and facilities. Similarly, birdwatchers can log bird counts as a part of the Park District’s wildlife surveying.
Individual volunteers are welcome to put their personal knowledge to use for the benefit of the Park District with the individual activities listed above. Individual volunteers may work independently and on their own schedule. Please contact the Park District with suggestions for additional independent volunteering activities or with any questions regarding recommended activities.
Internships and Special Projects
The Winooski Valley Park District invites students enrolled in area colleges and universities interested in natural resource-based internship opportunities to reach out about possible opportunities. Trained and motivated students are always needed to help us inventory plant species, help with ecological management plans, track park usage, or assist with a range of other projects that are necessary for managing our parks.
Please contact the Park District to learn more regarding internship or special project opportunities.
